Sago palms add instant tropical appeal if you live in the right growing zone. Fruit trees can be grown in certain areas, and tropical plants like palm trees are much the same. Some plants, such as a Sago Palm Tree, can be grown indoors, in a container outside, or the ground.
The plants come in a variety of sizes and can be purchased from many sources. Like many mature plants, the price of a Sago Palm tree vary depending on size and where you buy it.
Sago palms are popular for their tropical appearance and beautiful foliage. However, prices have risen because of their popularity in recent decades, and you may find that certain plants are more expensive than you initially expected. The question often asked is, how much is a Sago Palm? In our guide, you can learn more about Sago Palm prices, suitable growing zones, and more. (Read Spiritual Meaning Of A Double Yolk Egg)
By the end, you’ll see why the pricy shrubs are a fantastic option for your front yard to be used as privacy shrubs.
What Is A Sago Palm?
Sago palms are beautiful plants like other palms, although these are native to Japan and across Asia. The Japanese Sago are grown in warm places like America, Australia, and Asia.
The trunk is thick and hairy, with feathery leaves, and thrives in USDA zone 7. Although Sago Palms prefer warmer weather, plants can tolerate a little snow and can thus be left outside in the winter.
Sago palms are tropical and subtropical plants that date back thousands of plants. They are distinct in that they grow from a single trunk and do not branch off.
Cycas Revoluta is the scientific name for the Sago Palm, the most common in America.
Aside from the evergreen tropical lushness, King Sago Palms are drought-tolerant, cold-tolerant, slow-growing, and much more.
- Hardy Zone: 7-11
- Cold Hardy: Yes
- Mature Height: 8-12 ft
- Outdoors Mature Width: 3-5 ft
- Growth Rate: Slow
- Sun Preference: Full Sun to Partial Shade
- Maintenance: Easy
- Water Needs: Average
- Soil Preference: Well Drained
- Drought Tolerant: Yes
- Deer Resistant: Yes
Sago Palm Price
Sago palms are easy to grow but take years to mature; thus, you can see why they can be costly.
You may not want to wait decades to see your palm grow a few feet tall. Alternatively, you could pay more for a larger plant.
Because the Sago Palm is a slow-growing plant, supply is limited, and if you live in areas these plants are popular, the price rises more because of supply and demand. (Read Is Kalanchoe Poisonous To Humans)
Prices at registered nurseries are typically greater than those at gardening stores or florists.
- For a plant that is 12 inches tall, a Sago palm could cost around $20.
- Smaller plants, maybe $5 to $15.
- The larger the plant, the higher the price, so a 24-inch tall Sago Palm could cost over $100.
- Plants over seven years old or stand at least 36 inches can cost around $200 or more.
While Sago Palms are costly because they grow to large specimens, you could buy one cheaper from a hobbyist.
Gardeners often host plant sales or sell plants to friends and neighbors cheaper.
Plants to give your garden instant tropical appeal can be found at local markets.
Growing A Sago Palm Tree
With its tropical display up to 4-6 feet, this member of the Cycadaceae family attracts attention from friends and neighbors.
A Sago Palm flowers every 2-3 years once mature. The male and female sagos have a huge cone in the center of their bodies, where the female flower generates red seeds for reproduction when fertilized.
These palms look fantastic in the landscape or as a plant in a pot! They are hardy plants that produce excellent results when planted slightly above the soil line in full sun in a well-drained area.
These palm trees have a moderate growth rate but an extremely long lifespan, reaching hundreds of years.
Sago palms grown in containers thrive best when allowed to dry out almost between waterings, so you don’t have to monitor them all the time. They adapt well to a variety of growth situations, both indoors and out.
Note: The Sago Palm tree can be toxic to pets, so these need to be kept away when possible.
Sago Palm Tree Planting and Care
1. Planting:
You don’t have to immediately repot your King Sago right away; you’ll only need to repot approximately every other year, as the Sago outgrows its shipped container or original pot.
Each time you repot, increase the pot size by 2 inches to provide adequate space.
If you’re growing outdoors, make sure you use well-draining soil and give it plenty of room to flourish. The tree prefers intense indirect light as well.
2. Watering:
If kept inside as a house plant, mist your sago weekly besides regular watering to ensure that its native humid climate is replicated in your house.
Check the soil approximately 2 inches below if you’re unsure when to water. It’s time to keep the soil moist but not wet if the soil is dry. If your plant is outside, you’ll need to water it before freezing temperatures hit them.
Pro Tip: If the fronds begin to turn yellow, you may have over-watered them. Allow time for the soil to dry before watering your plant again if you notice yellowed fronds.
Browning fronds show your palm is dehydrated and requires additional water. So, it’s vital to use a well-draining potting mix to get the best new growth.
3. Pruning:
Prune fronds that turn yellow or brown as this improves the appearance of your plant and creates clean space for new growth of healthier green fronds.
4. Fertilizing:
You can apply palm fertilizers, which include specific nutrients specifically designed for palms.
For new roots and quicker growth in the spring and summer, you can apply a balanced fertilizer, such as an 8-8-8 recipe.
It is recommended to get larger 3-gallon palm trees even if they take a few extra years to grow; the result is that the entire plant of King Sago will be larger.
If you wonder how much sun your plant requires, King Sago Palms will thrive in many lighting conditions. These can comprise full sun to partial shade.
However, they won’t grow in full shade as the plant will grow leggy.
Planting & Care Instructions
- Plant a Sago Palm in bright indirect light or partial sun.
- Water your Palm 2-3 times each week across the first month. After this, water once weekly for the rest of the first year after planting.
- Use a palm-specific fertilizer that is slow release, so the root system absorbs what it needs.
- The low-maintenance Sago Palm has a tropical presence that instantly transports you to the tropics. Besides this, you’ll find the Sago is a fantastic addition to your landscape as they are deer resistant.
- Wear gloves with older plants as the leaves can have sharp tips.
Conclusion
Sago palm tree is slow-growing and makes a beautiful accent to any yard, patio, or home. These plants take 100 years to grow 20 feet tall. (Learn How To Propagate Cotyledon Pendens)
A larger specimen of the palm tree will be expensive because slow growth and strong demand make them expensive.
Plant nurseries, florists, and gardening stores sell Sago Palms, depending on size. However, a market, plant sale, neighbor, or hobbyist may have cheaper seedlings.
