pony tail palm

Discussion in 'Caudiciforms and Pachycaul Trees' started by myle, Apr 28, 2008.

  1. myle

    myle Member

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    A friend gave us his 12 foot pony tail palm because it no longer fit in his west facing kitchen. We were thrilled to have it in our office. Since September 07, it has lost two feet in height, it's trunk and base have shrunk and the whole plant looks unwell. It did have an infestation of mealy bugs which we treated with alcohol, detergent and water but it may also have scale though it is hard to tell. A significant number of lower leaves have died and the new sprouts at the top pull out very easily. We water it once a week. I have wiped it down three times in an attempt to get rid of all the mealy bugs but they are still there but in much smaller quantities.
    This plant was the epitomy of health when we received it....all suggestions welcome! thanks. Myle
     
  2. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    once a week is way too often to water. if the plant has sunken, then the caudex is probably rotting.

    mealy bugs can live in the soil as well as on the plant.

    i'd suggest unpotting the plant to get a look at the roots and base of the caudex and if it's not completely shot, repot in fresh soil.

    can you post some pics?? that would help.
     
  3. edleigh7

    edleigh7 Well-Known Member

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    Maybe take a cutting off the top, if its caudex is rotting, and you might have a chance of that surviving...

    Ed
     
  4. markinwestmich

    markinwestmich Active Member

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    It may be too late, but "Ponytail Palms" are to be treated more like a desert cactus than a tropical.

    I agree with "joclyn". Pull the plant and start removing dead, rotted material. There may be enough to salvage. Post a photo, we may be able to give you better advice once we see the damage.

    Mark
     
  5. myle

    myle Member

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    Thank you everyone for your informative and prompt reply. I am sending along a series of photos that will hopefully provide you with the details to help out with the assessment. I will be repotting this weekend.
     

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  6. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    oh, you definitely still have mealy bugs!! all that white fluff at the base of the leaves...

    q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol and then drip onto the fluff and then wipe away. get all the fluff bits (using new swabs frequently) and then wipe down the leaves really well with the alcohol dipped swabs - you want to make sure to get all the eggs. also make sure to get as far down to the base of the leaves (where they attach to the trunk) as you can...treat again in 10 days or so and then again in another 10 if you find them on the second round. you can use paper towels too...those leaves are large enough that the swabs may too time-consuming to use. make sure to get all the leaf bases done...

    how long has it been since it was repotted? normally, you want to repot every couple of years. although you don't have to increase container size (especially when you've got a caudex), you should at least replace the soil - it does wear out after a while.

    from the looks of it, you've probably got mealys in the soil as well as above.

    regardless of whether it needs new soil or not, you're definitely going to have to unpot it and get rid of that soil. wash the roots reallly well to remove the bugs. i wouldn't use the alcohol on the roots...a mild insecticidal soap would be the way to go. or something oil-like. neem oil maybe - not sure if that's appropriate or recommended for root mealies. and definitely rinse well after it's had time to kill the bugs...you want the roots free of all residue before repotting.

    while you've got it unpotted, look at the roots really well and remove any that are dark/mushy - use a sharp knife that's been sterilized (either boiled, heated or treated with the rubbing alcohol) and make fast/clean cuts. even if you have to take off most of them, the plant will form new roots, so do what you need to.

    repot in fresh soil and let it sit for a couple of weeks before watering - give the roots plenty of time to heal over from being disturbed and cut. then do a good; deep watering. containers that size should never need watering more than once monthly (if they do, then something is wrong).

    the container should have drainage holes and the soil should be cactus soil - fast draining, yet holds a bit of moisture. you can even do a half/half mix of regular plain potting soil and cactus soil. no fertilizers or moisture retention stuff in the soil...this plant doesn't need them. you can fertilize a couple of times a year if you think it needs it - wait until it's been back on it's feet for at least 6 months though.

    it's normal for the bottom leaves to die off as new ones appear at the top...losing the leaves is what causes that beautiful trunk to grow. so, that happening is totally normal and nothing to be upset about.

    the leaves being easy to pull out at the top is something to worry about and that's being caused by the mealy bugs...they suck the plants juices out from the base of the leaves...

    if the plant is normally in that spot, that is too sunny and that's not helping the situation. they do best in bright indirect lighting.
     
  7. myle

    myle Member

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    Joclyn, I couldn't ask for more thorough response. I'll do as suggested and let you know. many thanks. Myle
     
  8. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    you're very welcome!!

    i really love these plants...i've only got tiny specimens - i hope to live long enough to see them grow to be such beauties as yours is!!

    they're very slow growers and pretty hardy - i'm sure you'll be able to save it!
     
  9. myle

    myle Member

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    Hi Joclyn, when I removed the pot, I was really surprised to see how rootbound the tree was. I don't seem to see anything that looks like mealy bug but that doesn't mean they aren't there! The bottom third of the root mass is indeed damp even though I haven't watered in over a week. But don't see any root rot. So things are better than expected. I was going to repot in bigger pot but there is still an inch or two available on either side of the bulb so I think after cleaning the pot, I'll repot it in the original sized pot. Any tips on repotting before I go to it? Myle
     
  10. markinwestmich

    markinwestmich Active Member

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    "...The bottom third of the root mass is indeed damp even though I haven't watered in over a week. But don't see any root rot..."

    Myle,
    A word of caution. The plant is stressed from the mealy bug infestation, so the plant appears not to be taking in water as usual. So, be very gentle when handling the roots as you tease away the old soil. I tend to use a much looser mix with my Beaucarneas than what Joclyn is recommending...I'm not saying it's wrong...It's just what seems to work well for me. I tend to use less than 25% potting soil, the other being about 25% orchid mix, 25% vermiculite, and about 25% expanded clay (bonsai or aquatic soil). However your soil mix turns out, DO NOT water for at least a week following your repotting. This will allow any root damage to heal and reduce your chances of rot.
     
  11. myle

    myle Member

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    mike, thanks for the advice. I was thinking I should have a more porous soil. I'll let you know. Myra
     
  12. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    i'm very glad to hear the positive news about the roots, myle!! gently tease the roots apart to keep the damage down.

    yes, you are correct about roots/spacing to edges and should keep it in the same container...it DOES have drainage holes, right?

    you know what? mark has a point about the soil! i completely forgot about the orchid medium when i typed my earlier post - i apologize for that!! i do have my ponytails in combination of regular soil/cactus soil/orchid mix.

    you can add perlite and/or the clay as well. perlite over vermiculite as it doesn't degrade as quickly and provides better drainage.
     
  13. myle

    myle Member

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    Here are 4 pix of the root-ball - this is becoming a full time job...any changes to the previous recommendations based on these pix?

    Thanks again

    Myle
     

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  14. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    wow! that really IS bound up, isn't it?!?!?!

    i'd say to go with a deeper container at the least and maybe even go a little wider too.

    wow! that hasn't been repotted in a very long time! no wonder it got stressed and fell victim to mealys!!

    the roots look pretty darn good, though! that's a big, big plus - this tree should be back to it's glory in no time!!
     
  15. markinwestmich

    markinwestmich Active Member

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    You may want to clip some of those thickened roots that are circling the root ball. A clean, sharp knife should work well. What you want are the fine roots, which will grow when you trim the fat ones off of the outside. Dust with a rooting hormone powder and repot in your new mix as Joclyn and I described above.

    Those fat roots circling the plant can actually "strangle" the root ball. Personally, I would just shave off the outside 1 inch, or so. Once the plant starts to re-root itself with the fine roots, you will see a dramatic improvement in the top growth in about 3-6 weeks.
     
  16. myle

    myle Member

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    will do. many many thanks. Myra
     

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