Plant Witchery: Discover the Sacred Language, Wisdom, and Magic of 200 Plants - Juliet Diaz 2020

Sago Palm Cycus revoluta
A Compendium of Plants

ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES

resilience

Despite her name, sago is not actually a palm at all, but an ancient kind of plant known as a cycad that has been around since the prehistoric times—yes, since the dinosaurs! A male sago produces a golden cone, which may grow more than two feet tall. The female produces a beautiful, big golden flower that slowly opens when it is fertile. She does not flower yearly, but rather every second or third year. On the years she doesn’t flower, she produces a new set of spring leaves.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Sago palm’s bark and seeds can be made into a poultice for healing sores and swellings—but the seeds are poisonous, so be careful. The juice of young sago palm leaves can be used to treat flatulence and vomiting, and the pollen is a narcotic.

MAGICAL PROPERTIES

Working with sago palm will help you find your resilience, so you are able to get through difficult times and rise back up again to achieve great things. Keep her by your altar and/or in your sacred space when working on your abundance or success spells. Having her by you while you are trying to finish a project will keep you motivated, inspired, and productive. She is also great at helping you make tough decisions; meditate with her, exchanging breaths as you tap into the core of your question, and she will show you the direction you need to take. You can also seek her advice by inviting her into your dreams.

PLANT WISDOM

The ancient medicine and wisdom of this sacred plant is often overlooked; instead she is treated as any other decorative plant. But she is so much more than that. In my home, sago palm is a goddess—I speak with her and care for her each and every day. Having conversations with her is like indulging in the richest piece of chocolate you’ve ever had. Her wisdom and perspective on life can shift the way you think about just about everything.