The December freeze certainly turned all the fronds on Sago Palms a straw color.  Hopefully the trunk was not harmed by the cold temperature and they will begin to flush new fronds in late spring.

The fronds that are brownish-yellow will not change back to green – they are dead and should be removed.

Follow these steps to prune it correctly and hopefully you will see new fronds growing from the center (crown) once our weather warms up in April – May.  Usually once the night temps have reached 70 degrees.  You should see 2-3 flushes during the growing season.

Cut them back to the trunk. BEWARE of the sharp barbs that protrude from the trunk. You do not want to suffer a puncture from one of the barbs since it can evolve into a serious medical problem if not treated properly. We suggest using a long lopper to trim instead of a hand trimmer so you are not in close proximity to the barbs.