Summary
When it comes to growing bonsai, the Ponytail Palm is indeed one of the unique
species. Of all its features, the swollen base of the trunk is the most
intriguing. The trunk’s texture actually looks and feels like an elephant’s
foot. For this reason, the Ponytail Palm is sometimes referred to as “Elephants
Foot”. The interesting thing is that the design of the trunk is used for storing
water during times of drought. In fact, the tree can hold so much water in the
wild that it can go up to four weeks between watering.
For indoor bonsai, the Ponytail Palm is not just beautiful but also easy to grow
and care for, making it ideal for beginners. Around the age of 10, this
particular tree will reach about 14 inches in height. Native to Mexico, you will
fall in love with this wonderful bonsai.
Proper Care
Considered extremely hardy, the Ponytail Palm enjoys lots of sunlight. The
foliage is a nice green and the blooms are white or ivory, appearing in
midsummer. Because of this tree’s ability to store water in the trunk, it is
very drought tolerate. Typically, allow the soil to dry out in between water and
if you begin to notice any yellow on the foliage, aloe several days to pass
before watering again. Choose good quality soil with a neutral pH level of 6.6
to 7.5.
To propagate the Ponytail Palm, you can use seeds, which should be sown indoors
and prior to the last frost. For this, allow the seeds to dry on the plant.
Then, remove them, clean them, and store in a cool place until ready to use. To
prune this bonsai, the top would be cut to force the foliage to grow out from
the sides of the trunk, giving it the ponytail look. For fertilizer, we
recommend you stick with a liquid form, once monthly. However, use half the
recommended strength in that too strong a solution will kill the tender roots.
