Sago Palm lower fronds brown / Mossy substance
Our sago palms entire lower frond level is turning brown. They still seem to be holding their structure and are not losing there leaflets. There is also a brown mossy substance the covers the entire top of the plants base. ( where all the fronds are coming from). Is this normal? Is this a plant killing fungus? Is there a book dedicated to sago palms and there care? Help
I should think both of these conditions are normal for the plant. When it loses leafs, they lose them in levels. The mossy stuff may be normal to, as cycads will grow undeveloped leafs at there growing point(s) for protection called cataphylls, but to be sure it would help if you could post a few pictures.
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vintagejuls
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- Location: Southern California / USDA Zone 10
Have you recently moved it? Was it originally an outdoor potted plan?
It could be root bound (outgrown the pot). Or, it's not getting enough sun. Sagos prefer all day filtered sun or full sun for a few hours; depending upon the temperature it can tolerate all day sun in cooler coastal climates (not exceeding daytime temps of 80 degrees).
The fuzzy stuff is normal and it appears there is new growth in the middle there. Trim off the brown leaves at the base of the root ball (trunk or base of plant) and take it back outside.
It could be root bound (outgrown the pot). Or, it's not getting enough sun. Sagos prefer all day filtered sun or full sun for a few hours; depending upon the temperature it can tolerate all day sun in cooler coastal climates (not exceeding daytime temps of 80 degrees).
The fuzzy stuff is normal and it appears there is new growth in the middle there. Trim off the brown leaves at the base of the root ball (trunk or base of plant) and take it back outside.
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vintagejuls
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- Posts: 429
- Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2009 4:12 am
- Location: Southern California / USDA Zone 10
Good point, root bound... not very easily. A friend gave me the 'ball' of a sago palm and told me to stick in dirt and it would grow roots and leaves. That was 20 years ago.bonsaiboy wrote:Cycads don't become root bound very easily, and don't suffer much from it. If it is growing where it is now, it will be okay. If not, place it in brighter light.
I still have it but not in the same pot. It would get stressed so I would repot it; I think it just liked the change of soil. It does like sun; there are so many where I live here in SoCal. They are quite popular in home landscaping.
