Keep a few things in mind when maintaining your tree. Trim the leaves on top of the plant with clean, sharp bonsai shears. I have never needed to really prune my plant to get rid of the dying leaves. The ponytail palm bonsai tree is a great low-maintenance option for the bonsai enthusiast or even for those that are new to bonsai plants. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Plants Craze participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. His favorite plants are plant species in the Araceae family, such as Monstera, Philodendron, and Anthurium. Ponytail palms are unique and interesting-looking houseplants that are actually not palms at all, but members of the lily family. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); .slick-slider#wpsp-83656 {margin-left: 0px; }.slick-slider#wpsp-83656 .wp-show-posts-inner {margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; }#wpsp-83656.wpsp-card .wp-show-posts-single {margin-bottom: 2em; }.slick-slider#wpsp-83656 .wp-show-posts-single {margin-bottom: 0px; }#wpsp-83656 .wp-show-posts-inner {background-color: #ffffff; }#wpsp-83656.wp-show-posts .wp-show-posts-entry-title {font-size: .9em; }.wp-show-posts-columns#wpsp-83656 {margin-left: -2em; }.wp-show-posts-columns#wpsp-83656 .wp-show-posts-inner {margin: 0 0 2em 2em; } Fertilize twice a month in spring and summer. If your plant looks brown or uneven at the cut points, you can add the cuts color to aid in recovery. Leave the small brown part standing; carry out a radical pruning of the elephant tree. First, identify any dead or damaged leaves that need to be removed. 2023 Gardening Know How, Future US LLC, Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036. , Suddenly found your faux palm tree take an ugly turn? B. recurvata is a dioecious plant, meaning that there are both males and females. Since then he has decided to write helpful articles that will help you become a better backyard farmer and know what to do. The tail palm (Beaucamea recurvata) is not a truepalmbut a succulent native to the desert. A humidity of 40-50% is sufficient. If during pruning you notice that the plant is growing on one side or the other, remember to turn the pot upside down every few months to maintain goodgrowthand also on both sides. You will want to make sure to do this early in the growing season to give the new foliage a chance to grow before it goes dormant for the winter. If your goal is to grow a large palm tree, repot it every year, but if you want to keep it smaller, repot every two or three years. Some of these links may be affiliate in nature, meaning we earn small commissions if items are purchased. When repotting, choose a container at least an inch larger than the current container. Ponytail palms are a type of succulent that stores water in its leaves, making it a drought-tolerant plant. Use sharp, clean shears to cut off any dead or dying leaves. They can be shaped and trimmed to suit your dcor with a few easy steps. However, they may need to be pruned occasionally to remove damaged or dead leaves. A ponytail palm is a great candidate for the ancient Asian art of miniaturizing trees with selective pruning to stunt growth while preserving natural forms. Ponytail palm plants are very drought tolerant because they can store water in their big, bulbous trunks. Ponytail palms are drought tolerant and relatively low maintenance, but they will benefit from occasional pruning to remove dead or dying leaves and promote new growth. Ensure to snip off the leaf with a diagonal cut to retain the sharp-end appearance. A caudex is an enlargement at the base of a woody plants trunk that stores water. Use sharp shears or yard snips to trim off only the discolored parts of the leaves. This will cause the new leaves to grow towards the side of the bush instead of vertically. The plant is a succulents. Dont remove all of the foliage at once, as the new top will grow faster than before, increasing the need for pruning. The good news is that your ponytail palm is easy to care for once you know how. Apply a succulent-appropriate fertilizer such as Neptunes Seaweed (0-0-1), containing macronutrients and amino acids. Cut the top of the leaf bundle with scissors to bring the bonsai to the desired height. Upon receipt, gently remove the plant from the nursery starter pot, and transplant it to a porous, well-draining container filled three-quarters full of cactus and succulent potting mix. You can trim the brown tips off of the leaves with scissors to keep your ponytail palm looking beautifulit won't hurt the plant! The Ponytail Palm will be perfectly happy being watered every couple of weeks and left alone to soak up the sunlight. Ponytail Palm maintenance and pruning is a breeze. Keep the soil dry enough. If the ponytail palm produces pups or offsets, creating secondary shoots, you can prune these off, concentrating on the central trunk. Ponytail palms thrive best in sandy soils with a neutral ph of 6.5 to 7.5, resulting in a lush growth environment and healthy trees. When watering, be sure that the soil has dried out completely since the last time you got out your watering can. 3 Amazing Methods, How to Water Succulents #1 Best Care Guide. Some afternoon shade is best, especially if grown outdoors. Water sparingly but thoroughly. Most problems with this plant are caused by overwatering, but sometimes it can suffer from pests such as spiders, scales, or mealy bugs treated with a systemic insecticide. Keep them close to the window with indirect sunlight to promote the quick healing of freshly cut leaves. If you find this to be aesthetically displeasing, you can cut off the offending foliage as near to its point of origin as possible, to avoid leaving partially cut stems with a chopped look. Bonsai ponytail palms are unique and have a trunk that resembles an elephants foot and cascading foliage. By the late 1800s, it was an established ornamental parlor plant in Europe, and today it enjoys popularity in the United States. Use a natural product that contains collagen and aloe Vera. Its native to Mexico and Central America but can be grown in other parts of the world. Sunlight can also cause the tips to go brown. They are a versatile plant that with the right trims can be kept looking attractive and will discourage the plant from growing taller than it is. The only pruning you will need to do is an occasional removal of dead leaves to keep the plant looking nice and clean. Jon VanZile was a writer for The Spruce covering houseplants and indoor gardening for almost a decade. This is a plant that likes to fit snugly in a pot, with only about two inches of space around it. Step #1: Inspect the Plant Step #2: Pruning the Leaves Step #3: Remove Suckers Maintenance and After-Care of Pruned Ponytail Palm 1. They can be trimmed and cut to fit your dcor in just a few easy steps if you want to trim the plant into a tail shape. For this reason, this hardy plant is sometimes called Elephants Foot. The trunk is extremely practical and will hold enough water for four weeks. Always make sure the ground is completely dry before you water it again. The ponytail palm can grow up to 20 feet outdoors but can also be trimmed into a bonsai version of itself for smaller spaces. To ensure success, keep the following in mind as you begin the adventure of growing a ponytail palm: Ponytail palm does not require pruning, but sometimes the tips or the entire leaves may turn brown. We are sorry that this post was not useful for you! Brown edges can be caused by too much fertilizer or too much water. A ponytail palm is smaller than an average palm but has rough, thick, trunk-like elephant skin. It does best in dry conditions with temperatures above 60F. Repot in dry soil and remove damaged roots; water less. -A step ladder (if necessary). Step 3: Once you have finished pruning, use a damp cloth or sponge to clean the stem and leaves of the plant. Ponytail palms are a succulent species of tree that is native to southeastern Mexico. They may also be left in place for a multi-stemmed, multi-caudex specimen. The ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata) makes a surprisingly interesting desktop plant, considering that when grown outdoors it can be a full-size tree that towers over homes. ponytail palm Scientific name Beaucarnea recurvata, also known as elephants foot, is a species of plant in the family Asparagaceae. Apply a liquid cactus and succulent liquid plant food at planting time, and each spring. Hold the leaf close to the stem and cut it off at a 45-degree angle. Its better to trim too little than too much. Go slowly and with practice, you will get nice even trims that keep the leaf from looking square or boxy. Any type of leaf that shows damage can just be trimmed back to healthier tissue. After watering it once, let 2/3 of the soil dry out between watering. Despite the common name and the appearance of the foliage, this plant is not a true palm, but rather a member of the Asparagaceae family that includes edible asparagus. Ponytailed palms may reach heights of up to 20 feet outside, but they can also be trained to grow as a little indoor sculpture. How to Create a Hotbed Garden to Extend Your Growing Season, How to Create a Hotbed Garden to Extend Your Growing Season. If it persists, the trunk may soften. With wit and hopefully some wisdom, she shares what shes learned and is always ready to dig into a new project! This fact does not block you from pruning any other time of the year in case you wish to. Houseplants are unlikely to bloom, because of the restriction of the caudex by a container. On the other hand, its possible to purchase a nursery plant that is bursting at the seams and needs to be put in a larger pot right away. Let the dry soil well between watering, usually every twoweeks(but it can take up to a month). See our TOS for more details. Fast-draining Succulent Potting Mix 4. When new shoots appear in the spring, fertilize them every 1-2weeksin the spring and summer. Regardless of how you start your plant, a loose, airy soil mixture that drains well is essential. On the other hand, proper pruning of branches and leaves can regulate the growth of trees, reduce the occurrence of diseases and pests and ensure their healthy and rapid growth. The bright setting is particularly attractive to this bonsai plant, but only for a short time. This would be consistent with the definition of removal of base or woody material. They are exacerbated by high humidity. Prepare them for propagation in a new pot or throw them away. Next, cut off the leaves at the base of the plant, close to the stem. If not, you may be tempted to leave it in its nursery container. Ponytail palms can live for decades with proper care.Prune your ponytail palm when the plant starts to look overgrown or leggy. Ponytail Palm Pruning Ponytail palm is a single-stemmed plant, which means that if you want to prune any base or woody material, you would literally be removing the trunk. This lovely bonsai is native to Mexico. Once you have your plant nice and healthy again, you can begin to trim it to shape it. Adequate Sunlight and Proper Location 2. If you decide to give your houseplant a summer vacation in the yard, acclimate it gradually to the outdoors. If you are lucky enough to have a friend with a plant, watch for the growth of one or more small offshoots from the main plant. If desired, you can also thin out the plant by removing some of the smaller side branches. Never leave it in water (this applies to almost all indoor plants). Remove any unwanted or excess growth as required. Be sure that you are sitting at eye level with the plant and take a break often to check your work so that you do not trim too much away. New branches will sprout from the cut area, giving your plant a fuller look.-Pruning: Pruning is necessary if you want to control the shape of your ponytail palm. If so, the plant may be root bound, and need repotting. Read on for the answer on how to prune ponytail palm and the chances it will come back from severe top damage. A freshly pruned Ponytail Palm would require slightly moist soil to help transfer nutrients to the pruned sections. I hope you find it useful. . Set the cells on a tray near a bright window in a 70F room. The only time a ponytail palm should be pruned is if you are removing a pup from the mother for propagation. Betty is passionate about sharing the best practices and knowledge gained from the research and practice of interior design. Well also give you some tips on how to prevent your plant from getting overgrown in the first place. If your ponytail palm is looking a little worse for the wear, it may be time for a pruning. Simply cut these leaves back to the desired length. Do . Cutting some leaves that are healthy and vivid in color might further harm them, so avoid doing so. Over time, ponytail palms can become leggy and unruly, and will benefit from annual pruning. Always use clean, sharp tools when pruning or trimming your ponytail palm to avoid damaging the plant.After pruning or trimming your ponytail palm, it is essential to care for the plant properly to ensure it grows healthy and strong. Ponytail Palm Pruning The Ponytail Palm Plant does not require special pruning. Trim the leaves on the plant's top section using sharp shears. She has been featured in print and online media. However, outdoor female plants that have been successfully pollinated are a source of seed to harvest when its dry in the fall. She is passionate about sharing the knowledge, passion, and experience she has gained from her work and as a professional interior designer. There may be one or more trunks with branches from which serrated recurved leaves sprout. These plants are named for their long, thin leaves that resemble a ponytail. Some folks feed their plants every two weeks or so throughout the growing season, but this is counterproductive if youre trying to keep your plant small. Sago palm doesn't require any pruning except to remove old leaves as they fade. Ponytail Palm Propagation: Propagating Ponytail Palm Pups, Can I Replant My Ponytail Palm - How And When To Move Ponytail Palms, Propagating Ponytail Palm Seeds - How To Grow Ponytail Palm From Seeds, Common Flowering Quince Diseases And Pests, These Weeds That Spread By Seed Can Sprout After Years, 3 Common Gardening Mistakes That Harm The Environment, Tips On Using Pine Straw For Garden Mulch, Propagating Thyme Plants: Thyme Seed Planting And Rooting Thyme Plants. Sharing the best practices and knowledge gained from her work and as professional. Will benefit from annual pruning some tips on how to Create a Hotbed Garden to Extend your Growing,! 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