Sago PalmStunning cycad Although Sago Palms resemble palm trees, they actually belong to the cycad family. The name Sago Palm comes from their similarity to palm trees; however, they are genetically closer to pine trees than palm trees! Native to Japan and Southern China, Sago Palm Trees are remarkably resilient and among the oldest living plants on the planet. They are often referred to as living fossils, because they have existed for over 10 million years,