If there’s one group of plants I’ll always have a soft spot for, it’s evergreens. Particularly (you guessed it) evergreen perennials.
Why? Well, as much as I look forward to spring bulbs bursting into life or summer borders overflowing with blooms, I’ve come to appreciate that it’s evergreen plants that quietly do the heavy lifting in a garden.
Think about it: they’re there in every season, providing a burst of much-needed color (sometimes I think we all forget that green is a color) when everything else has died back, creating beautiful backdrops for flowering perennials, and bringing the sort of lush permanence that makes a space feel established.
Gardeners Are Obsessed With This Striking Evergreen Perennial
While plenty of evergreens are happy to play a supporting role, others are born to be the star of the show. The Japanese sago palm (Cycas revoluta) is one of them.
With its perfectly symmetrical crown of feather-like fronds (not to mention that glossy emerald hue), the Japanese sago is exactly the kind of plant that stops you in your tracks. It also happens to be older than the dinosaurs, though, so why is it having such a sudden surge in popularity now?
Well, over in the UK, this evergreen perennial was named one of the standout plants at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Sitting pretty in Tom Stuart-Smith’s breathtaking Tate Britain Garden, which was designed around the power of foliage rather than flowers, the garden used texture and dramatic leaf shapes to create an almost jungle-like atmosphere.
According to Stuart-Smith, the plant has long been admired in warmer parts of Europe, including southern France and Mallorca, but has rarely been used in British gardens because it’s often considered too tender.
With milder winters becoming more common in some regions, however, he believes carefully positioned cycads like the Japanese sago have an exciting future. And RHS Wisley Curator Rob Brett (who branded it it his favorite plant of the show) agrees, predicting it could become an increasingly important choice for gardeners looking to push planting boundaries.
This slow-growing evergreen is drought tolerant once established, and easy to care for, making it perfect for beginner or seasoned gardeners.
Unlike flowering plants that have a relatively short season of interest, Japanese sago palms earn their keep all year round thanks to their evergreen foliage. They’re also surprisingly versatile, pairing beautifully with ornamental grasses, palms, agaves, and flowering perennials.
Better still, they’re surprisingly low maintenance; think drought-tolerant once established and slow growers, which means they maintain their magnificent shape for years with very little need for pruning and constant upkeep.
Still, if you’re tempted to add one to your own yard, it’s worth remembering that this isn’t a plant for every climate; Japanese sago palms prefer partial shade or filtered sun and thrive in moist but well-drained soil. And, while they can tolerate the occasional light frost once established, this evergreen perennial is only considered half-hardy, so gardeners in colder regions will have the best success growing them in containers that can be moved to a sheltered spot during winter.
Shop Planters:
Made from galvanized steel, this weather-resistant design offers ample space for an evergreen perennial.
A terracotta urn is an easy and timeless way to transform your garden instantly, especially when you team it with a Japanese sago.
One of the pricier options on this list, there’s no denying that the shimmering blue of this planter would look stunning with an evergreen inside it.
That being said, there aren’t many plants you can grow that have survived since the age of dinosaurs. So if that means popping one in a pot on a patio or by a front entrance, you’d better believe I’ll be doing it (and telling everyone about my prehistoric beauty if they even think about breathing a compliment about it in my presence).
Join me in my new Jurassic obsession, why don’t you?
