Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

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Monday - May 03, 2010

From: austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Freeze damage to non-native Sago Palms in Austin
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

Due to the unusually cold winter in Austin my sago palms fronds froze. I have not removed the dead fronds should I? If only the fronds froze when will new fronds start to grow?

ANSWER:

We have had many similar questions this year, so allow us to extract some of the answer to one, which also came from Austin:

"The Lady Bird Johnston Wildflower Center is committed to the care, protection and propagation of plants native not only to North America but to the area where they are being grown. Cycas revoluta, Sago Palm, is a subtropical, native to the southernmost islands of Japan, an area of high rainfall and warm temperatures. The Sago Palm (not really a palm, but a cycad) is hardy from USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 10. Here is an article from Floridata that might give you some clues on when (or whether) the new fronds will emerge. Please note this article's warning about the toxicity of the entire plant."