In my yard I have over a dozen Sago Palm trees. These tropical trees make great focal points for flower beds and landscapes. They are also very hearty plants and can take the high heat of summer and the usual cold of winter. The problem is this winter has been unusually cold and as you can see by the picture my Sago Palms are suffering.

According to those in the know, people like you and I that have Sago Palms in our landscape need to be pruning them back every year anyway. We should especially do that this year if only to remove the damaged fronds from the plant. The damaged fronds could take nutrients from the healthy part of the plant and make the plant more vulnerable to pests and other environmental issues.

If you're thinking of planting Sago Palms in your landscape let me warn you, while they are beautiful and add a tropical atmosphere to your landscape, they can be deadly. The Sago Palm nuts can especially be quite toxic to pets like dogs and cats. So keep that in mind if and when you decide to add a Sago Palm to your landscape.

If you've never pruned back your Sago Palm before let me suggest you get a good pair of work gloves and wear long pants and a long sleeve shirt. While these plants look harmless from a distance they can really poke and scratch you when you get in near the trunk.  Remember, you should only do your pruning after the threat of frost is gone from your area. In South Louisiana, that is usually the end of February so you should be good to go for pruning.

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