Sago palm bloom?

7 years ago

So, I live in Syracuse NY and about 12 years ago I bought a 2' circumference sago palm in Florida. Obviously, it is something that I bring inside every winter - which is a bit rough because when it decides to flush inside, the fronds stretch because of the artificial light even if I hang a light directly over it. It now has a small trunk and have re-potted it several times over the years and it probably needs it again but I feel I am creating a monster that I'm afraid I eventually won't be able to keep mobile and then I don't know what I'll do. (I have this problem with quite a few plants actually - A grapefruit tree, several palms and several banana plants.) Anyhow, the sago is quite healthy and now has two or three pups I need to remove that are probably 1-1/2' long (which will be tough to get at since it is in a pot.) But now, the plant is growing what appears to be one frond out of the middle, when usually it grows 16 to 20 at a time. So I'm assuming it is blooming??? But I read that they won't bloom in a pot - or at least an expert online commented that they had never seen one bloom in a pot.... Then again I have beaten the odds before as my potted grapefruit tree has bloomed (and actually have one grapefruit hanging off it now and it was actually grown from a seed from a store bought fruit, by the way), my potted pineapples have grown fruit and my potted passion fruit vine has also bloomed and grew two fruits. So either my Sago is oddly growing one frond, or it is blooming against the odds. (In a pot - and in Syracuse NY!) If it is a bloom, it's obviously a male. But I thought I would post the picture here and maybe someone who lives where these grow and knows what they look like will have some insight and advice for me:

PS: Those little things are just leaves that fell onto it from my enormous and constantly shedding Weeping Willow tree.

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Comments (5)

theseventhlegend
7 years ago
I wouldn't get too excited, it's just a lowly leaf forming. In my experience Sagos do this from time to time. The frond is likely to be stunted but it's no indication of it about to flower.

Congrats on the grapefruit, that's quite an accomplishment!
User
7 years ago
Well, if you want it to grow, I would pot it up using a very porous mix (I add in a generous amount of orchid bark and perlite). Use a light weight container as these plants eventually weigh a TON (they sell attractive faux ceramic pots). You can also put it on a saucer with wheels. (I have to use large dollys for mine.) Then, fertilize if you want growth. I overwinter mine in cold (frost free) garage from December till March and water minimally then, as growith in lower light comes out deformed.
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slice4444
7 years ago
It's already getting huge. It's already on wheels. It's already repotted. And yes, I've learned already to put all my plants in lightweight pots. This thing is already about 150 lbs (I'm guessing) and takes up 1/6th of my living room. This along with my 12" palm tree that the branches are pinned to my ceiling, my smaller but still quite large sabal palm, My 3 banana plants (One is 8' tall) My grapefruit tree which is 8' tall and I have to cut the sides and top off every year (once to get it in, in the fall and once to get it out in the spring) and a variety of other tropical plants makes my living room took like a jungle. I love it but its getting overwhelming.
party_music50
7 years ago
slice, do you also use a lightweight potting mix? I love Pro-Mix. I'm curious how long it took before your grapefruit grown from seed actually flowered!
slice4444
7 years ago
So I acquired the grapefruit tree about 10 years ago from a neighbor that grew it from seed. It was probably 5 years old at the time. One thing I've learned is that this tree likes being re-potted with fresh potting soil, likes fertilizer in the spring, and loves lots of water every day as long as it drains well. I used to have trouble with it dropping leaves, and I would always think I was over-watering it. But in fact this is how the tree reacts when it has been under-watered and you then water it... That's why it tricked me. I thought it didn't like the water, but it actually was needing it. So when you start watering it correctly, it drops those old dried leaves a as it grows new ones. So now I know to water it every day outside and 2-3 times a week inside. It is so healthy right now that every year I take it in - or out - (fall and spring) I have to cut the tops and sides off to get it through the doorway...