Photograph of Ponytail Palm, Bottle Palm Beaucarnea stricta and Beaucarnea recurvata

The specimen was on the left was photographed in my home in Louisville, Kentucky, November 1, 1998.
The specimen on the right was photographed at Huntington Botanical Gardens east of Los Angeles in June, 2002

I have had this Ponytail Palm for 17 years at the time of this photograph in 1998. It was about 2 or 3 years old when I bought it, making it about a 20 year old plant, at that time, yet it is only 2 ft. tall. It has spent the last 17 years of its life in the same location in a bright window in my bathroom which gets southwest exposure. It has required very little care. I change the soil every 2 or 3 years, water it as needed and that is it!

I have seen Ponytail Palms planted 3 or 5 to a container which gives a very full appearance with so much more graceful foliage. The bulbous trunks must contain a lot of water because I have forgotten to water mine for weeks at a time, yet it seems to be self sufficient. The stalk grows up from the trunk leaving the stumps of dried foliage which must be cut away once or twice a year. I could not recommend a more care-free palm, requiring so little space as this one. I have not grown one from seed yet but I must admit that after so many years, mine has begun to feel like an old friend. I think I will start a few more from seed this spring.

The Beaucarnea recurvata specimen on the right were more than 12 ft. tall. I have no idea how old they were but they seemed to be content in their dry sunny location near the desert area of the botanical garden.

© 1998 Michael King