© 2024 South Carolina Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Helping Your Sago Palm Survive the Winter

Sago Palm, Cycas revoluta.
John Ruter, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org [CC BY-NC 3.0 US]
Sago Palm, Cycas revoluta.

Hello Gardeners, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. One plant that really suffered during our December ice age was the sago palm, Cycas revoluta. Sago palms represent some of the oldest living plants on earth and are not palms but cycads. According to Clemson’s Home and Garden Information Center (a great resource –just put the topic you want to know about followed by Clemson hgic), sago palms are hardy in most of zone 8. But hardy doesn’t always mean that they plant won’t be harmed by unusually cold temperatures, and this year most sago palm leaves were killed. Fortunately, the above ground trunk portions of most will live and put out new leaves when warm weather comes. Don’t cut the once beautiful green but now bronze compound leaves back now, they will provide some protection for the growth bud, so wait until late March when all danger of frost has passed. 

Stay Connected
Amanda McNulty is a Clemson University Extension Horticulture agent and the host of South Carolina ETV’s Making It Grow! gardening program. She studied horticulture at Clemson University as a non-traditional student. “I’m so fortunate that my early attempts at getting a degree got side tracked as I’m a lot better at getting dirty in the garden than practicing diplomacy!” McNulty also studied at South Carolina State University and earned a graduate degree in teaching there.