Growing Ponytail Palms

How to Care for a Ponytail Palm

The ponytail pam, or elephant foot palm, is a delightful houseplant that gives your home a more tropical feel.

Arizona State University

Rate this Article:

Get a Free Garden Planner Trial!

Try out our Garden Planner with a free 7-day trial—ample time to plan your dream garden!

Ponytail palms are a unique-looking, long-lived indoor plant that thrives on benign neglect. They are very easy to grow, provided you don’t overwater them! Here’s how to grow and care for a ponytail palm in your home.

Despite its name and palm-like appearance, the ponytail palm is not a true “palm.” In fact, it is more closely related to desert plants in the Agave and Yucca genera (e.g., Joshua trees).

The typical ponytail palm consists of a large, domed “stump,” which tapers off into a thinner stem. From the top of the stem, one or more rosettes of long, green, leathery leaves develop as the plant ages. Indoors, the leaves can reach up to 3 feet long, but outdoors, they may be double that length.

In its native environment (eastern Mexico), the entire plant has been known to reach up to 30 feet in height! However, ponytail palms that are grown in gardens as landscape plants don’t usually get to be more than 10 feet tall. Indoors, they are rarely taller than 4 feet.

Care of this plant is generally simple; the most common difficulty is having to adapt your watering habits to its watering needs!

Planting

Use a fast draining soil, such as a cacti and succulent potting mix. If you have potting soil, sand, and perlite already on hand, you can create your own desert soil mixture: Simply mix 1 part potting soil, 1 part perlite, and 1 part sand.
Select a pot that has a hole in the bottom, so that excess water can be drained off. Ponytail palms do not like to sit in moist soil for very long.
Use a clay pot if possible; the porous material will absorb some of the water, drying out the soil more quickly (a good thing for cacti and succulents).
Ponytail palms prefer to have as much light as possible, so place the plant in a bright location.
Use caution when handling a ponytail palm, as its leaves have tiny serrated edges.

Care

Keep soil fairly dry. Water from spring through fall, allowing the top inch or two of soil to dry completely before re-watering. During the winter, only water occasionally.
To water, soak the soil and allow the excess water to drain through the bottom of the pot into a dish. Let the pot sit in the dish for several minutes, then dump out any remaining water in the dish.
Fertilize in the spring with a cacti/succulent fertilizer and bring into a brighter room for the summer months.
Normal room temperature is good for most of the year, but keep it slightly cooler in the winter (50 to 55° F). During winter, don’t let the plant sit too close to cold windows at night, as it can be severely damaged by freezing temperatures.

Repotting a Ponytail Palm

In containers, ponytail palms will remain small if kept in a small pot. They can go for many years before needing to be repotted. Repotting every other year at the most is all a ponytail palm needs.
Moving the plant to a larger pot will give it room to grow in both height and girth. However, older plants may be difficult to manage, because of sheer size and weight if not kept on the smaller size.
When selecting a new pot, pick one large enough to leave about an inch or so of space between the ponytail palm’s trunk and the rim of the pot.

Pests/Diseases

Overwatering can result in stem rot. If you withhold watering, the plant may be able to internally cure the problem. Signs of stem rot include yellowing leaves and a caudex (the plant’s base and stem) that is soft or squishy.
Spider mites occur on the leaves, but can be fixed by rubbing a cloth of soap and water on the stems. Spider mites are evidenced by the presence of spider-like webbing on the plant.
Brown tips on leaves can be a sign of overfertilizing or underwatering, so adjust your husbandry practices appropriately.

Harvest/Storage

Propagation

Rarely, a ponytail palm may produce an offset—a small baby plant that stems from the base of the adult plant. These can be cut off at the base when they reach at least 4 inches in height and planted in a succulent potting mix. Before planting, allow the cut wound to heal, then apply a bit of rooting hormone (available online and in nurseries) to encourage the offset to root.

Wit & Wisdom

The plant’s unusual shape and coloration has granted it another strange nickname: the Elephant’s Foot Palm.

Reader Comments

form.antibot { display: none !important; } You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form.

Lost related article from me. Miss Joy Bradford

Where is the very time consuming articule I wrote concerning, do we or don't we cut the brown ends of the ponytail hair.
I'm elderly ad can't see well. I'm very concerned about my article. When I was finally finished. The report was having trouble try again. I'm just not able to try again.
It would be most appreciated if you would please take the time and find my article, answer it. And send it to my email. Along with the copy of my article.
I've been many,many years with The
Almanac. I certainly would not want to be disappointed after all our wonderful years together. Once again bless you indevor. Sincerely, Miss: Joy Bradford

Brown Tips

I’m afraid we are only able to see comments that are published. Unfortunately, errors do occasionally occur.

In any case, we are happy to answer any questions about ponytail palm that you may have. Please post them here on this page or send an email to our inbox, AlmanacEditors@YankeePub.com.

Regarding the brown tips of ponytail palms: You may cut them as you wish—the brown tips are dead, so it won’t harm the plant to lose them.

Propagation

I have had an elephant foot tree I bought at a home depot about 3 years ago. Every summer (in Northern Illinois) I have put it outside, and it has grown and been re-potted once. Its about 12" tall. This summer I moved it out of the backyard because the goats were trying to eat it, and into the front, and forgot about it. Early fall it was cold and raining a lot and I remembered it and brought it inside. After a few days the leaves were turning brown, and eventually fell off. I was hoping that it was just going to be dormant and that I didn't kill it, so I left it in the pot in the house with no leaves and eventually a small squishy spot on the trunk, and haven't watered it at all, waiting for spring. Until today! When I walked past it I noticed 2 pups growing from the base of the trunk. Is my Elephant foot tree still alive? Should I cut the pups off, or just let them grow in the same pot? Is it possible to propagate off of a dead plant? I'm so confused and really hope its still alive!

Ponytail Palm Propogation

It sounds like the top of the adult plant died back due to cold and/or excess moisture, but the roots and base (caudex) survived. Does the upper stem of the adult plant still feel squishy? Or does it seem dry and shriveled? Either of those conditions would further suggest that the top of the plant is no longer alive. But, if the stem looks normal, try putting the plant in a warm, sunny spot for a couple weeks and water it as you normally would, as this could trigger it to produce new foliage.

If no new growth appears from the top, then you may want to trim the stem back to an inch or two above the caudex of the plant. If the plant is still alive, this should encourage it to produce new stems from the cut area after a few weeks. This practice is commonly done for aesthetic purposes, as it will make the ponytail palm produce more than one stem.

I would also suggest leaving the pups until they get a bit bigger—at least an inch in diameter at the base and 3–4 inches in height. Best of luck to you and your plant(s)!

reply

It does seem dry and shriveled, as if an avocado that is over-ripe. Where is you squeeze the trunk it seems as if there is air inside, the pups are now about 6 inches tall growing off the base of the plant. I did not try to cut the trunk down, but if you think this will spike new growth I will try that. Will I risk killing the pups if I do that? The pups don't seem to be growing trunks, just palms growing out of the base of the (dead) trunk

reply

Dwarf Ponytail Palm?

Is there any such thing as a dwarf ponytail palm? I started my plant from seed 42 years ago. it lives indoors and is very healthy with new leaves constantly sprouting. But, it is only 3 1/2 feet tall. It is given two cups of water every week or two and given a weak plant food solution every 2 months. it is repotted every 10 years. The trunk has never been cut and it has never sprouted babies nor has it bloomed. It prefers very good light but the green part of the trunk get wrinkled if it gets to much direct sun. Is there anything i should do differently?

Ponytail Palms

It sounds like you’re doing everything correctly; three and a half feet is actually pretty tall for a ponytail palm that’s spent its life indoors! Indoor specimens taller than 4 feet are fairly uncommon. The plant really needs ideal conditions (bright sunlight, warm temperatures, and no restrictions on its roots and trunk) to reach taller heights, which is usually the case for ponytail palms grown in greenhouses or outdoors.

Ponytail palms are very responsive to the size of their pots, so keeping it pot-bound will slow down its overall growth. You might try planting it in a deeper and wider pot than it is currently; that could encourage it to grow larger both above and below ground.

Thank you for the info!

Pony tail palm question

I have one that I have had for about a year now and it's basically just a cluster of pups that were removed from the parent plant. I have never repotted it. It's starting to grow aerial roots and the leaves are turning brown. It doesn't get much natural light, as its currently indoors for the winter. I recently Purchased a small plant light and covered the aerial roots with a bit of potting soil. Now I'm wondering if I've made the right choice?

Ponytail Palm With Aerial Roots

Succulents that put out aerial roots typically do so in search of water, so that—combined with the browning leaves—suggests that your plant is in need of more water. However, if your plant doesn’t get much light this time of year, you do need to be careful not to overwater. What’s your watering schedule currently like? During winter months, water the plant deeply but don’t water again until the soil is almost entirely dry. Once you get the plant back in stronger light, you can increase waterings—still being sure not to water again until the top inch or so of soil is dry.

As for what to do with the aerial roots: You don’t want the plant to be planted deeper than about halfway up its base, so if the soil was already at that level before you added more, it would be better to remove the extra soil and simply snip off the aerial roots with clean scissors. If you do this, don’t water the plant until it looks like its wounds have healed; this will help to prevent fungal disease.

Ponytail palm needs help

It’s 4 years old and in the same pot. When I first got it I was watering it every 2weeks. Then of courses I wasn’t watering like I should and forgot some times. Could not remember when I did so I just gave it water. Today it looks skimpy with brown leaves. The bass where the leaves come out is all brown but some new growth is sprouting out. I not sure what to do should I water it last time was early in the month. I would love to see it thrive. Is it possible to bring it back.

Pony Tail Palm

Try a spray bottle and mist your palm maybe twice a week to keep the trunk from drying out. I keep my spray bottle next to it.

Watering

Dry, browning leaves can indicate a thirsty plant, but it’s also perfectly natural for the older leaves to die off as the plant grows. Yours likely just needs a more regular watering schedule. Water it when the top inch or so of soil has dried out completely—this could be every two weeks, every three weeks, or once a month depending on the humidity of your home, the consistency of the soil, and how porous the pot is.

To keep track of your waterings, try attaching a post-it note to the plant’s pot and writing down the date when you water.

ponytail palm

I have just brought my palm in and my cat is very interested it and tries to eat the leaved. Are they hurt him other than cutting his tongue?

Ponytail Palm Toxicity

Ponytail palms are non-toxic, so your cat will be fine if he ends up chewing on a few leaves. However, it would be best if he didn’t!

ponytail too tall

I have a ponytail that has been in our family for years, probably close to 40. It had not been repotted in years (if ever). We keep it inside in the winter and then put it outside in the summer. Sadly it grew too tall this summer to come back inside! The bulb has had no space in that pot for years so not sure what happened to make it grow so much. What is the true low temp that will kill it? If we plant it in the ground is that better than a pot? We currently stuffed it in at an angle inside but that’s not practical. I’m assuming it can’t be trimmed to cut off the top. Is this plant interesting enough that a botanical garden would want it?

Ponytail Palm Outdoors?

Ponytail palms come from hot, arid climates, so they will only truly thrive outdoors in areas that have similar conditions (USDA Zone 9 and warmer). They can survive brief cold snaps that dip into the 30s, but they don’t tolerate freezes well and likely won’t be happy if kept below 40°F for long. They are also prone to rotting from too much water, so if your winters are wet or snowy, the plant could easily get too wet and rot. Additionally, depending on where you are located, it may be too late in the season to plant it outdoors, as the shock of going from indoor temps to cold outdoor temps could damage it.

Young ponytail palms can be cut back to encourage branching, but I wouldn’t recommend trying that on one as large and as old as yours.

Though these plants aren’t particularly rare, a large specimen would likely be of interest to a botanical garden or university!

Ponytail in Distress

I'm in Saint Pete Beach, FL and have a huge ponytail palm in the ground in front of my home. We bought the house five yrs ago and the tree was already here. It's a double trunk and everyone says it is the biggest ponytail they have ever seen. Approx 25' around at the base and 15-20' tall.
Recently I noticed a larger than usual dropping of dead leaves and now the new leaves are yellowing much too quickly. One or two leaf clusters have actually caved in. We've had above average rainfall this year but drainage is good and the Royal Palm and Queen Sago in the same area are doing fine. I suspect it might be too wet . Any thoughts on what might be causing the problem and what to do about it?
Thanks for your input.

Outdoor Ponytail Palm Problems

Boy, that’s a big one alright!

It sounds like your analysis could be correct: the plant is likely getting too much water and its roots may be rotting. Unfortunately, with a plant so huge, there’s not a whole lot that you can do, aside from hoping for drier weather.

To confirm your theory, take a look around the base of the plant, poking gently with your foot to see if you can find any obvious soft spots. These would be a sign of rot and too much water in the soil. If you can’t see anything aboveground, gently dig down (no deeper than 1ft) around the base of the plant in a few different spots to see if you can find any rot belowground. If you can’t find any signs of rot there either, the problem is probably deep within the roots of the plant.

There’s not much you can do for the plant at this point, unfortunately, but ponytail palms are fairly hardy. If it gets a chance to dry out, the plant should recover!

Hello, my ponytail plant is

Hello, my ponytail plant is about 8 years old, I have repotted once. It's about 4 ft tall and has new stems coming from the top most of the time. The older leaves are bent and come all the way to the floor. Can I trim those leaves to give it a more upward poofy look on top? They do not have brown tips, they just drag the ground and are droopy. Thanks.

Trimming Leaves

Yes, you can trim the lower leaves back! As long as you let the new growth grow unimpeded, the plant will be fine.

Do I need to repot?

I have had my pony tail for ~ 44 years. It stands ~ 6.6' high. It has been in a 22" diameter X 16" tall pot for ~ 10 years. The bulb of the plant is ~ 17" in diameter (~ 2.5" from the edge of its pot). The tips of the lower palms have begun turning yellow, then brown and traveling up the palm until I have to remove them. The plant is still putting new palms out of the top of the plant. I water it ~ once every 2 weeks with about 1 qt of water. What can I do to stop the lower palms from dying? Does it need to be re-potted (would take a crane and a team to do so!)? If so, how much larger pot does it need? If not re-potted, how do I adjust its water (have watered it the same since 1974!)? This is an heirloom plant my mother gave me in 1974; it has been "babysat" by family as I was stationed overseas. My daughter has her heart set on inheriting it some day....

Dropping Leaves

Wow! That’s quite an old tree! Congrats on keeping it happy for so long.

Lower leaves turning brown is not usually a cause for concern—especially if the plant is continually putting out new leaves—as that’s just part of the natural growth cycle of the plant: grow new leaves, drop old ones. But, if this is the first time you’re seeing it happen after having the plant for so long, there may be outside factors in play.

Have you changed your source of water in the past year or so? Desert plants can be especially sensitive to chemicals in tap water (such as fluoride), which can cause the tips of leaves to turn yellow and brown. Try watering with distilled or spring water for the next few months and see if that solves the issue.

Browning tips may also be caused by too much intense sunlight. But again, if the plant is still regularly putting out new growth, it seems like it’s happy where it is.

The pot size is likely not an issue, as ponytail palms don’t mind being constricted. Moving it to a larger pot will only encourage it to get even bigger (and more unmanageable)! The amount of water is also not likely a problem, as long as you are letting the soil dry out properly between waterings.

Pony Tail Palm

My Pony Tail Palm is 42 year old and thriving. I just re-potted it and brought it in for the winter. It has five babies on it also. To help it from drying out while inside, I mist the top of it and sometime down the trunk to keep it supple. Also, I don't pull off the dried palms when inside the house as that causes the top to dry out faster. Good luck!

BLOOMS

One of my pony tails bloomed this summer. I have never experienced this. What do I do?

Bloom

The short answer: Nothing!

Blooming is normal for mature ponytail palms, and the flowers are a treat for pollinators. Assuming you can reach the top of your ponytail palm, simply snip off the flower spike once it has faded. That’s it!

Ponytail palm from Sams

I just bought 2 ponytail palms that were already potted from Sam’s. The planted palms have smalls stones on top of the soil and the stones seemed to be glued together. How in the world can I water them? Or is this something new for the top of a plant? By the way, they came from Costo Farms.

Ponytail Palm

This is a common (and, quite frankly, dumb) practice done by some stores. Here’s our response to a previous comment regarding a ponytail palm bought from Sam’s:

“With the way your plant is currently potted, it sounds like it will be very difficult to know when and how much to water, which will surely end up stressing out both you and the plant. Really, it would be best to repot it entirely. Try carefully removing the rocks to see if there’s any way you could get the plant out of the pot. If it’s cemented to the bottom of the pot, perhaps you could carefully break the pot apart (assuming it’s terracotta). Be careful not to snap the stem of the plant in the process. If you can manage to get the plant out, replant it with a succulent potting mix in a pot with a drainage hole and follow the care instructions outlined above.

If there’s absolutely no way to get the plant out, you could create a makeshift dip-stick to tell you when there’s no water left in the bottom of the pot. Assuming the rocks are fairly loose, take a straw and feed it down to the bottom of the pot, leaving a bit sticking up from the surface. To check the water level, take a piece of string and feed it through the straw to the bottom of the pot. If the string comes out bone-dry, it’s time to water again. Be careful not to water too much at once, as you don’t want the base of the plant to sit in water.”

Ponytail palm from Sam’s

I bought my Poynytail Palm 4-5 years ago from Sam’s with pebbles glued on top. The directions said to give it 8 oz of water once a week. I left the pebbles on it and followed the watering directions. Benign neglect has worked wonders! I bought a bag of cacti/succulent potting soil this week, as the palm has “sunk” in the pot to reveal about 1.5 inches or more of the trunk. I’m a little reluctant to mess with success but I think it is time to freshen it up. Wish me luck! Lol