I'd be more concerned about the intense heat rather than the wet. Arent these shade loving tropicals?

Best guide is to drive around and look for other Sagos in your area.

arizonaed,

I lived in Tucson for 10 years and most folks I knew would give these filtered sun in that climate. I'm concerned that afternoon sun would be too much for them after being shaded the rest of the day. The monsoonal moisture shouldn't be too much of a problem if you have very well draining soil.

I now live in the Sacramento CA area; summer temps are not that far off from Tucson. I keep my plant, (purchased 13 years ago at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum spring plant sale), in my tropical garden where is gets daily water and filtered sun. It looks better than it ever has and has two flushes of leaves per year. I do bring it into the greenhouse for the winter and it gets very little water during those months. We have a neighbor that has planted one in his front yard and it is surviving and growing, but its leaves do get bleached in the summer and I have seen a bit of winter damage.

I think they can take a wide range of temps, precip & sun exposure, but the key may be to gradually condition them to their new surroundings.

Good luck,

Mike

Arizoned,
I wouldn't worry about the the sago. I have one in a 5 gallon pot on my patio and it gets all the rain Chicago gets and somtimes some sprinkler water too... given it is planted in pure sand, but still it looks just fine.

BTW, I saw a segment on I believe 60 minutes about the cactus rescue crew! Was that the same crew as the one you are involved with?

I am with you on the beauty of the Sonoran desert. I have many yuccas, cacti and succulents here in my yard to give it that desert feel. I love visting Arizona, and I will be moving there eventually if not to California.

Kyle