I took the plant out of the pot to inspect it. Fortunately there is no rot, and a few roots have formed. Should I not water it at all until I see signs of green growth? That sunken area, about an inch across, worries me. This is one plant I really don't want to lose, so I need some good advice.

Thanks.

Christopher

I wouldn't water until I saw new green growth. I agree that the sunken spot is suspect. Has the spot been getting larger? How quickly did it appear? You could always try and wait it out, but if it is rot, you'll just lose that much more of the caudex. The texture really is the best indicator. It can be a little soft, but as long as there is a significant springiness, it is usually ok. Mushiness is a bad sign. You could also probe at it with a bamboo skewer, knife, or something else poky.

Can you post a picture of two of the trouble spot? That would help.

Jo, Thanks for your advice. I am beginning to lose hope on this plant. I looked at it again, The top where I cut seems to be drying up, and the sunken in area I pushed in with my thumb and now there is a hole in it. But it was not mushy, it was just the opposite, very dry, and I broke down and watered it, thinking maybe I started to kill it by overwatering it, and now I went too extreme and let it dry out too much. The caudex as a whole, outside of the hole, is still pretty solid, so maybe deep down there's some life in it yet?

Christopher

Christopher, be happy that the sunken spot is not mushy but dry. Hence from there is no risk of rot.
At that time of year I wouldn't do anything else with the caudex than leave it at room temperature or even a bit lower and put it on dry soil or pumice. Comes spring keep it warmer and start spraying it or lightly moistenig the soil/pumice.

Jordi

Be patient, let it sit in a dry gritty soil mix till spring. When it warms up moisten the soil from the bottom not over the plant, you don't want water to collect in the hole.

This just happened to one of my Calibanus(similar caudex) and I just removed from the soil all together, cleaned it up and set aside. Won't pot it up again till March or so.

Jo..I love learning about old-fashioned remedies to help our plants grow better.
Too bad you hadn't posted about cinnamon before. Tell me, does cinnamon help with all thick-bulbed plants, or only Ponytails?
I lost an Adenium 2 months ago..if I'd known about the cinnamon trick, I'd have tried it..this plant was worth saving.. :(
Can you explain, either in this thread or another how and why cinnamon helps? Thanks, Toni

I've used cinnamon on sanseveria and echeveria with no ill effects.

Cinnamon is really a neat material for us succulent plant growers. I can't recall when I first read about it, but I've done some research into the subject since and really am convinced.

First and foremost, cinnamon contains a very potent natural fungicide: cinnamaldehyde (it actually contains a range of natural anti-fungals, but cinnamaldehyde is the most important). Cinnamaldehyde is also the chemical most responsible for the taste and smell of cinnamon! In a variety of legitimate, scientific studies (not just some guy out in his garden), this particular compound has been found to be effective against a variety of fungal infections in a variety of plants. It turns out that cinnamaldehyde is also a potent insecticide, although ground cinnamon probably isn't an effective delivery method.

Beyond having antifungal properties, ground cinnamon is a strong desiccant. When applied to open wound, it draws out any excess moisture helping to callus over faster.

Finally, it is relatively cheap, very easy to find, and clearly safe to handle frequently without any precautions. All these properties combined make it the ideal treatment for cuts in succulents. I use it anytime I cut a plant, stem, caudex, or root, for any reason. Be it pruning, or more serious surgery to excise rot, it always gets a healthy dose of cinnamon powder afterward.

Incidentally, the stuff you buy at a grocery store is in fact ground cassia, not ground cinnamon. True cinnamon is much more expensive, and better tasting in my opinion. If you are curious, you can buy true cinnamon at specialty spice dealers like Penzey's. However, for use as a fungicide, ground cassia is just as good as true ground cinnamon, as they both have ample cinnamaldehyde.

A moment of silence, please...My ponytail palm did not make it. I had it over 15 years, the only plant I had from before I was married, and now it is gone.
I tried the cinnamon, but I think it was already dead at that stage, and today I found it was getting softer, so I cut it open and saw sponginess setting in, and that it was too late. I cannot understand why this plant survived so long and then up and died on me...

Christopheer

I'm so sorry!! I am doing a search to see if I planted mine right. This is my second one. They really are beautiful. I hope you found another one.

Hello all! I am in need of HELP for my pony tail Palm (elephant foot Palm) about a month and half ago the top of my palm (about 3 1/2 - 4') I found an extremely soft spot. I first tried to carve it out and then watched it for a little over a week and seemed to be getting worse so I cut off the whole top.. :( about a foot down till I saw healthy tissue. (Caudex) I then left it outside and tried not to obsess over it (the plant was my mothers who passed and is almost 20 yes old)

fast forward I noticed it started getting mold where I had cut it. I cut even lower and then put cinnamon on top to protect it and brought it in where there is less Humidity (I live in northern Indiana) now I'm just wondering if I should throw it out. It did have 3 little shoots (towards the bottom) before the plant started digressing now I just touched one and pretty much fell off.. I agajn put cinnamon. I replanted it the first time I cut off the head, it was def getting cramped but no root rot.. Should I just throw this poor plant out. :( any advice would be Much appreciated.

I did water today but only after I stuck my entire index finger in the pot to make sure it was dry. Where the little half dead shoot fell off this morning it felt squishy. I haven't watered it in at least 3 weeks and now I'm just scared this thing is done. Tips please!