Ponytail palm with a swollen bulbous trunk base and cascading narrow green leaves in a gravel bed

Ponytail Palm

Beaucarnea recurvata
Categories:
Cacti & Succulents  ·  
Yucca & Accents
Light
Full sun (afternoon shade in low desert)
Water
Low water once established; water deeply, then let the root zone dry thoroughly. Water containers more frequently during extreme heat, but reduce watering sharply in winter.
Size
10-20 ft tall × 6-10 ft wide
Habit
Upright tree – single-trunk
Toxicity
Non-toxic
Description
A sculptural succulent tree with a swollen, water-storing trunk and cascading tufts of narrow leaves. Commonly called ponytail palm, it is not a true palm; its accepted botanical name is Beaucarnea recurvata.
Bloom Time
Late spring to summer (rarely blooms in cultivation)
Deciduous / Evergreen
Evergreen
Special Features
Drought Tolerant
Growth Rate
Slow
Growth Habit
Upright tree – single-trunk
Mature Size
10-20 ft tall × 6-10 ft wide
Flower Color
Creamy white
Foliage Color
Green
Landscape Use
Cactus / Succulent Garden, Container / Patio, Specimen / Accent
Garden Style
Desert / Xeriscape
Soil
Sandy / Rocky, Well-Drained
Companion Plants
Desert spoon, Elephant's food, Golden barrel cactus, Red yucca
Non-toxic
Non-toxic
Care Instructions

Light: Full sun to bright filtered light; in Phoenix, morning sun with afternoon shade helps prevent leaf scorch. Acclimate gradually to direct sun.

Water: Low water once established; water deeply, then let the root zone dry thoroughly. Water containers more frequently during extreme heat, but reduce watering sharply in winter.

Soil: Very well-drained, sandy or gravelly soil. Use cactus/succulent mix in containers and raised planting areas where native soil drains poorly.

Mature size: Typically 10–20 feet tall and 6–10 feet wide outdoors over many years; usually 3–6 feet tall in containers.

Bloom: Mature outdoor plants may bloom in summer after many years, often a decade or more; flowering is uncommon in containers and indoors.

Evergreen / deciduous: Evergreen.

Growth rate: Slow.