The sago palm is a popular house and garden plant known for its easy care and dark green, glossy and stiff feather-like foliage. The leaf stems have small protective barbs. While the name might imply that it is a palm, this plant is actually considered a cycad, one of the oldest groups of plants dating back to prehistoric times, explaining the plant’s hardiness. The leaves develop from a rosette on a short shaggy trunk and fronds can be pruned off if a tree form is desired. This species thrives best in Zones 9-11 and makes a nice specimen plant for a garden bed. Or they can be grown indoors or outdoors in large containers. They prefer bright light and will not tolerate over-watering.