Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
craz4plants

bonsai sago palm, or a sago palm?

craz4plants
14 years ago

My husband bought me a small sago palm. Wasn't sure of the care of it, so when i was looking up information on it, i also found that there was also a bonsai sago palm. So now i'm not sure if the bonsai is what this one is. Or is it that if i don't use the wire to make this a bonsai, i will have just a sago palm? I really want to have the sago palm that gets big for in my home. Any help would be appreciated.

Comments (3)

  • xerophyte NYC
    14 years ago

    Bonsai just means that the plant is kept small by containing in a pot with periodic trimming of growth.

    Take your "bonsai" Sago and repot into a larger container, add sun, fertilizer and water and you will have what you are looking for.

    But MOST importantly, this is not a plant for indoors. It must be grown outside during the spring-summer-fall. You can bring it inside during the winter as long as you water it minimally.

    For all intents and purposes, it is not possible to provide sufficient warmth and sun indoors (full time) to keep this plant healthy and attractive.

    If you are looking for a houseplant, search elsewhere.

    x

  • tropicalzone7
    14 years ago

    I agree 100%. A bonsai sago is just a name they give sago palms when small and they have a decorative pot and some nice rocks or maybe mulch. It probably sells better when you say its a bonsai. They say its a bonsai but in my opinion, unless you really love the challenge of making and maintaining bonsai, its better off in a real pot with real soil. I have had "bonsai" sago palms before and the rocks are sometimes glued all around the entire plant which isnt very healthy, but you can keep it in that pot until it outgrows it in a year or so. It should be watered well and kept outside in warmer months. It will make a "flush" which are just a new set of leaves usually 2 times a year, but sometimes only once. A larger plant can have 10-20 leaves in a flush but smaller plants have less. When its making a flush it must be in full sun or else you get streched out leaves which sometimes looks nice, but it isnt very proportional to the other leaves and makes the plant very easy to fall in the wind.
    If you are looking for a houseplant and only a houseplant I think peace lilies and parlor palms are great. They are always growing and both bloom pretty often also. They love a sunny window. African violets are also very nice. They stay small, but there flowers dont go unnoticed. I just keep mine by a sunny window and water it every time it looks dry at it is almost always in flower (right now its full of them). They are easy. Corn plants (not the one you get corn from) also make great houseplants and can flower when older (mine have yet to do that though). They grow slow making them perfect for the home and can be bought at nice sizes.
    Dont get me wrong, sagos have no problem being indoors and mine did great until that new flush of leaves came and the leaves got too long from the lack of sun. They probably wont even flush out very often indoors because its not warm and sunny enough. I wouldnt expect a flush indoors more than every year and a half unless you take it out for the summer.
    And with any plant, if you want it to get big and healthy, fertilize it every once in a while, most plants really love it!

    Good luck!
    -Alex

  • ficusbenjaminadee_gmail_com
    13 years ago

    Thanks for the info above poster this will come in handy for reference later on. I'm trying to collect as much info on bonsai as I can since I just got started.

    Here is a link that might be useful: buybonsai

Sponsored
Dave Fox Design Build Remodelers
Average rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars49 Reviews
Columbus Area's Luxury Design Build Firm | 17x Best of Houzz Winner!