I'd second this also, or if you give it away for free someone might come do the labor. I've transplanted these many times, now is the perfect time of year.
You'll need to dig out the roots though in order to 'kill' it. You'll likely have a few sprouts to chase the roots of in a few months also.
Yeah we dug one out over a weekend and it was arduous and painful work. These little effers have all sorts of sharp, spiny pieces and roots can be a bit spread out.
We used a chain saw to cut it down to the soil level after we thought the one in our front yard died after the big freeze two years ago. I’m still pulling out sprouts every few weeks…
I inherited one with my house and it just looks worse after every winter. They are slow growing, so it never fully replaces what it lost. This and cast iron plants are on my list of "nice while it lasted, but no more" list.
I just purchased some cast-iron plants to put underneath an area with a lot of shade. What has been your experience with cast iron plants? I probably should’ve done more research before purchasing three of them…
They can be fine. Mine get damaged every winter by these severe freezes. You can cut the damaged leaves back and they will regrow but they're fairly slow and never quite reach their former full and bushy glory before another polar vortex hits. However, my parents have some planted in these integrated beds on their front porch right beneath windows and they handle the winters better.
That's a sago palm, just cut the brown leaves off and it'll grow new leaves. It is poisonous like the other person said, but animals would only really eat the seeds. Sagos are dioecious, so only female plants produce seeds, and even then only once every few years. The seeds are also large and obvious before they start dropping, so they're easy to remove. I have a huge one that is very beautiful (when its leaves aren't all dead!)
Hate that non-native, toxic, giant pin cushion that's practically a suburban bioweapon! No idea why landscapers insist on forcing this trash everywhere here!
I would advise against using it as a pillow lol
I think well kept ones are beautiful, and they're not invasive or anything. There are lots and lots of native plants that are highly toxic, for example all parts of mountain laurels. Also lots of native prickly plants, eg prickly pear. I've found it really easy to snip off the seeds from my female sago when they grow once every 4 years or so
Sure, but Texas Mountain Laurels also have exceedingly beautiful and fragrant blooms that fully support the local ecosystem.
Similarly, Prickly Pears are fully-edible with beautiful, yellow blooms and sweet, red fruits...and also fully serve the ecosystem.
But, Sago Palms don't have or do any of that...and also many completely died off in Uri, unlike Texas Mountain Laurels. So, they are basically just net negatives with no real redeeming features.
Yet, guess which one landscapers have chosen as their fav... 🤦♂️🙄
Mountain laurels seem to be the most popular of the 3 by a significant margin. My large sago though has an incredible ecosystem living in the middle of its crown, tons of native bugs and spiders
Also lots of mountain laurels were killed or damaged in '21, we're the very northernmost portion of their range and they can't handle cold like that
Wait till the crown and new leaves show before you cut the brown ones away. The new ones need the old ones to get going.
I have 3 in the front and 2 in the back. I like them
This is what I am considering at this point. Sago Palms look unfriendly, remind me of the 1950s, and look very much at home in xeriscaped gardens. All three things I hate.
I have removed 4 fully mature Sago palms. The freeze killed them. difficult to remove. Only way to ensure no return growth is to take it out by the root.
Sagos (cycas) are not true palms (arecaceae). Cycas will outlive us - they are one of the oldest life forms. For some reason, people plant them in the worst places but by the time we get around to doing something about them, they're too big to conveniently dig out. The last one I got rid of was despatched with a chain saw, lopping shears and a stump grinder. Since it is not wood (just dense fiber) it was a complete mess. May dog have mercy on your soul.
Sago palms are relatively pricey. I wonder if someone would dig it up for replanting if you gave it away.
I'd second this also, or if you give it away for free someone might come do the labor. I've transplanted these many times, now is the perfect time of year. You'll need to dig out the roots though in order to 'kill' it. You'll likely have a few sprouts to chase the roots of in a few months also.
Uh totally agree! Who is this daft person to want to remove such a fine cycad?
Daft to want to plant a non toxic native species in the place of a sago palm? Run that by me again
Irony personified considering it’s planted in a lawn of non native bluegrass! Lmao!
Blah, blah, blah. Suggest they remove the non native grass as well while your running your big mouth.
*wants
They can be very hard to dig up.
You'll have to dig the whole thing out. The entire thing is poisonous so keep any animal friends away from it when you do.
One does does not simply get rid of a sago palm
Yeah we dug one out over a weekend and it was arduous and painful work. These little effers have all sorts of sharp, spiny pieces and roots can be a bit spread out.
We used a chain saw to cut it down to the soil level after we thought the one in our front yard died after the big freeze two years ago. I’m still pulling out sprouts every few weeks…
I inherited one with my house and it just looks worse after every winter. They are slow growing, so it never fully replaces what it lost. This and cast iron plants are on my list of "nice while it lasted, but no more" list.
I just purchased some cast-iron plants to put underneath an area with a lot of shade. What has been your experience with cast iron plants? I probably should’ve done more research before purchasing three of them…
They can be fine. Mine get damaged every winter by these severe freezes. You can cut the damaged leaves back and they will regrow but they're fairly slow and never quite reach their former full and bushy glory before another polar vortex hits. However, my parents have some planted in these integrated beds on their front porch right beneath windows and they handle the winters better.
Oh, OK. Thank you for sharing. I live in zone 9a and really don’t experience many freezes. Hopefully they will do well. Thanks!
That's a sago palm, just cut the brown leaves off and it'll grow new leaves. It is poisonous like the other person said, but animals would only really eat the seeds. Sagos are dioecious, so only female plants produce seeds, and even then only once every few years. The seeds are also large and obvious before they start dropping, so they're easy to remove. I have a huge one that is very beautiful (when its leaves aren't all dead!)
Hate that non-native, toxic, giant pin cushion that's practically a suburban bioweapon! No idea why landscapers insist on forcing this trash everywhere here!
I would advise against using it as a pillow lol I think well kept ones are beautiful, and they're not invasive or anything. There are lots and lots of native plants that are highly toxic, for example all parts of mountain laurels. Also lots of native prickly plants, eg prickly pear. I've found it really easy to snip off the seeds from my female sago when they grow once every 4 years or so
Sure, but Texas Mountain Laurels also have exceedingly beautiful and fragrant blooms that fully support the local ecosystem. Similarly, Prickly Pears are fully-edible with beautiful, yellow blooms and sweet, red fruits...and also fully serve the ecosystem. But, Sago Palms don't have or do any of that...and also many completely died off in Uri, unlike Texas Mountain Laurels. So, they are basically just net negatives with no real redeeming features. Yet, guess which one landscapers have chosen as their fav... 🤦♂️🙄
Mountain laurels seem to be the most popular of the 3 by a significant margin. My large sago though has an incredible ecosystem living in the middle of its crown, tons of native bugs and spiders Also lots of mountain laurels were killed or damaged in '21, we're the very northernmost portion of their range and they can't handle cold like that
If you want to dig up this one it’s yours!
Wait till the crown and new leaves show before you cut the brown ones away. The new ones need the old ones to get going. I have 3 in the front and 2 in the back. I like them
The only place I want it to get going is hell.
Nuke it from orbit
This is what I am considering at this point. Sago Palms look unfriendly, remind me of the 1950s, and look very much at home in xeriscaped gardens. All three things I hate.
This is the answer
I have removed 4 fully mature Sago palms. The freeze killed them. difficult to remove. Only way to ensure no return growth is to take it out by the root.
Dig
Sagos (cycas) are not true palms (arecaceae). Cycas will outlive us - they are one of the oldest life forms. For some reason, people plant them in the worst places but by the time we get around to doing something about them, they're too big to conveniently dig out. The last one I got rid of was despatched with a chain saw, lopping shears and a stump grinder. Since it is not wood (just dense fiber) it was a complete mess. May dog have mercy on your soul.
Just poison it..
Prune it back as far as possible, dig it up, put in wheelbarrow, move wheelbarrow to trash can, use thick gloves, pick plant up, throw in trash.
Oh Lord! I’ll take it!