5 Tips to Grow a Ponytail Palm Outdoors

Ponytail palms, also known as elephant foot, are fantastic and cute indoor houseplants. Their caudex makes for a striking appearance.

But growing a ponytail palm outdoors is actually more common, believe it or not! You get to take advantage of the full spring, summer, fall, and winter growth cycle of this incredible plant.

Without further ado, read on for tips to make your elephant foot plant grow tall and love growing outdoors.

Plant Overview

Plant Type Evergreen perennial Family Asparagaceae Genus Beaucarnea Species Beaucarnea recurvata	Native Area Mexico Exposure Full sun Height 4-30′ Watering Requirements Low	Pests & Diseases Mealybugs, spider mites, aphids, leaf spot, stem rot, bacterial streak Maintenance Low Soil Type Well-draining Hardiness Zone 10-11

Growing Ponytail Palm Outdoors vs. Indoors

When you’re deciding whether to grow your ponytail palm indoors or outdoors, here are the four major points of consideration:

Size

To reach its maximum potential – it can grow up to 30 feet tall – plant a ponytail palm outdoors.

If you want to limit its size, then planting Beaucarnea recurvata into a container indoors is a good option. If you choose a larger container, your plant may grow up to six feet tall. The smaller the container, the more you limit its growing potential.

Light

Can ponytail palms take full sun? Of course! Outdoors, ponytail palms want full sun for as long as possible, at least eight hours a day. Indoors, you should place it in a window facing south and supplement your indoor ponytail palm with a grow light if necessary.

Water

One benefit of growing your ponytail palm outdoors is the natural drainage. The soil will dry completely between waterings, avoiding one of the main killers of this plant – root rot!

If you’re growing indoors, you must use a free-draining cactus-style soil mix and a pot with proper drainage. Remember, this plant has a large caudex for storing water – it doesn’t need a ton from you!

Flowering

You’ll only get flowers by growing your ponytail palm outside of your house. It will take a lot of time, as these are slow-growing palm trees, but small white flowers will eventually bloom.

5 Tips on Growing a Ponytail Palm Outdoors

As a heads up, the best gardening zones to start growing ponytail palms outside are USDA hardiness zones 10-11. How cold-hardy is a ponytail palm, though? It can tolerate temperatures as low as 15°F (-9°C) for short periods of time, as long as it’s a mature plant.

The huge trunk of a ponytail palm tree acts just like a camel’s hump, i.e., it stores water and supplies moisture to the stems and leaves whenever needed. This is an adaptation for hot, dry climates where rain is slow to come and other plants would brown and die.

Here are the 5 quick tips for outdoor cultivation and care of these gorgeous plants – but don’t cut this short – read the full article for in-depth explanations:

1. Water it thoroughly, wait for the soil to dry between watering turns.
2. Keep it in a bright and sunny area.
3. Fertilize it once a year with a balanced slow-release fertilizer.
4. Prevent pests and diseases by applying neem oil or an insecticidal soap on the leaves.
5. Prune the browning leaves.

Planting

Planting a ponytail palm outdoors is straightforward and rewarding if you live in a warm climate. Choose a sunny, well-drained location, as this drought-tolerant plant thrives in full sun and sandy or loamy soil.

Dig a hole twice as wide and as deep as the root ball to allow room for growth. Remove the ponytail palm from its container and gently loosen the roots. Place it in the hole so the base of the swollen trunk, or caudex, sits slightly above ground level to prevent rot. Backfill with soil, firming it gently around the roots. Water deeply after planting, but let the soil dry out between waterings, as the plant prefers a dry environment.

Mulch lightly around the base to retain moisture. Use a leaf rake to surround the base of your elephant’s foot palm with at least one inch of mulch. Keep the mulch layer four to six away from the trunk of your tree to prevent moisture from accumulating and causing rot.

In frost-prone areas, consider providing winter protection or planting it in a pot to move indoors during cold months.

Proper Watering

Make sure to water your ponytail palm more frequently in the peak of summer, when temperatures are 90°F (32°C) or higher and there isn’t any rain. Always make sure the ground is completely dry before you water it again.

When watering, use a high-quality garden hose to flood the ground right around the caudex of your elephant’s foot tree. Ensure the soil is wet to 12-18″ deep. Many growers wonder if ponytail palms have deep roots, and the answer is no! Like many other succulents and cacti, they have a rather shallow root system.

Soil and Fertilizer

You need to give it well-draining soil. If the soil remains wet for too long, your plant will develop root rot. Sandy and loamy soils are the best types for growing outdoors. Modify regular potting soil with agricultural sand or rocks.

Fertilize your ponytail palm once a year in spring using a balanced slow-release fertilizer at one tablespoon per square foot of soil. Circle the base of your tree with fertilizer, ensuring it’s six inches away from the base. Rake it into the top three inches of soil and thoroughly water it.

Outdoor Pests

If you see any pests hanging out on the foliage of your ponytail palm tree, hit them with a blast of water from your hose. This washes them off. Keep a particular eye out for aphids, mealybugs, and spider mites, as they can both suck on the sap of your leaves. Thin spidery webs are a sign you’ve got mites, which can make short work of the foliage. You can apply some neem oil or insecticidal soap as a spot treatment.

Maintenance

To shape your tree, prune off brown or yellow leaves by cutting them a quarter of an inch above the stem joint. Use a good pair of clean pruning shears to get the job done. To sterilize your shears and prevent disease, use a 9:1 ratio of water to bleach and dip your shears in before pruning.

Frequently Asked Questions