Location
The Mexican Sago grows in rocky, limestone evergreen forests in tropical Mexico (Oaxaca, Veracruz, Yucatan) at 300-1500 ft (91-457 m) above sea level.
Culture
An attractive and easily grown plant, the fast growing Mexican Sago prefers well-drained soil with regular water. Mexican Sago is the most commonly grown Dioon by a considerable margin. Mexican Sago will grow in soils having few nutrients, in limestone-rich soils and on moderate slopes. Although tolerant of poor soils, the Mexican Sago growth can be greatly improved through the application of fertilizers. Most growers find that a fertilizer having an even NPK balance, and supplemented with trace elements, provides a good start for cycads. Cycads may then be kept growing well with regular applications of a balanced slow release formulation such as Osmocote® or Dynamite®.
Light: The Mexican Sago may be grown in partial shade, filtered sun or full sun. Mexican Sago prefers partial shade or partial sun to full sun.
Moisture: The Mexican Sago prefers moist to wet soil with good drainage and regular watering for optimal growth.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 9B - 11. Mature and established plants have been reported to tolerate temperatures down to 25ºF (-3.9ºC) for short time periods, without incurring significant foliage damage.
Propagation: The Mexican Sago may be propagated by seeds or by division and replanting of the attractive offsets or "pups" formed at the base of the plant. The seeds of the Mexican Sago are reported to be exceptionally easy to germinate.
Usage
Mexican Sago is wonderful as a tub plant in a brightly lit spot in the home, on a porch or deck, or in a conservatory. The Mexican Sago provides an exceptionally exotic but nevertheless formal touch in any garden in warm temperate to tropical climates. A striking approach is to follow the Asian style, with large paired plants in containers or feature beds that flank driveways, doorways or gates. A single large Mexican Sago makes an excellent feature plant in a landscape emulating a tropical or desert setting, perhaps substituting for a true palm where a large crown is desired without a tall trunk. A Mexican Sago can also have a spectacular place in a small garden where space is limited. The Mexican Sago also makes an exotic striking under story plant beneath large trees or any structure that allows at least partial sunlight to pass through.
Features
Use the Mexican Sago for that very special accent in your landscape. You too can own your very own living fossil, the name often applied to cycads because they have changed very little in the last 200 million years. Mexican Sago is considered exceptionally easy to grow - it has not only outlived the dinosaurs but can survive many adverse forces of nature and oversights of the gardening impaired! The genus name Dioon comes from the Greek, meaning "two + egg", because the seeds are borne in pairs. The species name of spinulosum is derived from the Latin, meaning spiny or thorny. The leaves (fronds) of the Mexican Sago are used in decorations and arrangements.