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Ponytail Palm Care

The Ponytail Palm plant is one of the best plants for beginners and extremely busy people. Better yet, you can count on this hardy beauty to be pet safe and an air purifying plant. Plus, this slow-growing variety of the agave family is drought-resistent and would thrive well just sitting in the sunlight.

How to care for your Ponytail Palm

Use these instructions to care for a Ponytail Palm. This guide will tell you how to water a Ponytail Palm; its light, temperature, humidity preferences and any additional care it might need to help it grow.

Pigtail Palm

LIGHT

Your Pigtail Palm prefers bright indirect light to full sun.

WATER

Water your Pigtail Palm when the soil is completely dry. Water until liquid flows through the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot and discard any water that has accumulated in the saucer.

HUMIDITY

As with most succulents, your Pigtail Palm will thrive in dry conditions. The drier the air, the better!

TEMPERATURE

Protect your palm from cold drafts from windows, air conditioning vents, or doors. This plant prefers normal room temperatures between 60-80 degrees.

FOOD

For best results, use a general houseplant fertilizer only once in the spring and once in the summer. Any more than that and your Pigtail Palm may develop brown tips on the leaves.

TOXICITY

Completely non-toxic to humans and pets.

ADDITIONAL CARE

Your Pigtail Palm leaves are sensitive to injury and tend to get dark at the ends. Cutting back the tips of the leaves is a good way to preserve the appearance of the plant. The key is to use a pair of sharp scissors to cut off just the discolored parts.

Ponytail Palm

LIGHT

Originating in the southeastern desert of Mexico, the Ponytail Palm flourishes under direct sunlight or under bright, indirect light. Keeping this plant outdoors during the summer proves to be beneficial for sun exposure. However, if you move the plant indoors, you might need to supplement with grow lights.

WATER

Ponytail Palm care doesn’t call for a lot of watering. Once a week or every two weeks suffices since the trunk stores water. Because of this natural survival trait, you might take care not  to overwater your plant. During the winter, you can cut back on the watering frequency to once a month.

HUMIDITY

Due to its desert origins, the Ponytail Palm prefers dry air. However, you might consider placing your plant away from cold drafts and air vents.

TEMPERATURE

Your Ponytail Palm will love warm temperatures above 60℉. If your plant stays outdoors or if the temperature in the room drops to 50℉, it can withstand the change but not for long periods. Keeping your Ponytail Palm warm is the best option. 

FOOD

Effective Ponytail Palm care includes weekly feedings with a liquid fertilizer. Likewise, you can apply slow-release pellets, but remember to carefully follow the instructions on the label.  During winter, you can reduce the number of feedings as the plant goes into its dormant phase. 

TOXICITY

The pet safe Ponytail Palm is non-toxic to humans, cats, and dogs.

ADDITIONAL CARE

Your Ponytail Palm leaves are sensitive to injury and tend to get dark at the ends. Cutting back the tips of the leaves is a good way to preserve the appearance of the plant. The key is to use a sharp scissors to cut off just the discolored parts.

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What's a Ponytail Palm?

Botanical Classification: Beaucarnea recurvata

About

The Ponytail Palm is drought tolerant, slow-growing, and requires very little care. This plant is ideal for people with very little time or who travel regularly. The Ponytail Palm will be perfectly happy being watered every couple of weeks and left alone to soak up the sunlight. The bulb-like trunk is used to store water and the long leaves that grow from the top of the trunk resemble a ponytail. This distinct plant brings a little fun to any room in your home.

Fun Fact

The Ponytail Palm is neither a palm nor a tree—it’s actually a member of the Agave family, native to the southeastern desert of Mexico!

Pictured Left: Ponytail Palm Tree

Ponytail Palm

Fun, distinct, and hardy. This plant is low-maintenance and adaptable.
very easy, perfect for beginners, bright indirect to bright light
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