root rot on Cycas Revoluta
Quick answer
If your Cycas Revoluta has root rot, the most likely cause is: Root rot sets in on a sago palm when the compost around the caudex stays waterlogged long enough for the cortex of the storage roots to soften and decay, a problem made worse indoors because Cycas revoluta is adapted to sharply drained soils and the slow-growing caudex cannot recover quickly from saturated conditions.
Start here:
- 1. Unpot the plant, shake off the wet compost, and cut away every brown mushy root with a clean blade, leaving only firm pale tissue, then repot into fresh free-draining mix.
- 2. Resume watering only when the new compost has dried out at depth, and keep the plant warm and bright so the cut surfaces callus and new roots form.
Why Cycas Revoluta gets root rot
Cycas Revoluta
Root rot sets in on a sago palm when the compost around the caudex stays waterlogged long enough for the cortex of the storage roots to soften and decay, a problem made worse indoors because Cycas revoluta is adapted to sharply drained soils and the slow-growing caudex cannot recover quickly from saturated conditions.
How to reverse root rot on Cycas Revoluta
- 1
Unpot the plant, shake off the wet compost, and cut away every brown mushy root with a clean blade, leaving only firm pale tissue, then repot into fresh free-draining mix.
- 2
Resume watering only when the new compost has dried out at depth, and keep the plant warm and bright so the cut surfaces callus and new roots form.
Keep root rot off this Cycas Revoluta
Always allow the compost to dry out between waterings from spring to fall, keep it almost dry in winter, and make sure the container has unobstructed drainage holes so excess water can escape.