Cycas revoluta
Japanese Sago Palm

Uses

Toxic parts

The plants contain alkaloids of carcinogens and also an amino-acid that causes chronic nervous disorders^[1]. Regular consumption of the plant leads to severe health problems and death. This toxic principle can be removed if the food is properly prepared but consumption of the plant still cannot be recommended because its use often means the death of the plant and it is becoming rare in the wild.

Edible uses

Notes

Seed - raw or cooked^[2]^[3]^[4]. They can be dried and ground into a powder then mixed with brown rice and fermented into 'date miso' or 'sotetsu miso'^[5]. Caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity. The heart or pith of the trunk is sliced and eaten baked or powdered. A toxic principal must first be removed^[5]. A starch can be extracted from this pith and is used for making dumplings^[5]. It is very sustaining^[2]^[4].

Seed

Unknown use

Stem

Unknown use

Material uses

There are no material uses listed for Cycas revoluta.

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

The leaves are used in the treatment of cancer and hepatoma^[6].

The terminal shoot is astringent and diuretic^[6].

The seed is emmenagogue, expectorant and tonic^[6]. It is used in the treatment of rheumatism^[6]. Substances extracted from the seeds are used to inhibit the growth of malignant tumours^[6].

Unknown part

Astringent

Cancer

Diuretic

Emmenagogue

Expectorant

Tonic

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Ecological Functions

Nitrogen fixer

Forage

Nothing listed.

Shelter

Nothing listed.

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe, 2cm deep in individual pots which are then sealed in plastic bags to keep them moist until germination takes place. Germinates in 1 - 3 months at 25°c^[7]. Pre-soak stored seed for 24 hours in warm water then treat as above. Division of suckers in the spring.

Practical Plants is currently lacking information on propagation instructions of Cycas revoluta. Help us fill in the blanks! Edit this page to add your knowledge.

Cultivation

Requires a strong loam with sharp sand and good drainage^[7]. Succeeds in dry soils. Requires a sunny position^[8].

Although it is the hardiest cycad, this species is not fully hardy in Britain but can tolerate occasional lows to about -5°c so long as the crown is protected^[1]^[9] and so is worthwhile trying outdoors in a sheltered position in the mildest areas of the country^[10]. Alternatively, it can be given greenhouse or conservatory protection over the winter and be placed outdoors in the summer^[11]. Plants are very slow growing^[8]^[9]. This plant is often used as a food source in its native range but recent research has shown that it can cause chronic nervous disorders if it is not treated properly^[1]. Overall its use is not to be recommended, especially since it is becoming rare in the wild. The plants produce special upward growing roots where nitrogen is produced in symbiosis with algae^[1].

Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Cycas revoluta. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.

Polycultures & Guilds

There are no polycultures listed which include Cycas revoluta.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

References

? ^1.0^1.1^1.2^1.3^1.4 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)
? ^2.0^2.1^2.2 Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications ISBN 0-486-20459-6 (1972-00-00)
? ^3.0^3.1 Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim (1959-00-00)
? ^4.0^4.1^4.2 Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books ISBN 3874292169 (1984-00-00)
? ^5.0^5.1^5.2^5.3 Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 (1990-00-00)
? ^6.0^6.1^6.2^6.3^6.4^6.5 Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. ISBN 0-917256-20-4 (1985-00-00)
? ^7.0^7.1 Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. (1990-00-00)
? ^8.0^8.1 Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0-86318-386-7 (1990-00-00)
? ^9.0^9.1 Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2 Pan Books, London. ISBN 0-330-37376-5 (1998-00-00)
? Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent (1990-00-00)
? F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (1951-00-00)
? Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution (1965-00-00)
? [Flora of China] (1994-00-00)

"image:Cyca-revoluta.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

[PFAFimport-200-1] ? ^1.0^1.1^1.2^1.3^1.4 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)

[PFAFimport-2-2] ? ^2.0^2.1^2.2 Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications ISBN 0-486-20459-6 (1972-00-00)

[PFAFimport-46-3] ? ^3.0^3.1 Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim (1959-00-00)

[PFAFimport-177-4] ? ^4.0^4.1^4.2 Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books ISBN 3874292169 (1984-00-00)

[PFAFimport-183-5] ? ^5.0^5.1^5.2^5.3 Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 (1990-00-00)

[PFAFimport-218-6] ? ^6.0^6.1^6.2^6.3^6.4^6.5 Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. ISBN 0-917256-20-4 (1985-00-00)

[PFAFimport-164-7] ? ^7.0^7.1 Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. (1990-00-00)

[PFAFimport-188-8] ? ^8.0^8.1 Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0-86318-386-7 (1990-00-00)

[PFAFimport-260-9] ? ^9.0^9.1 Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2 Pan Books, London. ISBN 0-330-37376-5 (1998-00-00)

[PFAFimport-166-10] ? Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent (1990-00-00)

[PFAFimport-1-11] ? F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (1951-00-00)

[PFAFimport-58-12] ? Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution (1965-00-00)

[PFAFimport-266-13] ? [Flora of China] (1994-00-00)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

Article is incomplete	Yes +
Article requires citations	No +
Article requires cleanup	Yes +
Belongs to family	Cycadaceae +
Belongs to genus	Cycas +
Functions as	Nitrogen fixer +
Has binomial name	Cycas revoluta +
Has common name	Japanese Sago Palm +
Has drought tolerance	Intolerant +
Has edible part	Seed + and Stem +
Has edible use	Unknown use +
Has fertility type	Self sterile +, Insects + and Wind +
Has flowers of type	Dioecious +
Has growth rate	Slow +
Has hardiness zone	9 +
Has image	Cyca-revoluta.jpg +
Has lifecycle type	Perennial +
Has mature height	3.5 +
Has mature width	3.5 +
Has medicinal part	Unknown part +
Has medicinal use	Astringent +, Cancer +, Diuretic +, Emmenagogue +, Expectorant + and Tonic +
Has primary image	Cyca-revoluta.jpg +
Has search name	cycas revoluta + and japanese sago palm +
Has shade tolerance	Light shade +
Has soil ph preference	Acid +, Neutral + and Alkaline +
Has soil texture preference	Sandy + and Loamy +
Has soil water retention preference	Well drained +
Has sun preference	Full sun +
Has taxonomic rank	Species +
Has taxonomy name	Cycas revoluta +
Has water requirements	moderate +
Is deciduous or evergreen	Evergreen +
Is herbaceous or woody	Woody +
Is taxonomy type	Species +
PFAF cultivation notes migrated	No +
PFAF edible use notes migrated	No +
PFAF material use notes migrated	Yes +
PFAF medicinal use notes migrated	No +
PFAF propagation notes migrated	No +
PFAF toxicity notes migrated	No +
Tolerates nutritionally poor soil	No +
Uses mature size measurement unit	Meters +
Has subobjectThis property is a special property in this wiki.	Cycas revoluta +, Cycas revoluta +, Cycas revoluta +, Cycas revoluta +, Cycas revoluta +, Cycas revoluta +, Cycas revoluta + and Cycas revoluta +