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Ponytail palm 'shoots' (flowers?)/ new leaves problem.

15 years ago

I adopted a Ponytail palm a few months ago in a healthy seeming condition. It has long (18-24") shoots coming from each of its three heads. I assumed that these were some sort of flower like you get with grasses. However, as these 'shoots' spring from the middle of the head there is nowhere for new leaves to sprout from. Old leaves are dying off at a slow but steady rate and so the foliage is beginning to look a bit thin. What should I do?

The plant stands 4' high (6' including the longest shoot) and is in a 10" diameter pot. I understand that I am not supposed to water too often as it is winter here in London and sunlight hours are short. The ends of the leaves are dried out and curled up.

Many thanks in advance for any advice.

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Comments (11)

lucy
15 years ago
How often do you water and how much sun is it getting for how long every day?
webkat5
15 years ago
Mine is in full sun (south window) and gets watered maybe once a month in the winter...it seems happy...I don't water it until I see the bulb begin to shrink (wrinkle) slightly.

Is it possible that it is getting too much water (or is water logged)?
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Sounds like too much water to me. Does it have fast drainage, it need very little water it stores it in the base of the plant. They can be made to bonsai, (stay small) You may need a change of soil, that way you can check and see if has a root problem. I hope this will direct you into solving the problem. Norma
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In my experience, pony tail palms are really sensitive to too much water and/or having too much mulch near their trunks. Have you mulched them recently? Have they gotten more rain than they need? That might leave them vulnerable to bugs/slugs. I had one in a pot for several years and put it out into the yard about a year ago. One of the three stems went great guns. It's four-feet high now, from six inches. The other two did not like their conditions and I think both have died. I do think they're really sensitive to getting too wet or having mulch too close to their trunks/being planted too deep.
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Fabulous now that we can see Cher in all her glory! Oh my, Maria, you took the leaf of faith, Cher looks great! I bet with the trim and repot, her elegant ballerina like figure (caudex ) will plump up a bit. She looks very elegant with her long slender look! I love that we can now see her in full :) You must be so happy to have accomplished this! I found the same with Harry when I repotted him, most roots where on the outside. Having only chopped Harry's heads off once... Here was my thinking: Cut them off in fall, allow him to sit in a low light area and water once a month at most. Let him gather strength for spring. Come March he had new sprouts starting. At first they were little bumps, then fully fledged sprouts and then by summer, he was on his way to his new stout look. I think late fall may be best as you will want to stop watering her due to her having no leaves, plus this will give her time to re-establish her roots between now and then. Harry did fine with watering him once a month in winter. I only started watering him once a few of his sprouts were about an inch long and green. If you look at the photo above of him with his heads cut off and the one before it, you will notice that his caudex is plump in the one with his heads and then it is more wrinkly in the one with the new sprouts. We do this same routine each winter. He looks dehydrated early spring from the lack of water in the winter but by spring he's re-hydrated and plumped up. Have you thought about how much you want to cut off? I look forward to the next update on Cher!
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lucy
15 years ago
Webkat - you've 'hijacked' Mehawk's thread... the question was meant for him/her...
mehawkes
Original Author
15 years ago
Well, I'm experimenting still with the watering. At the beginning of the winter I didn't water it for a couple of months. It was losing quite a few leaves so I stepped it up to every three weeks or so which seems to have stabilised it. It gets about six hours of insipid London daylight at best per day.
gabro14
15 years ago
I think Webkat was trying to help out. She was saying what works for her ponytail, and then asked mehawwkes if she's overwatering.

I personally think it's helpful to hear what other people do with their plants when I am asking advice.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
15 years ago
Lucy just misinterpreted webbie's comment/question! It's ALL good! ;-)
gabro14
15 years ago
Rhizo you make me laugh :)
Trying to keep the peace, I like that..

I agree, she misinterpreted...I was trying to "re-interpret".

It's ALL good ;-)

By the way, Mehawkes, I just got a ponytail (second one, the last one died on me). I think it's a toughie because it's tropical but also succulent. I think it needs a lot of humidity (correct me someone if I'm wrong), but not much watering in Winter. I'd go by what Webkat said....that sounds about right. Going by a schedule is good but should only be secondary...in other words, water about monthly but first and foremost go by your instincts, how dry the soil is, and how the trunk looks. No clue how to answer the shoot question though..sorry :)
Good luck.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
15 years ago
mehawkes, we need a picture! This feels sorta like throwing darts, blindfolded!
lucy
15 years ago
Thanks Rhizo - and you're right... and I'm always giving my husband a hard time for assuming things!
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
15 years ago
Heck! Husbands NEED to be reminded of that on a regular basis!
mehawkes
Original Author
15 years ago
Hi. Thanks for the interest. I have posted a photo' on the 'Name That Plant' page. The link comes below -

I look forward to seeing what you think.

Here is a link that might be useful: Photo' on 'Name That Plant' page

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