Q: I am concerned about my sago palm. The center of it is very large and puffy and full of red, round things. I have never seen this before.

A: You are not the first person to ask me about this structure on sago palms and I hope this will be good news for you. Sago palms are dioecious, which means the female and male reproductive structures are on separate plants (holly and ginko are additional examples). The sago palm you have is a “female” and the red structures you described are seeds. You probably have a male pollinator in the area which has enabled the female structure to produce seeds.

If you want to propagate this plant any of the seeds could potentially become a new sago palm. However, it takes the seed anywhere from three to six months to germinate so be patient when propagating them. Some people remove or scratch the outer coating of the seed before planting, but it may not be necessary. It is important to plant the seed in a horizontal position just below the soil level and keep it moist but well-drained. By next year you could have several new babies to give away or replant. Good luck.

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