Deadly Plant: Protect Your Pets.
You are looking at Cycas Revoluta (a.k.a Sago Palm, Sago Cycad, King Sago Palm). This rather generic looking palm-like gymnosperm is a plant native to Japan. It’s a truly ancient and isn’t a palm at all, but more closely related to conifers. This guy was poisoning dinosaurs millions of years ago.
But due to globalization it can be readily found in just about any living room or backyard throughout the United States, Canada and the rest of the western world. It prefers warm, well drained and sandy soil. So you won’t find it growing wild in say, Montana. But you can certainly find it growing happily in the wild in any southern US state including Texas, southern California, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi.
But you can certainly find them as indoor/outdoor potted plants in any given home. Most major retailers import them by the thousands including Lowes, Home Depot, Target, Wal-Mart and K-Mart. They currently have no legal requirement to post any sort of warning.
So what’s the big deal? Well, if you have the wonderful privilege of caring for a plant eater or digger the harmless looking Sago Palm is deadly. Very rarely are they labeled as toxic so most people wouldn’t give a second thought as to buying the exotic $59.99 menace. And who’s going to think that pretty plant in the backyard from previous owners is going to harm anything?
The Sago Palm works like this. Once consumed and partially digested a poison called cycasin is released into the body of the unfortunate animal. The damage this poison can do will vary depending on quantity consumed but effects include:
- Severe Vomiting (with potential for traces of blood)
- Severe liver damage /liver failure
- Neurological damage
- Seizure
- Death
You can recognize a Sago Palm by looking for these distinctive traits:
- Highly symmetrical shape and leaves
- Most specimens tend to be small to medium sized, but they are very long lived and can grow quite large if given enough time.
- Dark green, slightly waxy leaves.
- Sharp pointy spines on leaf stems
- Brightly colored redish orange seed pods
While the whole of the plant contains this poison it is the most concentrated in the brightly colored, orange seedpods. Which you or I wouldn’t think about touching, but can you say the same for a curious ferret, a rowdy puppy or a bored toddler?
If you see the Sago Palm in stores, contact the manager and inform them of what they are carrying. They may be completely oblivious to the dangers it presents. While smaller chains and mom & pop garden supply depots will be more likely to do something about the issue, there’s no harm in respectfully approaching a larger retailer and requesting at least some sort of warning label.