The first steps to planting a seed from your sago palm

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If you've had a sago palm (actually it's a cycas revoluta) for a long time, there's a good chance that it will create seeds. It's fascinating to see a plant in this condition, and of course there's no guarantee that the seeds will be viable. But, what the heck, time will pass, and maybe, just maybe, you'll get a seedling. I'm doing this just for fun, and I'm following along how it's done by cycad collectors who are doing it with rare species. There's really no reason to do with a common cycas revoluta (sago palm), other than it makes you feel like a little kid.


Anyway, the first thing you need to do is to soak the seed for two to three days, changing the water daily. As a kid, I know that this would have been a deal-breaker for me, as the thought of waiting two to three days would seems an eternity. Let's see if I have more patience now that I'm no longer a kid! It's Thursday, and I'd like to plant it in its pot this weekend.

By the way, use a bowl that you can throw away - cycads contain toxins, and while it's only a slight amount, it's more than a cheap plastic bowl is worth for me to risk. I'll toss the bowl when I'm done with this. Today is day one, so I'll change the water tomorrow morning (Friday) and Saturday morning, and it will be ready to plant on the weekend.

I've never done this before, but I understand that you're supposed to rub the coating off before you plant it. I guess I'll find out this weekend what that's all about.


I've prepared a pot for it, in which I've done a very light mix, with sphagnum moss and sandy soil. I also put some rocks at the bottom of the pot, which has a plastic pan beneath it, and I watered the mix, and set it aside. I live in the Phoenix, Arizona area so I can leave it out on my back patio all fall and winter. If it's gonna grow, it'll be next spring. You don't water it, or the seed will rot. It will be planted on its side, half-in and half-out of the soil.

I'll let you know how it goes. The next steps I'll do this weekend!


Update October 5th, 2019 - seed planted, sideways, half-in-half-out. Actually, there wasn't anything to scrape off, I just rinsed the seed, and threw away the plastic bowl. Watered in, and I will let it sit on the tiki bar in the shade. Hopefully there will be a sprout in the spring!


Update May 5th, 2020. It spent the winter in my garage, under fluorescent lights. I sprayed it every once in a while and even got the soil wet a few times. I really don't see any change, although there's a light spot on the top, and it seems wrinklier. I moved it outside onto my tiki bar in the shade on my patio, as the garage gets horrifically hot in the summer. It will still be warm outside, but at least there will be some moving air. I'll let you know how it goes!

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