Why Your Sago Palm Leaves Are Turning Yellow (& Other Signs Of Problems)

The sago palm (Cycas revoluta) in your garden or your home might have a tough prehistoric appearance and a reputation of being hardy, but there are things you really need to know about taking care of a sago palm. If your palm has yellowing leaves, this is usually an early warning sign that something is going wrong, however what exactly the problem is will take a bit more digging to uncover. If only we could talk to our plants directly, right?

Yellowing leaves on sago palms typically indicate a few common problems, with nutritional deficiencies being one of them. For example, when manganese levels in the soil reach a low, sago palms will start to yellow between the veins. Other deficiencies, like a lack of iron or magnesium in the soil, may also create a similar look. 

Improper watering also causes the leaves to yellow. Sago palms plants hate sitting in wet soil, so this is an easy way to cause root rot and yellow leaves. On the other hand, too much of a dry period will also cause damage and could present as leaves curling or drooping. Keep in mind the planting location, too, as they do like bright sun, but too much direct sunlight may scorch their leaves. Sago palms can also be stressed by changes in temperature; these plants prefer mild conditions and thrive in USDA zones 9 to 12, so extreme cold snaps could cause them to yellow or die entirely. 

There are also other indicators that any switched on plant parent should be aware of to ensure they're keeping their sago plant healthy. A healthy palm will grow in a symmetrical rosette pattern, so if you're noticing your palm is growing otherwise, something could be wrong.

And in addition to yellowing fronds, if you notice brown spots or streaking, you could have a pest problem. While these plants are not prone to pest problems generally, sap-sucking scale insects do like a sago palm. So do spider mites and mealybugs, so check the fronds for tiny bumps as these pests can cause discoloration if left unchecked. 

The good news is that most sago palms will bounce back when you adjusting their water schedules, make sure they're getting the correct nutrients, or treat them for pests. These plants have literally been around since dinosaurs walked the earth, so they are pretty resilient and low maintenance — it's why they're one of Martha Stewart's favorite plants. You just need to make sure you can recognize their distress signals and act accordingly.