Pony Tail in Dire Condition

Hello UBC Members,

I have a ponytial palm that I have had since the base was about the size of a baseball. It is now about soccer ball size (about 18 years) and I fear that I might loose her. About three months ago I noticed that the upper section of the "head" of leaves had been loosely "cut" (the plant has spent it's life indoors) as if a giant cut worm had just visited. No sign of pest could be found. I could not save the very top of the tree, but the center was alive and continued to grow. Several weeks ago I had the same problem again, only a little lower on the head. Again, no sign of pest. I put a few tablespoons of a broad spectrum pesticide (YUK) into the center of the head, in desperation. Now, the lower leaves are quickly beginning to die, although the very center of the head still apppears to be alive. Has anyone had this experience, or know what action I can take to save this beautiful plant? HELLLLLLP!!?? (I have attached a picture of the originally "cut" head.)
Thank you all.

Mark

 

I have experienced this before with one of mine several years ago. The good news is that it survived. The bad news is that it took about 3 years before it looked "normal" again.

The only thing that I learned from the experience was that the container it was in at the time did not have the proper soil mix and tended to hold too much water. The roots suffered quite a bit of damage from rot. The other thing that contributed to the problem was, at the time, my Beaucarnea was exclusively an indoor plant, so it was not receiving the proper air circulation and light.

So, your project will be:

1) Pull the plant from its container and examine the roots. If the soil is damp and the roots beginning to rot, you have found your problem. I highly suspect this.
2) You will need to trim off any old, decaying roots and then dust the remaining roots with a rooting hormone (often containing anti-fungals).
3) Your container should have large drainage holes and the diameter of the container about the same size as the root ball. Beaucarnea's in containers do best when their roots are a bit cramped.
4) Soil mix should be VERY loose. Large-grain sand (2-4mm)...often sold as "pool filter" sand is an inexpensive medium. Mix in a large amount of perlite and/or vermiculite. Other materials may include ground tree bark...often sold as "top dressing" or "orchid mix", ground pumice, and bonsai soil. Avoid potting soils and commercial "cacti and succulent" mixes...right now, any organic material is only going to stimulate the growth of fungi and will hold too much water.
5) Do not water for at least a week. Let the roots dry and heal up.
6) Weather permitting (overnight temperatures above 50*F) have it set outdoors to get some air circulation. A shady location for a week, or so. If you want to later, transition to a partly sunny location in the yard.

Keep us posted on any issues and your plant's progress.

Mark

 

RE: Pony Tail Palm in Dire Condition
Thanks so mcuh, Mark!!
I found your suggestions very interesting. About 12 years ago, I learned the over-watering lesson and nearly lost 'er. Your instructions 1 & 2 were my exact actions, then. I manged to save the plant and it did take about year or so before it looked healthy again. Deja-vu, all over again...
I'll pull the plant, will follow your additional instructions and let you know the outcome.
Again, thank you so much for the quick reply. It is greatly appreciated!
Best regards,
Mark

 

RE: Pony Tail Palm in Dire Condition

Mark,
You were right on the money!
Unfortunately there were no viable roots left, much as it was the first time it died back due to overwatering. I cut away all the dead roots and powdered the underside in fungicide containing RooTone .
I repotted it in a mixture of the play sand (more fine grain; 1mm or less) and commercial cactus potting soil, temporarily. The pot has good drainage and I did water it lightly to set it in. Hopefully she will survive and take root in the following weeks!
We'll keep our fingers crossed and keep you posted on the progress.
Again, thanks so much for the help!!

Best regards,
Mark

 

Mark,
In this forum we have posted a "Succulent and Caudiciform Culture Guide". Click onto the Highland Succulents link. It will answer any questions regarding soil mix and watering.

I think for now, fine grain sand and commercial cactus soil may work OK while the roots are beginning to grow. However, be very aware that fine grain sand will compact over time and will inhibit drainage, and the commercial cactus soil will likely hold too much water. A common thing that is not appreciated with container gardening is the need for a balance of water vapor and air spaces for proper root transpiration...especially with succulent-type plants. This is an important lesson to learn with the art of bonsai, but is easily transferable to any container gardening.

Keep us posted.

 

Mark,

I just returned from a short vacation and found your latest response. I understand a little better now and will try to create a mixtuer more in sync with your original suggestion. The top dressing and perlite I have seen locally. I have been looking for vermiculite, but have not been able to locate any. The large grain sand should not be too difficult, and probably the same with Bonsai soil. The ground pumice may be more difficult. Could you recommend a comercial soil-less mix or internet source for these components? Thanks again, as always.

Best regards,
Mark

 

Quote..."Could you recommend a comercial soil-less mix or internet source for these components?"...



With a relatively large plant and container, one has to be a little budget conscious. So, if you can find perlite, large grain sand, bonsai soil, and orchid mix...great. You can use a little bit of potting soil (less than 10% of the mix) for filler. It just has to drain well and give the roots plenty of space to breathe. When you water, you want to get the roots wet, then allow them to dry off relatively quickly. So, a light mix is what you want. In my experience, I have found it best to have the mix dry out quickly and need water more frequently, than have it sit in moist soil and risk root rot.

Few specialty nurseries are into selling bags of their soil mix...however, these are the folks I have grown to trust the most with advice, so all I can do is read their recommendations and try to mix my soil accordingly. As mentioned in a previous post, the culture guide we have posted will have the information you need.