La Cycas revoluta, or better known as Cica or Sago Palmhas been on Earth for about three-hundred million years. They were already there before the appearance of the dinosaurs, which is why it is considered a living fossil, and one of the most resistant by the way.
Nowadays it is a very appreciated species in the gardens, since although it has a slow growth rate, it beautifies them from a very young age. Plus, it can be potted for years, if not always. But what is the secret of its success? Let's learn more about this peculiar plant.
Origin and characteristics of the cica
Image - Wikimedia / Aesculapius
La Cycas revolutaKnown as cat, true sago of India, false palm or sago palm, has a slow growth, with which a year does not spend as much energy to grow as a tree does. It is native to southern Japan, although today it is cultivated in all regions from tropical to temperate of the world.
It reaches a maximum height of 7 meters, although humans are not usually able to see specimens of more than 2 meters due to its slow development and our limited longevity. It is made up of a false trunk, also called a pseudostem, more or less straight, measuring about 20 centimeters thick, and a crown of rigid, dark green leaves, up to 2 meters long. Unlike many other plants, the cica produces numerous leaves at one time, usually once each year.
When the specimen is adult and has a well-formed pseudostem about 40 centimeters high (not counting the leaves), it blooms. If it is a female foot, its flowers will be grouped in an inflorescence that will take the shape of a half ball, while if it is male, it will have a cone shape. Once the ovaries, located in the female flowers, have been fertilized, the plant will produce its seeds, which will be reddish in color and about two centimeters long.
In addition, it is a very long-lived plant, being able to reach 200 years of age. But yes, you have to know that it is poisonous. All the parts, but especially the seeds, contain a toxin called cicasin, which causes irritation in the digestive system, and in high doses causes liver failure.
How to care for a Cycas revoluta?
Image - Flickr / Dinesh Valke
La Cycas revoluta It is a plant that, if you give it a little care, will be really beautiful. Therefore, we are going to see what they are:
Location
It is important that it is located in a place with direct sun, since if it does not have enough light, its leaves will not grow properly, losing firmness. But beware, if until now it had been protected from the star king, you have to get used to it little by little because otherwise its leaves will burn.
Earth
- Garden: it likes well-drained and fertile soils, it even grows in limestone if they have good water absorption and drainage capacity. In case yours is not like that, make a hole of at least 1m x 1m, mix the soil from your garden with perlite or 50% clay stone, and then plant your cica.
- Flower pot: the substrate must be draining, avoiding water stagnation. To promote drainage, it is advisable to place some stones inside the pot, which should not be too big or too small; that is, it will suffice for it to be a couple of centimeters wider than it was previously.
Irrigation
Irrigation it has to be moderate in climates or during the warmer and drier seasons, and scarce in the rest. Therefore, if you have any doubts, check the humidity of the soil or the substrate, and water only when it is completely dry.
Use rainwater, although tap water will not harm you if it is fit for human consumption.
Subscriber
It can be paid with any universal fertilizer, from spring to late summer, following the manufacturer's recommendations. Although I recommend you use a specific cicas (like this one that they sell here), or even organic, like guano.
Multiplication
Image - Wikimedia / Hedwig Storch
La Cycas revoluta reproduces or by seeds sowing them directly in a seedbed, or after soaking them for XNUMX hours; or also by children, carefully separating them from the mother plant and planting them in individual pots with draining substrate. In any case, the ideal time is in spring.
Pruning
The pruning of the cica should only consist of cutting the yellow or dry leaves, whenever necessary. There is a very common practice which is to cut off all the leaves to make it grow faster, but I strongly discourage it. Let us remember that plants carry out photosynthesis, mainly in their leaves. If we take them off, of course he'll pull out another crown quickly, but he's doing it out of sheer survival instinct.
In addition, if we do that pruning in spring or summer, and / or with tools without disinfecting, we can weaken it a lot because there are several potential enemies that will not hesitate to harm it. For example, him Red weevil It can kill a scar, and this is an insect that is very attracted to the smell of sap that is exposed as soon as it is pruned.
Plagues and diseases
Apart from the red weevil, which can be avoided by not pruning and with preventive treatments with Chlorpyrifos for example, is vulnerable to mealybugs, both in the roots and in the leaves. You can eliminate them with paraffin or with an anti-cochineal insecticide.
Planting or transplanting time
If you want to plant it in the garden or in a larger pot, you have to do it in spring, as soon as the frosts have been left behind. To see if it needs a transplant, look for roots growing out of the pot or its holes. Also, if you have never changed it before, and you have had it for more than 3 years, you should also transplant it.
Rusticity
Resists eleven degrees below zero without problems, but it will live better if it does not drop below -4ºC.
Where to buy?
Get your cica pricking here.
Hello, I have a Cycas revoluta and a kind of cabbage has grown in the center. Apparently it is because she is feminine. I have seen that when it is opened it comes out some balls that are the seeds. My questions are, are these balls planted as is? Does any nursery buy them? I have four palm trees and I don't want any more. Thank you.
Good morning, I had a cyca where the sun did not get much sun and some yellow leaves have grown on it. I have put it in direct sun, do you think it can be fixed? I water it once a week.
Thank you very much
Hi Laia.
Cicas are sunny plants, but you have to get used to them little by little. It is better that for a few months you put it in a sunny place only a few hours a day, and whenever it is first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon.
It would also be advisable to treat it with an anti-mealybug insecticide, both leaves and roots (through irrigation).
Greetings.
HELLO I HAVE A BIG PROBLEM WITH I CYCA, IN THE LAST MONTH I HAVE DRY ALL OF ITS LEAVES AND HAVE HAD AN EXCESS OF CHILDREN, BOTH IN THE STEM AND IN THE TRUNK, I NEED ADVICE.
Hello Ynirida.
Funny what happened to your cica. The fact that it has produced many suckers 'suddenly' indicates that the main stem is suffering or has suffered some significant damage.
Therefore, we recommend that you treat it as soon as possible with Chlorpyrifos. This is an insecticide that you will find in nurseries and garden stores. But it is important that you follow the instructions that will be specified on the package.
Greetings.
Hello Ana Maria.
The seeds -red- do not usually germinate directly on the ground, since they need temperatures to be between 20 and 30 degrees, and that a certain degree of humidity be maintained, but without getting waterlogged. It is a very slow-growing plant, and for this reason the most widely used reproduction method is that of the separation of the suckers. You can however give them to a nursery or botanical garden; they are likely to accept them.
If you have any further questions ... write to us.
A greeting!
Thank you very much, Monica.
To you 🙂. Happy Friday and weekend!
Hello Ana Maria, in which part of the world are you located, and what did you manage to do with your seeds, I suppose you must already be having other seeds this year, how interesting are you saying that you only have females, I have doubts if you have any male palm trees, that is to say, that of a stick. I appreciate you tell me if you have seed. Greetings
Hello, what can I do so that the new branches do not dry out? They are planted in a garden, thank you very much
Hello, Martha.
Fertilize it throughout the growing season (spring through late fall) with an organic fertilizer (such as liquid guano) and water it once or twice a week.
Greetings 🙂.
A question. I have a Cyca plant in my house, it just gets a little sun in the morning and what the plant has as a substrate is lama. no problem or yes?
Hello david.
No problem. The only thing that you will have to control the watering a little to avoid that 'puddles' of water form, but nothing more.
A greeting.
Last week I bought my first Cica, the transplant. My doubts start with its location. My intention is to place it on my terrace, facing south and with a lot of sun. Some opinions tell me that it should not be in direct sunlight and others that it does. Could you give me your expert opinion? I will appreciate it very much. An affectionate greeting.
Hello, Enrique.
Cycas support full sun, although if it comes from a greenhouse or if it has been protected in some way, if you place it in the sun, its leaves will be damaged a little (nothing serious). The next leaves that he took out, would already be reinforced, so they could withstand the impact of the rays of the star without problems.
My recommendation is that you place it in an area where it is directly lit. I myself have two in the sun (Mediterranean) and, although the tips burned a bit the first year, the second year they took out completely healthy new leaves.
Thanks for being an expert by the way, although I'm still a trainee 🙂.
A greeting.
Monica, I appreciate your attention to me. I will follow your advice and place the Cica on my sunny terrace. We consider you a fervent follower. A hug.
Thanks for your words, Enrique 🙂. A hug.
i love these instructions
We love that you love it hehe 🙂
Hey.
I have my scar and my eyes are turning yellow, this bright sunlight and other eyes are burned like fire
Hello Mauricio.
How often do you water it? These plants must be watered very little, once a week, and paid every 15 days from spring to autumn to avoid running out of nutrients.
A greeting.
Hi Monica, I have a scar and the new shoots are coming out with a moss. Is it normal or is it sick?
Hello Andre.
That moss you mention, is it brown? If so, yes, it is completely normal. As the new leaves develop, you will lose it.
Anyway, if you can upload an image to the Tinypic page or similar, and put the link to see it.
a greeting
Hello, I have one of these plants and the big leaves I feel that they do not let the small ones grow, I must remove them or that they fall alone
Hi John.
If the large leaves are green, they must be left, but if they are yellow, you can remove them.
Regards, and sorry for the delay!
Hello Monica, I have one of these plants and I feel that the big leaves do not let the small ones grow, I must remove them or that they fall alone
Hi John.
If the leaves are green, it is not recommended to remove them. But if they are yellowish or already brown, they can be pruned.
A greeting.
Hello, good morning I have three cycas and one of them grabbed like a white mushroom and it is already happening to the other two and the direct sun hits them
Hello Ruth.
Did you see if it could be removed? If it is removed and does not leave a trace, it is a cottony mealybug, which you can eliminate with any insecticide that contains Chlorpyrifos.
In the case of white powders, treat them with a broad spectrum fungicide.
Greetings 🙂.
Hello I would like to know what I have to take into account for a transplant of a cica from earth to pot, size, time of year and precautions to take thanks !!!! and good weekend
I have another question about this plant, it is possible that nothing grows under the scar, because everything I plant dies succulents and hervaceous, thanks
Hello Marcela.
To pass a cica from soil to pot, you must wait until spring arrives. Once it arrives, four 50-60cm deep trenches are made, and with a laya (which is a kind of straight shovel), it is pried until the plant comes out with the root ball.
Afterwards, it is planted in a pot as wide as possible - at least 40cm in diameter - with a porous substrate such as black peat and perlite in equal parts. Then, it is located in a sunny area and watered.
Yes, under the Cycas you can not put anything.
A greeting.
Hello, I found a scar thrown and cut with very little root, I brought it to my house and planted it in a place with a lot of sun and water, the issue is that the leaves are alley and I imagine that it has to be rooted to its new place, I put fertilizer and others but I just found out that it is a cica I thought it was a type of palm tree .. Any advice you can give me ?? ..
Hello Sonia.
Cycas want very little water. Water it very little, once a week, maximum two.
And at the moment you can't do more, just have a little patience. It will sprout for sure 😉
A greeting.
Hello, I recently planted a cyca about 15-20 cm high, that is, a baby, I have planted it directly on the ground and with sun all day, I have read that the growth is very slow, it would be advisable to pour growth liquid in the risks to stimulate it to grow faster? I have a bottle of the biocanna brand, would it be suitable or would you advise me another type of fertilizer? Thanks
Hi Alex.
Yes, that is suitable 🙂. You can also use guano if you want (not at the same time), but hey, with the biocanna the plant will have enough.
A greeting.
Hello Monica,
I have a Zica about 25 years old, and my question is, is it normal that for the second consecutive year it is filled with seeds? How often is normal? it has happened both years in the month of May.
Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge with everyone!
Hi, Pablo.
Yes, it is normal, that is that she is very healthy 🙂
Thanks to you, greetings!
Hello again, Monica,
Thank you very much for your answer, but I forgot to tell you that this cyca has not moved new leaves since 2014, in 2015 and so far in 2016 only seeds have come out, is this normal? Could it be that it does not move through the seeds?
On the other hand, to remove the seeds that are coming out now, should I wait for them to finish coming out? I have thought about removing them already, halfway through the process, to see if new leaves come out….
Thank you very much and sorry for the bombing!
Hello again Pablo.
I understand, well yes, it is also normal. There are Cycas that prefer to spend all their energy in fruiting, and then they have no more left to take out new leaves. But this does not mean that she is sick or anything like that, on the contrary, what she wants is to "put her grain of sand" in order for the species to move forward.
You can remove it now if you want the seeds, to see if it animates and takes out leaves. To prove that it does not remain.
Greetings, and ask what you want, that's what we are for 🙂
HI THERE! I TRANSPLANTED A CYCA TO MY NEW HOUSE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE A YEAR AGO. I HAD TO SLOWLY CUT THE FIRST WHEEL OF LEAVES THAT WERE DRYING. IT HAS IN THE CENTER A SPECIES OF BROWN «PENACHO» LIKE VELVET, RIGID, BUT IT IS THE SAME SINCE IT WAS REMOVED FROM ITS PREVIOUS HABITAT, OR IT DIDN'T GENERATE NEW LEAVES, GIVEN THE TIME THAT IT WAS ASKED IF I LOST THE PALM TREE, ALREADY THAT I SEE IMPROVEMENT OR WHAT SHOULD I DO? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELP ME!
Hello Maria Elena.
Cycas sometimes need more time to recover. Water it twice a week in summer and every 6 days the rest of the year, and fertilize it in spring and summer with liquid organic fertilizers, such as guano, following the steps specified on the package.
A greeting.
Good morning Monica:
I have a Cyca about 25 years old, my doubt is that until 3 years ago it only had its normal leaf tuft in the center as seen in almost all the photos of this type of plant. Two years ago he had two more plumes on the top and this year a fourth is coming out. My question is, is this normal? the extra plumes should be taken as suckers and cut them? leaving only the original central ... I appreciate your help because now that the leaves have grown I feel that they are hindering each other and not growing properly.
regards
Hugo Meneses
Hello Hugo.
Yes, it is normal, but you can cut them if you want, making the cut as close as possible to the main trunk.
A greeting.
Hello Monica, they are exactly on the crest of the plant, I don't know if I can send you a photo to an email ... Thank you
Hello Hugo.
Yes, you can send it to me userdyet@gmail.com , or upload it if you want to a tinypic or imageshack website and copy the link here. As you prefer 🙂
A greeting.
Hi Monica, I already have several dirty growing ones, which is the market value of them
Hello Negui.
I can tell you that here in Spain one with 6-7 short leaves up to 20cm costs about 10-15 euros. But the price may vary.
A greeting.
Hello, how are you? I have a cyca plant and I have noticed that it has come out between its leaves as a white powder and the leaves themselves have started to wither. What is happening to my plant?
Hi Erik.
You may have a fungus called powdery mildew.
It can be treated with fungicides rich in sulfur.
A greeting.
I write from Valencia. I have a cyca planted in the garden, as an adult that has yellow tips of the leaves, I wanted to attach a photo but I can not. The plant right now is sprouting and taking out a new cluster of palms, but all especially the older ones have this problem.
Hello Jose.
The yellow tips can be due to overwatering, mealybugs, lack of ventilation or when the bud (where the leaves come from) gets wet when watering.
If there are no pests, how often is it watered? Cycas cope well with drought, being able to water once or twice a week in summer, and every 10 days the rest of the year.
All the best
Hello, thanks for your quick response. The cyca is planted inside a square of train sleepers, surrounded by grass, I don't have sprinklers, in a chalet where I go on weekends and more time in summer. Throughout the year I water the surrounding grass once a week, and in summer 2/3 times a week always the grass, never the cyca or the trunk .. There are no mealybugs or any bugs, it may be a lack of nutrients ? the most recent leaves also turn yellow at the tips, although it looks strong and well attached to the ground. It will be about 10 years old. Can I send you photos?
Hello Jose.
If there is no trace of insects and this is the first time, yes, it could be that you need nutrients (nitrogen or iron). Have you ever subscribed? You can pay it with a compost prepared for palm trees; Although the Cyca is not a palm tree, these preparations have nutrients and micronutrients that will be very helpful.
The yellow tips will not turn green again, but the new leaves should come out completely healthy.
Still, if you want to upload photos to a website like Tinypic or Imageshack, and copy the link here. If you don't know how to do it, tell me and I'll help you 🙂
A greeting.
Hello José, I would like to see the photos myself too
regards
Here I send you this link:
http://es.tinypic.com/view.php?pic=hun49w&s=9#.V1RYk-St9wg
Thanks very nice
In this other link you can see more face and with greater clarity.
http://es.tinypic.com/view.php?pic=33xy32w&s=9#.V1RZ4OSt9wg
Hello Jose.
Yes, it appears to be lacking in nutrients (nitrogen or iron). I therefore recommend the fertilizer for palm trees, and it would even be better to use this fertilizer for palm trees one month, and the following month another liquid organic (guano type, which has a quick effect).
A greeting.
Thanks for your advice, one last question, bat or bird guano? I think that the bird has more nitrogen which is one of the supposed deficiencies.
Hello Jose.
You're welcome 🙂. The bird has more nitrogen, yes.
A greeting.
Good morning, I will follow your advice. In addition I am going to cut a floor of palms so that it has more strength in the new sprouting. Thanks for your attention. Greetings and luck
Thank you. Let's see how it goes. All the best.
Excuse me, I wanted to say from closer
Hello Martha, my Cyca already has children, unfortunately whenever I cut them and put them in pots they do not thrive, they dry out. I want to know if it is necessary to apply some rooting agent or what I can do.
Thank you.
Hello Hugo.
It is highly recommended to plant the suckers in pots with substrates that have very good drainage, such as black peat mixed with perlite in equal parts.
The pot should also be placed in an area where it does not get direct sunlight.
To make them go better, before planting them, their base can be impregnated with rooting hormones in powder or, better, liquid.
A greeting.
Thanks, I'll try it that way.
Hello Monica! I am writing to you from Mexico, I have a cica at home planted in a pot, I would like to move it to the terrace so that it gives it direct sun since it only receives it through the window, my doubt is that we are in the rainy season and if it can affect it excessively, what do you recommend so as not to affect it? Thanks a lot !
Hello Ana.
Yes, excess water can harm it.
If you can, wait for the rains to pass, but if you want to put it on the ground, I recommend you first get used to the sun little by little, putting it in an area where it will give it a couple of hours in the morning for 3 days, and gradually increase that time progressively. Later, when you decide to plant it in the ground, it is advisable to mix the soil with some porous material such as perlite or clay balls. But it is also highly recommended that you protect it from the rain with a plastic (protected only from the top, not from the sides).
A greeting.
Monica !! I really appreciate your information! And I will implement your advice! One more question, regarding its toxicity with dogs and birds? Thank you!!
It is toxic, but I can tell you that I have 3 dogs and they have never approached Cycas. Still, you can always protect them by putting a wire mesh around the plant. Greetings 🙂
Greetings Monica and a thousand thanks for your recommendations and for helping us to keep this beautiful specimen healthy !!
Thanks to you, Ana 🙂
Hello, I have two cycas and they are growing very well, but on their leaves there are small white withered spots, is it a pest? Thanks
Hi Elvia.
Leaf spots can be due to several causes:
-Lack of ventilation
-Cold (they bear frost, but if it is the first year they spend outside, they can notice it)
-Lack of iron and / or magnesium (if you are in the Northern Hemisphere, I would recommend fertilizing them with fertilizers rich in these two minerals).
-excessive watering: these plants need occasional waterings, about twice a week.
A greeting.
Hi Monica, my 12 year old cica just transplanted from one pot to another was ready to sprout, but in 15 days only two sprouts have emerged. It is normal? I expected the entire crown to come out. She is on the balcony in full afternoon sun.
Here I attach the photo where only two new twigs are seen https://www.dropbox.com/s/rhdch54pzd8g8wr/Foto%2029-6-16%2015%2055%2044.jpg?dl=0
Hello Olga.
It can be normal, yes. The Cyca seems to be ok. Don't worry, sometimes this happens. It is sure that in its new location it will not take long to remove a whole crown of leaves 😉.
A greeting.
Hi Monica, In the end you can see that the cyca was attacked by the scale, although at first the plant looked without scale, now it is covered with plague and the beginnings of brown shoots that have not come out have a touch of rottenness. I sprayed it once in May when I saw some mealybugs, but the plague has returned. I didn't see the plant for like three weeks, it's in the second residence. Three weeks have been enough for the mealybug to attack it fully.
Hello Olga.
Yes, mealybugs attack fast 🙁
I recommend treating Cyca with 48% Chlorpyrifos. Of course, you should put on rubber gloves, and read the label, as there may be a risk of overdose. But in these cases where the plague is so advanced, it is the best.
There is a more natural alternative, but it requires patience 🙂. It involves removing them with a swab dipped in pharmacy alcohol and then treating the plant with paraffin oil (sold in nurseries). You will likely need to clean again in a few days.
A greeting.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/pqs4jgpcmrhv8ca/IMG_0559.JPG?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9xlaxh0zsm4f2rh/IMG_0558.JPG?dl=0
Look how it is! In the photo I already sprayed it, I didn't have time to do sheet by sheet. This weekend I will dedicate myself to cleaning it manually. I have two cycas. The other has no mealybug, but I'm afraid it will catch on soon.
Ugh, it is full 🙁, but with a lot of patience and a swab of the ears or with a brush it is solved 😉. All the best.
Monica, I have been cleaning leaves and trunk since Monday 1/08. At first clean all the sheets with a brush and a mixture of water, dishwasher and alcohol. Then mix the same with a spray bottle. I have seen mealybugs come out of the growth center every time I sprayed. Every time I approached the plant during the day, new ones would come out. In the end I got tired of picking them up little by little and I picked them up with a vacuum cleaner. Then pour a good jet of pharmacy alcohol directly into the center. Mealybugs stopped coming out. But I have seen that they live in the trunk. Every day I wet it with this mixture and I pick it up with a brush, about 10 appear a day. It gives me the impression that they live underground. I have removed the 3 cm layer of soil and have thrown it away. I do not know whether to dig more, roots are already visible. It's been 5 days of manual collection, luckily I'm on vacation, I'm reviewing it 4-5 times a day. And every time I find some other mealybug on the leaves. Maybe now would be the time to apply the pesticide?
My question is the following: if mealybugs live underground, how can they be eliminated there? Maybe I need some kind of poison to suck on the plant and transmit it to the mealybug, why it is so infected that the mealybugs are hiding everywhere, especially in the trunk. Some acquaintances advise me to throw this scar directly, but it tastes bad. Also, in this town I have seen a small garden of Cicas and they are all infected with cochineal but they are perfectly fine and look green and healthy from a distance.
Hello Olga.
Yes, it is time to apply the insecticide. You can treat the plant with insecticides that contain Chlorpyrifos or Buprofezin.
To treat the roots, instead of using a spray bottle, use a bottle or a watering can. The earth must be well soaked.
A greeting.
Hello, I have 2 cicadas about five feet and the stem is growing a
Hollow What can I do to treat it I would appreciate your help
Hello Yarlenis.
I would recommend treating it with a broad-spectrum insecticide, as it could have caterpillars that are piercing its trunk.
A greeting.
Hello Goodnight. I have a cica planted in the ground, with more than 16 years of age and it is stupendous. A few years ago seeds came out and when they fell at the base they germinated and now I have almost a forest that does not show the original trunk.
I have various doubts:
First: can I transplant these new children? How?
Second: For a few days it has come out like a cabbage that little by little has been opening, I thought it would be the new leaf sprout, the surprise that no leaves come out, but something similar to some small cottony fern-like leaves. It is normal?
Thanks for answering. All the best.
Hello Antonio.
I answer your questions:
-First: yes, they can be transplanted, in spring. Make four trenches 30-35cm deep around each one (or select a group if they are very close together), and with a small shovel you can remove them. Then, you will only have to plant them in pots with universal growing substrate mixed with 30% perlite, or to another area of the garden.
-Second: from what you count, it could be that you want to take a new stem. Anyway, if you want to upload an image to a website like tinypic or imageshack and then copy the link here.
A greeting.
I have found this video and it is what I think is beginning to happen to me, it seems that it is going to take seeds again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mngWYnRt6Yo
Hello Monica, my name is Juan Carlos and I am writing to you from Huelva. At the beginning of June they gave me a beautiful Cica (I don't know how old it is), it was potted in a nursery but out in the open. We pass it to the garden by making a hole and filling it with universal substrate and putting it with its own soil from the pot, also adding fertilizer in granules. Not only does it not evolve but rather it deteriorates for days, it has thrown the first leaves and now the rest of the leaves are turning totally yellow. It is in full sun, we water it every 10 days approx. And she doesn't react, what can I do? I don't want to lose her for nothing. Thank you.
If you need a photo ... I'll send it to you.
Hello Juan Carlos.
Do you know if they had it in full sun all day in the nursery? I am telling you about it because, even if it was outside, if it was in the sun for only a few hours and now it gives it all day, it is most likely that it is burning.
My advice is that, if you can, nail four tutors around it, and put shading mesh on it, as an umbrella. Water once a week now in summer, and if you want you can remove the yellow leaves.
a greeting
Perfect Monica, thank you very much, I'm going to try it and I'll tell you about it.
Thanks to you 🙂
Hi Monica, yesterday I went to the Garden and they sold me 10% pyriproxyfen. They said that they apply this product to their Cicas every 10 days when there are no adult mealybugs. In my case I do not have adult mealybugs, have I collected them all? Yesterday I applied it to the two Cicas. And incidentally to the geranium that was nearby. The only thing that in the healthy cica I have seen as a black powder at the base of some leaf. Must it be mushroom?
Hello Olga.
Yes, it is better to prevent 🙂
The black powder thing, it could be the mushroom called Negrilla. It is not dangerous, but since a Cyca has had a significant mealybug attack, it does not hurt to treat it. For this you can use potassium soap (it is natural; it is sold in nurseries). It is diluted 2 or 3% in water, and the plant is sprayed; once a week for three weeks. It will also help you prevent aphids, whiteflies, and mealybugs.
A greeting.
They gave me a cyca that since they bought it turned yellowish a week after arriving from the garden center, I think it was the change of light since it was on a terrace in full sun, it has yellow leaves but the yellow begins at the base of the leaves, it has not generated new leaves and I don't know what to do. I have given him a couple of irrigations with only banana tea. I live in Sao Paulo and have had it since February and it shows no signs of generating new leaves.
Hi Claudia.
Cycas can go a couple of years without taking out new leaves, so don't worry.
Water it twice a week, and fertilize it in spring and summer with universal fertilizer or with liquid organic fertilizers such as guano.
A greeting.
I have a scar, it is almost two meters high and a kind of yellow cob about 40 centimeters high has grown in the center at the top, I have to cut it or I have to do it att emilio
Hi Emilio.
That ear is the inflorescence of the plant. It is not necessary to cut it or anything heh heh.
A greeting.
Hello Monica
I have a Cyca plant, which when I acquired it I had it in the plant for 4 years.
This year I transplanted it into the ground ... in a fairly humid soil and I see that the leaves are very yellowish ... and it does not grow as expected.
What do you recommend that I do?
Hello Nancy.
If you can, move it around in the spring. You don't like having your "wet feet" too long, and if you do, you could end up rotting.
A greeting.
Thanks, I will do it.
Greetings to you.
Hello I have several cyca palm trees and they are sick because they are getting dry, what can I do to make them green again
Hi Jonny.
One thing: Cycas are not palm trees, although they look a lot alike 🙂. The former are from the Cycadaceae family, while the latter are from the Arecaceae.
But focusing on your question, I tell you: the yellow or brown leaves will not turn green again, so it is important to know what happens to it so that the new leaves come out and stay green. Therefore, I ask you: have you seen if they have any insects on the underside of the leaves or on the trunk? Cottony mealybugs usually affect them if the environment is very dry. If you have, it can be treated with Dimetotate 40%, with Neem oil or with potassium soap.
In the event that you do not have anything, then the problem is probably in the irrigation. These plants withstand drought well, but if it is excessive the lower leaves turn yellow, so it is advisable to water them 2 or 3 times a week in summer, and every 4-5 days the rest of the year. To make them grow even better, they should be fertilized in spring and summer with liquid organic fertilizers such as guano, or with nitrophosca.
A greeting.
Hello, how's such a good afternoon? Look, two months ago I bought one so it flutters, so I decided to plant it in the ground. I tell you that it is like this, it was in a shady nursery, so when the blood came on the leaves turned yellow. the tips then I used to put a fertilizer on it but I think that after two days all the hours they turned creamy or brown so for this I read in a post that according to I had to sow it and wash all the roots then That's what I did later, I re-sowed it, I changed the land, I changed everything, and a month has passed and the rope is still cream-colored, I don't know if the leaves will turn green again or they will be like that, I also tell you that it has two small children
Hello, Robert.
The leaves will no longer turn green, so you can cut them off.
Now we just have to wait. You can water it a maximum of twice a week, with homemade rooting hormones.
Greetings and good luck!
Hello, I am reading your advice on cycas, today I planted a son and watching some videos I see that they remove all the leaves and only leave the cepeyon. My question is: it is convenient to remove the leaves and you should collect some powder so that grow the roots
Hi Vincent.
Yes, it is advisable to remove the leaves and also impregnate the base with powdered rooting hormones that you will find in nurseries.
Greetings, and good luck!
Hi Monica… searching the net I found your page and I have read the comments with great interest. But even with all the information I have doubts and that is why I am encouraged to bother you. My cyca is in a large pot right now, but I am moving house and I will have to transplant it to the ground outside. It's not even a patio, it's out on the sidewalk in a little hole that they left. My cyca is big already 20 years old, about 1.40 tall. Will you hold the change? How should I prepare the soil for planting? I appreciate the help you can give me. Mexico balances
Hi Bety.
You must have a beautiful Cyca if she is already 20 years old 🙂.
It will withstand the change, but the root ball (earth bread) does not have to be manipulated much. It is better that the hole is wide and that it can enter well.
Still, to make it even better, I recommend watering the first few times with special rooting hormones, lentils (here explains how to do it).
A greeting.
Good morning, my name is William. I am from El Salvador. I have 5 sycas in pot. Directly to the sun. The situation is that on the last occasion that new leaves sprouted, only three of them were able to do so and two of them were not. they are all under the same conditions. Is there anything I can do.
Hello William.
It is very common that you comment. Even if they are plants that come from the same parents, and even if they are grown in the same way, there will always be some that will take a little more time to adapt.
Still, and just in case, I would recommend treating them all with an anti-mealybug insecticide.
Do you pay them? During spring and summer they must be paid with a fertilizer for palm trees (they are not palm trees, but their needs are similar).
A greeting.
Regards,
I have, about two months, with a Cicla revoluta, and the leaves are starting to turn yellow on its trunk.
The plant is indoors, without direct sunlight, and I usually water it once a week.
What am I doing wrong?
Hello Plinio.
The leaves that begin to turn yellow, are they the oldest, that is, those that are in the lowest part of the crown? If so, it is normal, as they age over time.
In the event that they are not these, it is likely that you lack water. Once a week, even if you are indoors, it is rare in spring and summer. It is more advisable to water twice.
Another thing that may happen to you is that you need a larger pot. If you haven't transplanted it since you bought it, I recommend it. You can use universal growing medium mixed with 30% perlite.
A greeting.
Hi Monica, I'm Santiago from San Luis Potosí, Mexico. I have a potted Cyca from which last year I detached some suckers that I planted in individual pots, some are already generating leaves. But the mother cyca already has an inflorescence, does this generate seed? or what treatment has to be given?
Greetings.
Hello Santiago.
No, a single Cyca does not give seed, as it is a monoecious plant (there are male feet and female feet). If the inflorescence is ball type, it is a female; On the other hand, if it is long and tall (about 30cm or something more) and thin, it is male.
A greeting.
Hello, I have one and if you have some white animals that I can do, it has already been with me for 10 years but I cannot have it in my house more or less how much can I sell it
Hi Alejandra.
You can treat it with Chlorpyrifos to eliminate the plague. When it improves, it could be sold for about 30 euros.
A greeting.
Hello I have seeds of cica revoluta in what month can you plant the seeds are from this year they are tender inside how long do I have to let dry to be able to plant them I have a month drying them when they could be planted thanks
Hello Antonio.
Cyca seeds can be sown in fall or spring, in a pot, burying them a little so that they are not directly exposed to the sun.
A greeting.
Thanks for the answer Monica look at the seeds I would have to let them dry I have 2 seeds without the shell drying for three weeks they could be planted and advise me how to plant it I am from Spain Alicante near the coast I hope I am not too heavy to ask thanks
Hey.
Yes, if they have been drying for three weeks, you can sow them without problems.
As a substrate, I recommend using vermiculite, which is porous and maintains enough moisture. You will find it in nurseries and garden stores.
When you plant them, I advise you to treat them with a spray fungicide to prevent fungi from proliferating.
If you have any questions, ask 🙂.
A greeting.
Hello Monica.
I have two cycas that I used to have on the terrace between sun and shade.
Now I have moved them and they are in the sun most of the day.
Some leaves are yellow, as if burned by the sun. And I have changed them again.
I have also noticed that some of the leaves have on the back, like some black visits that I can detach with my fingernail, but it does not look like an insect.
Can you help me and tell me what to do?
Thank you.
Hello Consuelo.
Cycas are sunny plants, but if they are used to the shade they have to be acclimatized little by little, starting either at the end of autumn or at the beginning of spring, which is when the sun's rays are not so strong. The exposure time should be increased gradually: the first fortnight 2 hours, the second 3 or maximum 4 hours,… and so on.
For now, I recommend leaving them in semi-shade. You can clean the leaves with an ear swab dipped in pharmacy alcohol.
If they reappear, treat them with Chlorpyrifos following the directions specified on the package. If they do not improve, let us know and we will find a solution.
A greeting.
I have a cyca about 10 years old planted in the ground. In spring it has shed new leaves. Now some leaves are drying "indiscriminately". The cyca is in full sun and has had this problem forever. What solution does this problem have? Thanks in advance.
Hello Jose.
You are probably missing a nutrient. I recommend you fertilize it with a fertilizer for palm trees (it is not a palm tree, but its nutritional needs are similar), following the instructions specified on the package, from spring to late summer / early autumn.
A greeting.
Hello, I want to transplant a 3-year-old cica to another pot, right now it has 9 leaves to open, I hope they will or I can. Transplant it or there is a problem. Thank you .. I hope for an answer soon, I already have everything ...
Hi Aurora.
You can change the pot in spring, when it is not removing leaves. If you do it now, I don't think anything will happen, but its growth may slow down.
If you want, share photos of your Cyca in our Telegram group : )
A greeting.
I have two Cyca's. They came in a small pot. I transplanted them to a larger one and the leaves began to dry up and I cut them and only the trunk remained, will more leaves come out or has it all dried up? ?? Help what do I do? ?? I'm from Tamaulipas and the weather here in summer passes 40 °
Hello Leonor.
As long as the trunk remains brown, there is hope.
I recommend watering with homemade rooting hormones (here explains how to obtain them), twice a week.
A greeting.
Hello, good afternoon. I live in CD.MX. I have a cyca for about 4 years, it has been outside and it receives direct sunlight, it has always been in the same place. About 6 months ago the central leaves turned yellow so they were cut by the gardener, practically he was left with only 2 rows of leaves and about 2 months ago new ones came out, however they are all turning yellow and drying, the same It happens with the branches that I already had, that is, the ones that were not cut, ask what could it be due to ???? What can I do in this case??? Greetings and excellent afternoon
Hi miguel.
Is it potted or in soil? And if it is in a pot, has it ever been upgraded?
It occurs to me that it is either lacking in compost, or it has scale insects on its roots. For the first case, it can simply be fertilized with a palm tree fertilizer (it is not a palm tree, but it has similar nutritional needs); and for the second case, I recommend treating it with an anti-cochineal insecticide, diluting the dose in a watering can and watering the soil well. Both products are found in nurseries.
A greeting.
Hello, good afternoon!!! They gave me a cyca to try to rescue her !!! It has small leaves in the center but they are dry! The rest of the plant is turning yellow !!! What I can do!!! Thank you very much in advance for your help !!!
Hi Patricia.
I recommend you cut the leaves and put it in semi-shade, without direct light and away from drafts.
Water it no more than twice a week, and wait 🙂
Good luck.
Good afternoon
I have a cyca for 14 years in a large pot, because of some works on the terrace where it is located they have changed its place several times, it has rained a lot and the leaves have turned yellow. This same Cyca took out the male trunk last summer. What do you think I can do? If I cut the leaves, the troco will be left alone and I don't know if there will be a remedy.
Thank you very much
Hello Tape.
I highly recommend waiting to see. It will surely heal on its own and take out a new leaf crown soon.
Of course, the leaves that turn brown / black can be cut, since they will not be useful.
A greeting.
Good afternoon Monica:
Cunsulta, I have bought three Cycas at Pricesmart about 60 centimeters tall planted in a small pot. I will transplant them to my garden in a sector where they will receive the sun from about 10 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon and my question is how deep the ground level should be the bulb where the leaves are born?
I will appreciate your comment.
Mimi
Hello Monica!
I have inherited a Cyca from a neighbor, who has moved and was unable to transport it: it is 1,5 meters in diameter.
Now they are growing "shoots" on the side, at first one or two, but it has already been more than half a dozen.
I have removed one very carefully, since it was all wrapped in roots ... but the roots were from the plant, not from the "little boy", so I have a kind of bulb about 8 cm in diameter. Below him you can see more ... all surrounded by roots. In fact, the pot, although very large (1m in diameter, 80cm high, enameled clay), I suppose it has become too small, since it is overflowing with rootlets.
What should I do?
Especially with the "little children". Is there a technique to take advantage of them? Will the plant hold with that pot or should I put a bigger one?
Thank you so much!
Hello Daniel.
'Piece' gift! Congratulations. 🙂
For now, I would recommend taking it to the garden, if you were clear about it. But if you don't have land, don't worry. It can be in that pot, although you should pay it in spring and summer with a fertilizer for palm trees - it is not a palm tree, but its nutritional needs are very similar - following the instructions specified on the product packaging.
To separate the suckers, it must be done at the end of spring. They are cut well, from very close to the main trunk, left to dry for a couple of days and planted in pots with vermiculite. To have a better chance of success, I recommend using homemade rooting agents indicated in the link.
A greeting.
Hello Monica!
I have a cyca that has little black balls on the back of its leaves. I have read that the most common pest in them is the aphid but white, so what has mine? What can I do ??? We cut the leaves but the new ones were filled with those little black balls.
Hello Andrea.
It is probably a fungus. Treat it with a fungicide that contains copper or copper sulfate. Spray the leaves well, both on the top and the underside, and also the soil around the trunk.
If it does not improve, write us again 🙂
A greeting.
Hi Monica, good afternoon !! I have a cyca of approximately 8 years old planted in a garden, when I bought it it was a baby of only 3 leaves, now it is super full of leaves on all sides, it measures approximately 1.5m from the ground to the tips of the highest leaves that point towards heaven. At what age do your children begin to sprout? From what age do they begin to take seeds from the center? Thank you for your excellent help, your blog on the subject, greetings!
Hello Ramon.
They usually take several years to produce offspring, but your cyca shouldn't take much longer. It is likely that he will serve next year.
A greeting.
Hello Monica
I just saw your blog because I am looking for who can help me with my date problem.
It is about a son that came out last year from a mother who is twenty years old.
The problem is that it has grown two crowns of three leaves each but instead of having a dark green color, it has pale green, it lacks color and I have not had it in direct sun because being so small it has scared me but if it has been very bright. I have fertilized it and cast iron to see if the color rose, but nothing.
All summer he has been in Alicante, now in Madrid
I would be very grateful if you told me at least what happens to him
Thank you very much
Hello Consuelo.
How long have the new leaves come out? I ask you because they are quite light green in color, until they reach their adult size.
If it has been more than three months ago, I would recommend fertilizing it with magnesium.
A greeting.
Good,
I have two cicas and they are coming out in the lower part of the trunk, little ones.
When should I take them off and how?
Thank you very much
Hello Encarni.
If it is for the health of the plant, it is not necessary to remove them. They are her own, natural.
If you want them to have copies of your cica, then you have to wait until they are about 15 or 20 centimeters. Then, with a knife, you just have to cut them as close to the trunk of the mother plant as possible. Finally, impregnate the base with homemade rooting agents and plant them in pots.
Greetings.