caudex soft or discolored? If not, probably not rotting.

Any idea what else would cause the leaf bases at the caudex to become loose? You can see white inner tissue where it looks like the leaves are ripping away, but doesn't seem soft or discolored.

I did have the leaves tied up while overwintering in the garage. Could that have caused the bases to rip away? Do I need to put anything on the open inner tissue to make it heal?

Here are some pics...at the leaf bases you can see the fleshy whitish trunk. Iam wondering if it's about to send out a cone flower or something. The leaves bend upward like they're on hinges...

A shot of the growing point and leaf bases

Anothef

Last

I usually don't do this, but I have to bump this one up. Need to make sure this plant doesn't die.

Islandbreeze, you can also try with your question here:
http://cycadfriends.co.za/index.php

It's a cycad-specific forum. Maybe someone there could help.

Here is a link that might be useful: CycadFriends

If there is really rot at the caudex, you will be able to easily push through the tissue in between the leaves with something thin and sharp like a knife.

Leaves bending at the hinges can also be a sign of dehydration, or physical damage like heavy snow, or maybe even what you did with tie-ing them.

If the caudex is rotting, the leaves will also pull out when you tug at them. From your photos, it looks fine. The only time I have ever experienced apical rot in a cycad is if leaves die back from a frost and the base of the leaf rots because it was not removed quickly enough.

Give your plant a good soak, I bet it's just thirsty from being dry all winter.

x

Thanks X, will do

Just a followup and recognition and thanks to Xerophyte, turns out all my sago needed was a good watering. It perked right up. I've never seen or had a sago that showed signs of drought stress, so I was afraid it was rotting and didn't water it, doing the complete opposite of what it needed.

It's measuring almost 5 feet across now, so it's gonna be a real monster with this year's flush.

Thanks again X

Glad to be of help!

As it warms in the coming weeks, start giving heavy doses of supplemental nitrogen to encourage a new flush. A cup-full of high-N lawn fertilizer will do.

x