Other Names:  Guangxi Sago Palm, Cycad

Description:

A fine, symmetrical plant with dissected, split leaflets that give them a fluffy, feathery look; trunk is very low in young plants, but lengthens with age; very slow growing; a beautiful architectural accent or container plant

Ornamental Features

Debao Sago Palm is primarily grown for its highly ornamental fruit. The gold fruits are held in abundance in spectacular cones from mid to late winter. It has attractive forest green evergreen foliage. The large deeply cut narrow bipinnately compound leaves are highly ornamental and remain forest green throughout the winter. The rough dark brown bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Debao Sago Palm is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a shapely form and gracefully arching branches. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Debao Sago Palm is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Debao Sago Palm will grow to be about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 4 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live to a ripe old age of 100 years or more; think of this as a heritage shrub for future generations! This is a dioecious species, meaning that individual plants are either male or female. Only the females will produce fruit, and a male variety of the same species is required nearby as a pollinator.

This shrub should be grown in a location with partial shade or which is shaded from the hot afternoon sun. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. This plant does not require much in the way of fertilizing once established. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This species is not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets.

Debao Sago Palm makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.