Can you check if my sago palm is dying?

[NewB_NewB]

Hello
I have a sago palm tree, and I noticed this morning that trunk looks not normal.
I think it is kind of trunk rot, please let me know what it is, and what I need to do.

We planted the palm tree about one year ago in our outside garden where getting all day sun.
Before, the sago was in area getting bright indrect sunlight.
So after we planted outside, most leaves were burnt as you can see the video. 
Please let me if we can save the palm tree.
Thank you. 

[JLM]

I dont think that's a Sago, its some other cycad (not a palm), but whatever is going on it definitely does not look good.  What city/town are you in? If it was cold, how low was the temperature?

[Palm Tree Jim]

It’s not a sago but a cycad. Encephalartos species that appears to have some burning on it.

Couple of questions;

Location?
Has it rained lately? That clear sap like substance indicates it might have.

The burn is from the sun as you indicated above. That was a result of sun acclimation IMO.

[Tracy]

4 hours ago, NewB_NewB said:

Hello
I have a sago palm tree, and I noticed this morning that trunk looks not normal.
I think it is kind of trunk rot, please let me know what it is, and what I need to do.

We planted the palm tree about one year ago in our outside garden where getting all day sun.
Before, the sago was in area getting bright indrect sunlight.
So after we planted outside, most leaves were burnt as you can see the video. 
Please let me if we can save the palm tree.

 

2 hours ago, Palm Tree Jim said:

It’s not a sago but a cycad. Encephalartos species that appears to have some burning on it.

Couple of questions;

Location?
Has it rained lately? That clear sap like substance indicates it might have.

The burn is from the sun as you indicated above. That was a result of sun acclimation IMO.

Hello NewB_NewB,

Welcome to the forum and hope we can help you out but as Jim noted, there are a few questions.  Most important is where you are located which tells us something about your climate.  Any additional information that you can share about recent weather will be helpful as well.  As Jim pointed out, this is a different genus and species of cycad than a "Sago Palm" which is actually Cycas revoluta which is not a palm in fact.  It looks like it could be either Encephalartos natalensis or possibly Encephalartos lebomboensis to me, but Jim is spot on that the genus is Encephalartos.

It appears that you have two things going on: 

1) The plant had some leaf burn, shock either from the transplanting process, the additional sun or both.  Depending on the climate where you live this could be a short term issue or more of a long term issue.  The beauty of cycads, is that they are always just a flush away from an entire new set of leaves.  Some will retain multiple flushes before older ones die off, but looking at your plant it definitely isn't one that would normally lose all it's leaves before a new flush emerges.  Knowing where you are tells us something about the intensity of your full sun conditions and whether the move is a short term adaptation issue or a longer term issue because it will need some later afternoon or mid-day protection from full sun.  Generally these do well in a good deal of sun, but that depends on where you are.

2)  The oozing of sap.  I see this on a lot of my Encephalartos when we get a great deal of rain and certain specimens (not species, but actual plants) seem more prone to it than others.  Where I live in Southern California, we have had more than normal rainfall in a short period for March, at least more than what my plants are accustom to this time of year.  I have an Encephalartos lehmannii which is doing the same thing, with the caudex oozing the starchy sap like yours is.  I would suspect that either rain or too much water is involved with yours oozing that starch, but knowing more about where you are will be important.  Are you in the Southern hemisphere in late summer, or Northern hemisphere in late winter?  Is it the rainy season where you live and what are your normal temps and how do you irrigate (including how often).  Chances are good that if you share more on where you are there will be someone else on the forum that will live in the same climate zone and be able to provide more insight.

Just to make you feel a little better, I posted a photo of my Encephalartos lehmannii the last time it was oozing some starch.  Oozing from older leaf bases where they were cut isn't unusual either which is mostly where yours was leaking as opposed to at the growth point like mine.  This particular plant has done this in the winter for over a decade but keeps growing fine once spring arrives.  We look forward to being able to elaborate once you share more details.

[NewB_NewB]

HI, Thank you for all kind answers.

I live in Southern California. 

And It was rain recently.

And my father might have water before or after rain

So the Cycad might get too much water. 

 

So, my Cycad is not rotting, right?

Do I need to do something, or will time resolve the issue?

 

Thank you. 

[Palm Tree Jim]

6 hours ago, NewB_NewB said:

HI, Thank you for all kind answers.

I live in Southern California. 

And It was rain recently.

And my father might have water before or after rain

So the Cycad might get too much water. 

 

So, my Cycad is not rotting, right?

Do I need to do something, or will time resolve the issue?

 

Thank you. 

At this point, I would not water your cycad anytime soon. Actually, just leave it alone for the next couple of weeks.

As Tracy pointed out above, what the plant is displaying is rather normal for us here in Southern California. Come spring time, your cycad should begin to flush with new growth and let you know all is well.

Hope this helps.

[Tracy]

7 hours ago, NewB_NewB said:

I live in Southern California. 

And It was rain recently.

And my father might have water before or after rain

So the Cycad might get too much water. 

 

50 minutes ago, Palm Tree Jim said:

At this point, I would not water your cycad anytime soon. Actually, just leave it alone for the next couple of weeks.

So you have answers now to the immediate situation with this Encephalartos, which Jim has provided.  The followup piece on the placement of your cycad in full sun versus partial shade is a little more nuanced since there are so many different climates here in Southern California.  Where Jim is in Laguna Hills and other areas in the coastal plane this cycad will ultimately appreciate the movement to a full sun position, even though it was also thriving in a partially shaded spot.  If you are in the desert or high deserts I think this particular Encephalartos would appreciate the more filtered light spot where you had it before.  If you are in the Inland Empire, I would think it will still do fine in full sun, but don't know which it would really prefer.  Some other Encephalartos thrive in the inland empire full sun but some of the green species actually enjoy a little bit of shade in that environment (but not all).  You can get good advice on watering frequency for this plant as well as your others if you share more on what part of Southern California.  Living here in Southern California, I have had the pleasure of surfing in the morning, driving up to Mt. Laguna in the Cuyamacas and hiking mid-day over patches of snow on a trail looking down at the Anza Borrego desert.  The point of that was to point out how diverse our micro-climates are here in Southern California over a very short distance.

[NewB_NewB]

Thank you for all reply.

I live near Hacienda height. 

I will not going to water for few weeks.

I will update a picture when my Cycad have new leaves :) 

[Tracy]

2 hours ago, NewB_NewB said:

I live near Hacienda height. 

I will not going to water for few weeks.

I will update a picture when my Cycad have new leaves

Good call on the watering.  I would expect your Encephalartos will do fine in the full sun position you moved it to in Hacienda Heights.  You are in a good climate zone for growing most of the Encephalartos genus there.