Caring for Indoor Palms (growing, fertilizing, tree, south)

[cindycat]

We recently received two houseplants, a sago palm and a pony-tail palm. I've read various internet sites and get all sorts of info about light, water, etc. I'd like to hear from someone who actually grows them. They're planted in fairly shallow bowls, with some sort of pebbles on the surface of...well, I don't know exactly. There's no apparent soil. How do I take care of these cute little things?

[metro223]

Sago Palms actually get somewhat large, you may need to re-pot in the future. We just had a large beautiful one..... well had because our puppy chewed it up and got sick. That's a different story.

The Sago Palms I've had I just put in a window in direct sunlight, and watered them regularly... about once a week if it's smaller, but our bigger ones required twice a week, it drank quite a bit.
--Hope this helps!

[wit-nit]

Sago palms are the slowest growing of all the palm family. They need to be watered often enough to keep them lightly moist. Inside the house that would depend on your room temps. and soil absorbancy. Heavy soils water ocassionaly, light soils water more frequently. I water mine once every 10-14 days. A moisture meter from one of the garden centers would tell you when excactly to water. They cost around 5-6 dollars.
All plams are high iron users. A light fertilizing 2-3 times a year with a balanced palm tree fertilizer that has iron/manganeze in its mixture is preferred. Depending on where you live, indirect sun generally is best. If you see yellow burnt spots that could indicate too much direct sun. In the Southwest Sagos do best in shady or filtered light areas. The intense hot direct summer sun will fry the plant. In your area morning sun for sure would be ideal, though they can acclimate over a period of time to pm filtered sun. Your fronds will tell you what is happening to your tree at any given time.
Do not pot in a too large a pot to prevent over watering and rot. When roots start to grow out of the bottom of a pot, then its time to repot to a pot one size larger.

[skytrekker]

A Pony Tail palm is actually a succulent-not a palm. Sago palms are in fact not members of the palm family either- but are 'Sago's a different type of plant altogether. They are the oldest known flowering plant- going back to the Dinosaurs.

The pony tail is easy to grow inside- but needs lots of light-especially direct sun to look really well. Over time it develops a huge swollen base- with drooping thin leaves- it can grow very tall and look spectacular. It needs little watering, coming from the arid sections of Mexico. The swollen base stores moisture. Water more in the warm season. It is almost totally resistant to pests.

Sago's originated from Asia. They prefer bright light, and moist soil in warm to hot conditions, and less water in cooler conditions. They also can grow quiet large over time.

[Moth]

I believe Sagos are not palms, but rather conifers. They grow slowly, but live for a long time. In any case, they are really cool plants.

[wit-nit]

FYI...
Sago Palm, cycas revoluta, is a cycad, not an true palm. In coastal areas plant in full sun, inland desert areas, plant in partial, morning, sun. In house put in filtered sun area. Never overwater. It is native to Japan and SE Asian countries.
Ponytail Palm, aka Bottle palm, aka Elephants Foot, is in the lily family. Some want to say its in the agave/succulent family. Native to Mexico.
Both Sago's and pontytails were lumped into the palm family since their care and charatersitics for growing are relatively the same.