Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)
 

I have had this plant growing in a very large pot for twenty years. It surprised me recently with this unusual bloom that I would like to share with members but I don't know where to post it or even if I should. Any suggestions.

Please do Jerry! Just post it here.

I'd love to see a picture! Blooms on these plants are hard to get unless they get conditions similar to their native habitat in Mexico. Seems like Florida suits it well! In French we call this plant the 'elephant footed' plant or 'bottle tree'

Me too! Me too!

:lol:

Jerry, you can post it here and then I'll move the whole thread ;)

Here it is.

Very interesting! I am curious, will this plant die now that it has bloomed? If so, that would be a terrible shame.

WOW what a cool bloom!
Joann

That's cool :)

I had no idea that these bloom! Now I just have to wait another 15 years or so and I'll post mine :coverlaugh:

Thanks for sharing this, Jerry :clap:

PS- the thread is now in our Off-Topic forum

Susan, I read that it is related to the agave that dies after blooming so I guess it will be a wait and see thing. Unlike the agave that produces lots of baby plants at the base, this ponytail palm is not doing that. Maybe some of the succulent growers have some advice.

Beaucarnea don't die after flowering. Usually what happens is that the top of the tuft bearing the inflorescence will die off or do nothing (no more meristem), so then the plant will produce new tufts that allow the plant to branch off as it grows. Sometimes new growths will erupt out of the base of non blooming plants, I have seen this before on a huge potted specimen in France.

Oh, that is good news! I know you are attached to this plant after 25 years and would hate to see it die. I have quite a few old plants that I inherited after my dad passed away in 1993. I would be sad to lose them, because they remind me of him. It seems we can get as attached to our plants as we can to our pets!

Thanks Camille! It is nice to know that my plant won't die since I have had it for so long.

25 year old Pony Tail Palm
 

I also have a 25 year old Pony Tail Palm that bloomed for the first time.I thought the date of your picture was interesting. I took a picture of mine around the same date.

Interesting. Can we see a pic of the whole plant?

Pic of Pony Tail
 

Yes ,but I am new to this ,How do I add pics?

That is very interesting. They seem to be on the same internal clock.

WOW! Zis...those are beautiful flowers!

I have a 9 yr old pont tail...its a clump of three bulbs...16 more years wait...heh

Thanks,

I've had one of these for 8 years. Now I know what I have to look forward to.