Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Entertainment | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Handy plant

This clone of the palm makes for a good outdoor adornment

Cycases need bright light all round the year

CYCAS REVOLTA, generally known as sago palm, are palm-like but they are not palms and belongs to family Cycadaceae and the name originates from the Greek `Kykas', whichmeans a palm.

The plants resemble miniature palms with stiff palm-like leaves coming out of a short trunk. The leaves consist of flat, slightly sickle-shaped pinnules rolled up at edges with sharp tips, dark green in colour and lighter on the underside. Each leaf is up to 35 cms long and borne on a short, spiked four angled stalk, about eight cms long and each leaflet will be about 12 cms long. Some of the leaves stand almost vertical, but most of them arch backward. The trunk is covered by the brown remains of the leaf bases.

The plant produces huge fleshy roots and prefer sandy soil in good light with lots of water. Potted plants are slow growing and they must be kept in a place with very little humidity, but well-lit-place. Seeds are produced in cones. Propagation is by seeds. Flowers do not develop on plants that are grown indoors.

Sago palms are very popular because they are so handy and manageable and they do not take over the garden like so many other tropical plants. The plant will grow one set of leaves a year and add only 10 cms of stem-height each season.

They are ideal for parks and outdoor gardens.

The pine apple like base with its rusty covering contains a reserve of water upon which the plant can survive in case of draught. Cycas must be given bright light all year long with or without direct sunlight. They do not like poor or medium light. Give cycases only enough water to prevent the mixture from drying out completely.

CHITRA RADHAKRISHNAN

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Metro Plus    Bangalore    Chennai    Coimbatore    Delhi    Hyderabad    Kochi    Madurai    Mangalore    Thiruvananthapuram    Vijayawada    Visakhapatnam