1/10

Ponytail Palm

4.6 out of 5 (115 experiences)

Survivor

Pet friendly

Also known as

Ponytail Palm, Nolina Recurvata, Elephant Foot Tree and Bottle Palm Tree

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Beaucarnea recurvata

Genus

Beaucarnea

Family

Asparagaceae

Order

Asparagales

What other plant parents say

Survivor 73

Pet friendly 30

Large, lush leaves 24

Fast grower 23

Browns easily 18

Easy to propagate 7

Blooms easily 5

Pest magnet 1

@Al.yssapaige

05/19/2021

you’ll be able to tell if you need to water less/more based on the color of the leaves ends. if they become like crispy and brown after a period of forgetting to water, water more. same thing but aft…

@Ansleyfaiv

Sugar Grove, IL

05/23/2021

i’ve only had my ponytail palm for about a week, but based off what i’ve read, these guys are HARDY. they can go for long periods without water with no problem, making them great for people who may t…

@Plantpunk

Columbus, OH

05/15/2021

I have only had this plant a few days but I think it may be a favorite. When I received it it was larger than expected. All you need to do is occasionally trim the brown leaves. Browning of leaves is…

@Stellacof

05/01/2021

This plant is a little fickle when you first buy it! It’s easy to tell when the plant needs more/less watering. I would suggest checking the leaves every day for browning. This plant is definitely fo…

@Plantsongb2…

Bayonne, NJ

02/21/2021

My cats is obsessed with it and I am as well. It’s a great plant if you don’t want to have to water it so frequently and looks great almost anywhere especially in a low pot so you can appreciate its …

@Miamilaw97

Columbus, OH

06/18/2021

This plant is a survivor (large trunk holds water for those who forget), care is simple, grown wonderfully, great for a starter plant to the expert plant person. And it’s endangered so it’s a plus f…

@Molly2867

04/25/2021

As long as you take it super-easy on the water, this is a great addition to the indoor garden. Seems to thrive on (just a little!) bit of neglect. I do not have a green thumb and it’s still alive. Th…

@Plant_parent

07/18/2021

This plant may be a sluggish grower, but it’s one of the hardest plants to kill. It can survive without water for ages, doesn’t need drainage, can live in low light and it hasn’t had a single pest pr…

@Cmmnsnse

Pinellas Park, FL

04/13/2021

Meekz is somewhat of an outsider. Never the most popular and often trying to find his way, but never lacking in confidence. He rarely encounters a challenge he can’t overcome with natural ability.

@Erodplants

06/28/2021

This ponytail palm was a plant my hub wanted , I have various little plants by my kitchen bay window, he felt I needed it. It’s a unique plant and my first time caring for it . So we will see.

How to care for Ponytail Palm

Water

How often to water your Ponytail Palm

Ponytail Palm needs 0.5 cups of water every 12 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.