Includes ponytail palms, Madagascar palms and desert roses (NB: these aren't true palms or roses!) Fri, 06 Mar 2026 18:13:02 +0000 Fri, 06 Mar 2026 18:13:02 +0000 UBC Botanical Garden Forums https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/caudiciforms-and-pachycaul-trees.249/ Wed, 24 Jan 2024 21:00:10 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/what-should-i-do-about-the-shoot-coming-out-of-the-stem-of-the-very-large-pony-tail.61811/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/what-should-i-do-about-the-shoot-coming-out-of-the-stem-of-the-very-large-pony-tail.61811/ invalid@example.com (dwhitetree) dwhitetree 6 Tue, 16 Jan 2024 19:30:29 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/broken-top-of-beaucarnea-recurvata.103969/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/broken-top-of-beaucarnea-recurvata.103969/ invalid@example.com (Lee Ann Fleming) Lee Ann Fleming 1 Fri, 05 Jan 2024 00:12:54 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/topsy-turvy-ponytail-palm.103935/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/topsy-turvy-ponytail-palm.103935/ invalid@example.com (AndiSWMICH) AndiSWMICH View attachment 247179]]> 1 Fri, 19 Aug 2022 09:34:48 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/what-kind-of-pachypodium-is-this.42136/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/what-kind-of-pachypodium-is-this.42136/ invalid@example.com (pumpkinpoo) pumpkinpoo View attachment 44929]]> 8 Thu, 07 Jul 2022 17:19:16 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/desert-rose.102539/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/desert-rose.102539/ invalid@example.com (Rxfrank) Rxfrank
I have a large desert rose with a nice thick caudex. For the last 2 years it has barely leafed out and not flowered. The stems etc seem firm and healthy. I take it inside for the winter and it sits outside in the North Carolina heat and sun all summer. Other desert roses leaf out and flower profusely. It used to leaf out and flower tons. I’ve repotted it and provided it with fertilizer. Any ideas what might be wrong ? Hate to throw it out]]> Sun, 09 Jan 2022 15:51:10 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/madagascar-palm-trunk-splitting.101803/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/madagascar-palm-trunk-splitting.101803/ invalid@example.com (Skippon) Skippon Sun, 12 Sep 2021 18:20:28 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/how-to-get-ponytail-palm-to-grow.101380/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/how-to-get-ponytail-palm-to-grow.101380/ invalid@example.com (Deedee905) Deedee905 I have a 6yr old Ponytail palm. its only been repotted once. A while ago, itstarted to look like it would have 4 stems on the top but only 1 grew. The rest dried up and never regrew. What can I do to regenerate the other 3? I was thinking of shaving off those dried bits to see if it will grow (pic attached)
TIA]]> Tue, 31 Aug 2021 02:00:21 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/madagascar-palm-help-identifiyng-beige-spots-on-palm.101305/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/madagascar-palm-help-identifiyng-beige-spots-on-palm.101305/ invalid@example.com (iamlearningnow) iamlearningnow Could use your help with identifying round-ish beige colored spots mostly on limbs and a few on trunks of Madagascar Palm (Pachypodium lamerei). There are no apparent mites, bugs, or other insects seen under large magnification. Otherwise its a healthy blooming specimen located in South Florida. Please see images below. Thank you for taking a look and lending your thoughts.

View attachment 218176 View attachment 218177 View attachment 218178 View attachment 218179]]> Wed, 16 Jun 2021 11:51:29 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/madagascar-palm-help-new-leaves-dying.98047/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/madagascar-palm-help-new-leaves-dying.98047/ invalid@example.com (Ginya) Ginya
I've been lurking this forum for awhile now trying to see if this problem has already been solved elsewhere but haven't found a sufficient answer. That said, I've had my Madagascar Palm (Pachypodium lamerei) for around 2 years now and it was doing well the first year and then sometime last summer it started to have issues. Just to note, I had not changed anything. It was putting out new growth but all of the new leaves would start to immediately (or soon after) blacken at their...

Madagascar Palm Help! - New Leaves Dying]]> 10 Sun, 25 Apr 2021 00:37:07 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/is-my-ponytail-palm-dead.100282/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/is-my-ponytail-palm-dead.100282/ invalid@example.com (mustanger361) mustanger361
Is my ponytail palm dead?]]> 1 Thu, 18 Mar 2021 00:33:18 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/ponytail-bugs-scale-is-it-dead.100016/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/ponytail-bugs-scale-is-it-dead.100016/ invalid@example.com (Dp_g8rs) Dp_g8rs Mon, 19 Oct 2020 16:07:43 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/trouble-with-my-bottle-palm.98993/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/trouble-with-my-bottle-palm.98993/ invalid@example.com (munn01) munn01
Trouble with my bottle palm]]> 4 Fri, 25 Sep 2020 05:23:11 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/cat-vs-ponytail-palm-picture-included.45128/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/cat-vs-ponytail-palm-picture-included.45128/ invalid@example.com (LilyofthePlains) LilyofthePlains
More info: the plant itself it doing fine. I have cut back on my water drastically. There is not root-rot. There is no evidence of it dying. So far, it appears to...

Cat VS. Ponytail Palm (Picture included)]]> 19 Mon, 01 Jun 2020 13:30:32 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/help-10-feet-ponytail-dying.98028/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/help-10-feet-ponytail-dying.98028/ invalid@example.com (Mike Aruba) Mike Aruba
This tree is about 25 years old and situated on Aruba. So climate is perfect. I water it once a week for 4 years now, but we have had some very dry weather (no rain for 3 months).

I googled a lot, but most causes given for what is happening to my tree is that it has had too much water. I can not believe that, but also can not rule it out. Soil seems dry, nu fungal smell.

The foot , stem,...

HELP! 10 feet + ponytail dying?]]> Sat, 30 May 2020 19:10:56 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/will-my-ponytail-palm-survive.98016/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/will-my-ponytail-palm-survive.98016/ invalid@example.com (Sara Sheehan) Sara Sheehan Tue, 12 May 2020 14:16:25 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/germinating-indoor-baobab-is-this-dying.97807/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/germinating-indoor-baobab-is-this-dying.97807/ invalid@example.com (Raquel) Raquel I have successfully germinated my baobab seedling 3 weeks ago, but right after I planted it into a pot (with 1/3 potting soil, 2/3 cactus soil and abundant perlite) the cotyledons leaves started turning brown.
I thought it was going to die until recently I saw the real leaves popping up looking well and green. The stem also looks quite healthy but the cotyledons are not opening up.
I live in Montreal and keep the plant near a sunny window and turn on my...

Germinating indoor baobab - is this dying?]]> 1 Fri, 27 Mar 2020 23:20:39 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/how-to-tidy-up-40-year-old-ponytail-palm.97331/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/how-to-tidy-up-40-year-old-ponytail-palm.97331/ invalid@example.com (rd.rnnr) rd.rnnr
How to tidy up 40-year-old Ponytail palm?]]> 1 Thu, 26 Mar 2020 01:17:08 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/how-to-grow-multiple-trunks-on-a-ponytail-palm.27605/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/how-to-grow-multiple-trunks-on-a-ponytail-palm.27605/ invalid@example.com (ringangela) ringangela 45 Fri, 10 Jan 2020 01:31:01 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/ponytail-palm-help.96973/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/ponytail-palm-help.96973/ invalid@example.com (Nikki73) Nikki73 View attachment 170492


I have had this ponytail for about 15 years. I have never cut anything off of it. I have only removed brown leaves. I was wondering if I was able to cut where the leaves are growing from back to the trunk. I have new growth coming out of the top but the leaves just hang and it is not very full. Any help would be appreciated.]]> 5 Mon, 05 Aug 2019 03:30:15 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/bugs-on-desert-roses.95778/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/bugs-on-desert-roses.95778/ invalid@example.com (Dona60) Dona60 3 Sat, 20 Apr 2019 21:20:57 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/ponytail-not-healthy-help.95145/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/ponytail-not-healthy-help.95145/ invalid@example.com (Kbrown86) Kbrown86 1 Tue, 16 Apr 2019 09:02:46 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/new-shoots-can-i-propagate-these.94922/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/new-shoots-can-i-propagate-these.94922/ invalid@example.com (AnnaDee) AnnaDee Unfortunately I think we chopped it off too high and we'll probably have to chop it again to be much shorter in a few years. Do you think we could do this successfully?...

New shoots - can I propagate these?]]> 1 Thu, 04 Apr 2019 21:08:54 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/pony-tail-palm.60416/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/pony-tail-palm.60416/ invalid@example.com (tlml1234) tlml1234
Thanks]]> 1 Thu, 31 Jan 2019 23:29:44 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/ponytail-palm-top-has-to-come-off.94734/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/ponytail-palm-top-has-to-come-off.94734/ invalid@example.com (Foosdiva) Foosdiva
Ponytail Palm - Top has to come off]]> 5 Thu, 31 Jan 2019 02:20:18 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/rebirth-of-ponytail-palm.56514/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/rebirth-of-ponytail-palm.56514/ invalid@example.com (myle) myle
rebirth of ponytail palm]]> 2