coast crab

I have a very large, old sago in my garden. It splits into 2 tall trunks about 1 foot above the ground, with 2 large heads of foliage. The plant is female and has bloomed for several years in a row each spring, with new leaves coming out after the seed sets mid summer. It had 2 years of foliage on it before this past winter did enough damage to warrant cutting it all off. Instead of new sets of leaves on each head I'm getting those damn "flowers" again!!!! Since it has no leaves at all, this is a GIANT waste of time and energy.

The female flower, cone, fruiting body or whatever you call it looks like tiny fuzzy modified fronds. I'm thinking about going in a very carefully removing them one by one to stop this process, essentially deadheading it - but being careful not to damage the center bud. It looks like a giant dead stupid cactus without the leaves, and I'm worried about those flowers draining it when that energy should go toward foliage.

Any thoughts?

Russell

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Abnshrek

I'd let it be till you can clobber the flower and not anything else that might help its survivability and looks. To bad it wasn't a male that would be alot easier :^)

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I'm a Nannerhead :^)

CookieCows

You don't by any chance have a picture of it do you? I would sure love to see this! I sure wish you all the best with this situation!

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coast crab

Here she is...



and the close-up...



Russell

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Abnshrek

Wow she's Huge!!! Being that big I wouldn't worry i bet she's got alot of juice left (I'm an optimist) in her for future growth. :^)

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I'm a Nannerhead :^)

Dean W.

To bad you don't have a male flower to pollinate with.

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coast crab

Actually the small one to the right with foliage in the photo is male. Mama always sets seeds - but I never really considered it a "plus". That's why I want to stop it now.

Russell

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Dean W.

I'll pm you.

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LilRaverBoi

I think it's really cool, actually! I've never seen a sago flower before. Definitely unique and cool looking. I am tempted to touch it...looks soft! As dissatisfied as you are with it, I think it's pretty sweet

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Feel the beat from start to stop, dancin' and movin' from bottom to top!
lilraverboi@genxglow.com
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I'm Bryan with a Y! There is no 'I' in BRYAN!

coast crab

Once every few years might be cool, but every year is a pain in the ass. It delays foliage, and since this year it has none it becomes a real problem. I'm not looking for a way to produce more sagos by seed, it suckers easily enough. It is in a very prominent spot, I need leaves. I wish I could have it spayed!

I male cone/flower is far more interesting to me. Hmmm, something Freudian there I'm sure. And way less disruptive.

R

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Abnshrek

Your going to have to call a Vegetarian to do an onsite spaying.. lol :^)

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I'm a Nannerhead :^)

jjjankovsky

whack it off 18" off the soil...watch the results...you have an opportunity for newness...or opportunity for new decisions....it's a big plant...and will act there of

coast crab

Um... thanks, but no. I know the garden where this old girl came from and she's around 60 years old, so I won't be cutting her off at 18 inches. Trust me, I dig and/or break off plenty of "newness" every couple of years. Yes, it's a big plant - and I intend for her to stay that way.

Russell

That's a GOOD one!

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jjjankovsky

maybe you would restate your issue in a way that has an outcome?

coast crab

Thanks, but I think I've stated my stated my "issue" and hoped-for outcome pretty clearly.

But just in case here it goes again...

I don't want to see this plant waste time and energy producing a useless flower, especially since there is no foliage producing the energy to make this flower. I want to know if removing the reproductive parts (flower) will encourage the plant to move on to produce new leaves.

Robert Chumley, where are you?????

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chumleyrobert

What you did Russell was to "interfere" with the "plant's desperate attempt to preserve the species", after a "major event of threatening it." It will continue to produce female cones to"preserve the species". If I were you, I would take a male cone and shake the fresh pollen into the female cone "early" upon opening to produce the flower. This will set the seed, and satisfy the plant's desire to have offspring. [And ultimately your desires of producing a NICE head of leaves.] All cycads will try to seed to "preserve the species" when they are "threatened" by a climatic event or by other means. This is sometimes simulated "to force a female cone". I am one of the few people knowledgable enough to answer this cycad related question. It does not come up too often. Robert Chumley

LilRaverBoi

Yes, I definitely believe that. Cycads are such a unique and incredibly old organism that they don't behave like most plants. Thanks for the input Robert!

__________________
BANANA RAVE!
Feel the beat from start to stop, dancin' and movin' from bottom to top!
lilraverboi@genxglow.com
RIP Tog Tan. We love you and will always remember you!
I'm Bryan with a Y! There is no 'I' in BRYAN!

chumleyrobert

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coast crab

Robert,

First, thanks!

Second, I haven't done anything yet. The whole point if this thread was to get an expert's opinion beforehand, so, again, thanks.

Here's a brief history, maybe you can enlighten me as to why this is happening. We've had this sago almost 25 years. It was dug and put into a very large pot first, then in the ground, then back into a pot when we moved, then planted in this spot in 2002. Even through all of this it rarely flowered, and that was just one head at a time. It has only been in the past 4 years or so that both heads have flowered every year. I fully understand and agree with your theory of the "plant's desperate attempt to preserve the species", but it seems healthy and happy, and except for this last winter I can't imagine what could be causing all of this stress and desperation.

Yes, cycads are old and primitive. I get that. You stated "If I were you, I would take a male cone and shake the fresh pollen into the female cone "early" upon opening to produce the flower. This will set the seed, and satisfy the plant's desire to have offspring." But this blooming and seed production burns up a lot of energy - doesn't that just make the stress problem worse? I would think that since there is no foliage photosynthesizing to replace those resources that the best thing to do in the case would be to get out the bud nippers and nip the seed production in the bud. Seems to me that this would halt the waste of energy and move it on to foliage and energy production. My understanding regarding sickly or weakened plants is they should not be allowed to flower or set friut. I don't know why it would be diferent with a cycad. Could you please explain why this is wrong.

Russell

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chumleyrobert

You are cutting off the plant's ability to produce seed......it doesn't like it.....the next head of leaves are already formed inside of the caudex ready to emerge as soon as you allow it to attempt to seed. If you don't pollinate the cone, then the seed will abort at a young stage and turn black [about the size of peas].