Sago palm
Cycas revoluta
Also called King sago and Cycad
Houseplant · Ferns & palmsSeverely poisonous to dogs, the seeds worst of all. From a lineage older than the flowering plants.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Hard
- Water
- Once a fortnightDrench and drain — water the whole surface until it runs from the holes.
- Light
- Bright, some direct sun
- Feed
- Every 60 days
- Humidity
- Low
- Hardiness
- Half-hardy — a light frost RHS H3, to -5°C
- Size
- 1 m tall · 1.2 m across
- Lifecycle
- Tree
- Origin
- Southern Japan
Is it safe for pets and people?
Affects dogs, cats, horses. Signs: vomiting, black tarry stools, yellowing of the gums and eyes (jaundice), increased thirst, bloody vomiting and diarrhoea, bruising, blood that does not clot, liver damage, liver failure and death.
The whole plant, the seeds above all.
Leaflet tips are needle-sharp; and this is the most dangerous plant in the bank — a single seed can kill a dog.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-07-31.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- A white crust building along the underside of a leaflet rib, spreading fast enough to whiten a whole frond in weeks.Scale insect · pest
- The newest flush comes up stunted and frizzled at the tips while the older fronds stay dark and normal.Manganese deficiency · disorder