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mimalf

Sago Palms or not?

mimalf
11 years ago

I have a question for the specialists in Sago field (cycades):
I have these gorgeous sagos next to my home. I am pretty sure the 2 on the right side of the picture are sagos, but what about the one on the left side?

Comments (8)

  • mimalf
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Also, in the second pic what kind of trees are those? are they sagos or palms? Do sagos grow that high?

  • tropicbreezent
    11 years ago

    The name Sago can be a bit problematic, the real Sago is a palm tree, Metroxylon sagu. What are becoming commonly called Sago are Cycads, mostly specifically Cycas revoluta. But more people are referring to any cycad as a Sago.

    In your first photo the images are a bit too dark for a positive ID (at least with my eyes). But the tree on the left is a Canary Island Date Palm. The 2 on the right look like the same thing, with their lower fronds cut off. The one in the middle at the background looks like a Queen Palm. In the second photo they're also Canary Island Date Palms.

    Cycads can grow taller than those, Lepidozamia hopei is the tallest growing cycad. A number of Cycas species get quite tall but not as tall as those palms in the second photo.

  • tropicalzone7
    11 years ago

    Looks like all the "Sagos" in your pics are actually canary island date palms. Sago palms are actually cycads, the plants in your pic are legitimate palms. C. Revoluta (Sago palm) generally get to about 10 feet tall, but they live for a long time and will eventually get taller than that after many years. I've seen some in Cali and Europe reach over 20 feet tall, but at that height they grow multiple trunks and look nothing like Date palms.
    -Alex

  • mimalf
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Theoretically I know a few things about Sago Palms, but I didn't find many pics or seen too many old and tall ones that's why I was confused about those palms in the pictures.
    Thanks for clarifying it for me. Although it would be great if you'd have a picture of those types of old sagos, easier to remember them from a pic.

  • lzrddr
    11 years ago

    Cycas revoluta, the 'Sago Palm' you are referring to, is rarely ever over 10' tall, though it certainly can grow a bit taller... it eventually topples under its own weight, though, and though may continue to grow for over 100 years... still, you can see from the attached photo, even exceptionally tall specimens are mere dwarfs compared to those massive Phoenix palms in your photos... easy to tell them apart! The trunks of those Phoenix palms are almost wider than the leaf span of a large 'Sago Palm', and those Phoenix grow up over 100' tall. They also flower (which a cycad cannot do- makes cones instead).

  • mimalf
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thank you much for such a wonderful photo, izrddr. I searched a lot about Sagos but I couldn't find a picture showing them grown up. The information about their height and age were also contradictory, that's why I asked my questions here. I knew I would find here people really specialized in plants. :)

  • tropicbreezent
    11 years ago

    Below are some of my cycad photos that I dug up.

    Cycas angulata, the one in this photo is a little more than half maximum size. This is the tallest growing of the Cycas species.
    {{gwi:1123317}}

    Cycas calcicola, Silver Cycad. Haven't seen them much taller than these.
    {{gwi:1123318}}

    {{gwi:1123319}}

    Cycas conferta, these are the tallest I've found, someone told me they'd seen taller.

    {{gwi:1123320}}

    Cycas armstrongii, I've seen much taller than these. The second photo shows interesting branching.
    {{gwi:1123321}}

    {{gwi:1123322}}

    Cycas maconochiei, not a very tall one, much the same as C. armstrongii.
    {{gwi:1123323}}

    Lepidozamia hopei is the tallest growing cycad. They grow in rainforest and are difficult to photograph the entire plant. I did this one by taking 2 photos and 'stitching' them together. They do get bigger than the one in this photo.
    {{gwi:1123324}}

  • mimalf
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Gorgeous pics of cycades! Especially the one with twisted branches, how could it grow that way? Now you make me wanting some other cycads too. Thank you, tropicbreezent.