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Beaucarnea recurvata (Pony Tail Palm)

Pony Tail Palm, Ponytail Palm, Pony Tail, Elephant's Foot, Bottle Palm, Nolina recurvata

AGM Award
Beaucarnea recurvata, Pony Tail Palm, Ponytail Palm, Pony Tail, Elephant's Foot, Bottle Palm, Nolina recurvata, Drought tolerant shrub, drought tolerant tree
Beaucarnea recurvata, Pony Tail Palm, Ponytail Palm, Pony Tail, Elephant's Foot, Bottle Palm, Nolina recurvata, Drought tolerant shrub, drought tolerant tree
Beaucarnea recurvata, Pony Tail Palm, Ponytail Palm, Pony Tail, Elephant's Foot, Bottle Palm, Nolina recurvata, Drought tolerant shrub, drought tolerant tree

An exclamation point in the landscape, award-winning Beaucarnea recurvata (Ponytail Palm) is an evergreen shrub or tree forming a bulbous trunk-like stem crowned with a dense rosette of long, downward-curving, bright green, grassy leaves. Resembling an elephant’s foot, the greatly swollen base of the trunk (caudex) stores water just like a camel’s hump, enabling this plant to go dry for long periods. The trunk is usually single with young plants, but several smaller trunks as well as some sparse branching near the top may develop with age. Panicles of small white flowers are rarely produced. Beaucarnea recurvata makes a dramatic focal point and looks striking when planted in groups.

  • Winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society
  • Grows with an upright habit up to 6-8 ft. tall (180-240 cm) and 3-5 ft. wide (90-150 cm).
  • Easily grown in sandy, well-drained soils in full sun. Water moderately when in growth and keep just moist in winter. Top dress or pot on in spring. May be grown outdoors in most moderately fertile, sharply drained soils. Drought tolerant. Does extremely well indoors if provided bright light and not overwatered.
  • Great for beds and borders, city gardens, rock gardens, succulent gardens, or Mediterranean gardens. Ideal as an accent plant in dry frost-free areas or in decorative containers. An excellent houseplant that can be moved outdoors each year after the last spring frost date.
  • Virtually disease free. Watch for spider mites, mealybug, and scale.
  • Fading leaves may be peeled off. Brown leaf tips may be clipped off.
  • Propagate by seed in spring or root offsets in spring
  • Native to semi-desert areas of southeastern Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala

Requirements

Hardiness 8 - 12
Heat Zones 10 - 11
Climate Zones 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, H1, H2
Plant Type Shrubs, Trees
Plant Family Asparagaceae
Common names Bottle Palm, Elephant's Foot, Pony Tail
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early, Mid, Late)
Summer (Early, Mid, Late)
Fall
Winter
Height 6' - 8'
(180cm - 240cm)
Spread 3' - 5'
(90cm - 150cm)
Spacing 60" (150cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Low
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Well-Drained
Characteristics Plant of Merit, Showy, Evergreen
Tolerance Drought, Deer
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Patio And Containers
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Mediterranean Garden
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While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
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Requirements

Hardiness 8 - 12
Heat Zones 10 - 11
Climate Zones 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, H1, H2
Plant Type Shrubs, Trees
Plant Family Asparagaceae
Common names Bottle Palm, Elephant's Foot, Pony Tail
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early, Mid, Late)
Summer (Early, Mid, Late)
Fall
Winter
Height 6' - 8'
(180cm - 240cm)
Spread 3' - 5'
(90cm - 150cm)
Spacing 60" (150cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Low
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Well-Drained
Characteristics Plant of Merit, Showy, Evergreen
Tolerance Drought, Deer
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Patio And Containers
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Mediterranean Garden
How Many Plants
Do I Need?

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