Ponytail Palm Plant Care Guide
What is the Ponytail Palm Plant?
Interestingly enough, the Ponytail Palm Plant is not actually related to the palm tree. Also known by its scientific name, Beaucarnea Recurvata, this plant belongs to the Agave family and gets its name from the fact that its stem is thick and naked, appearing much like the trunk of a palm tree. The “Ponytail” moniker comes from the plant’s top-heavy foliage, which grows out from the top of the plant and flows downward as hair in a ponytail would.
Like other members of the Agave family, the Ponytail Palm Plant is a very low-maintenance houseplant. While it does not grow quickly, it is drought-resistant and requires very little attention on a daily basis. If you are looking for a plant that you can check in on occasionally, this is the perfect plant!
Light Care
The Ponytail Palm enjoys bright, direct sunlight, but can tolerate a whole range of different lighting conditions. Feel free to place your Ponytail Palm near any windows or other natural light sources in your home; the more direct sunlight, the better! You could even move it outside for periods to soak up all the unfiltered sun it could ever want, but watch to make sure it does not begin to “burn” and become brown.
If you feel that a space with indirect or low light conditions is more ideal, no worries! The Ponytail is equipped to tolerate different levels of lighting, meaning that you can place it virtually anywhere in your home as long as it can get some occasional direct sunlight.
Water Care
The Ponytail Palm is a drought-resistant succulent, so only water it every 2-3 weeks. The soil should be completely dry by the next watering session, so make sure that this is the case and adjust your water schedule accordingly.
To check the water levels of your plant’s soil, place a water meter into the soil, where it will give you an accurate indication. If you do not own a water meter, stick one finger knuckle-deep into the soil. At this depth, you will be able to accurately account for the soil’s level of moistness.
Food Guide
The Ponytail Palm is not picky when it comes to soil. Regular potting soil will get the job done, so long as it drains well. Well-draining capabilities are crucial for any houseplant, since it keeps water from pooling in the soil and causing a number of complications, including root rot.
Similarly, this plant does not require much feeding throughout the year, since it grows well on its own. Provide it with general houseplant fertilizer once in the spring and once in the summer, and avoid feeding in the fall or winter. Any more fertilizer than this could cause your plant’s leaves to develop brown tips.
Staff Holy Grail Tip:
During the growing season of the spring and summer months, plan on watering your Ponytail Palm Plant every 1-2 weeks. Its extra thick stem allows it to store much of the water it absorbs from the soil, so take extra care to avoid overwatering. Once you reach the winter months, you can reduce the watering frequency to once per month. Your plant will not be looking to grow during the winter like it did during the spring and summer, so it will not need as much water. You can adjust these frequencies based on the way in which your plant reacts to the weekly and monthly schedules.
