The Sago palm is propagated by seeds or by removal offsets.

You can produce a new plant from the seeds at home. This process will take some time and require a lot of patience.

After fertilization mature female Sago palms form seeds in the summer time. One female plant has about 1000 seeds. The seeds are ready to be harvested from January through early March.

Collect the seeds after the flower has fallen apart, and embryos are fully developed. Remove orange red outer layers from the seeds and place them in a cool place (it could be a refrigerater) for 2 months. Once you are ready to germinate your seeds, soak them in water for two days. Change water twice a day. Plant the seeds in a well-drained, moist but not soggy soil.

Germination will occur in 3-6 months. Heat and high temperatures above 80 F will speed germination. The Sago palm is a slow grower, be very patient. In a year your seedlings will reach only 1 inch.

The Sago palm can also be propagated from offsets at the base of the plant. Remove the offset or pup from the base of the trunk. This can be done by cutting with a sharp instrument or pulling off. Be very careful and avoid damaging the base plant.

Let your pup cure for couple days before planting them. Then plant them in a most, sandy, well-drained soil.  Place your pod in a warm area in partial shade and wait until the rooting will form. This process will take from several weeks to several months. Slowly you can increase the level of light.  The best time to propagate the Sago palm tree from offsets is in the winter, when the palm is not actively growing.

The cycad is known to be extremely poisonous. When propagate the plant, i would recommend you always wear gloves to protect your skin from poison.

There is information about Sago Palm Care after propagation.

Return to Sago Palm main page.