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tinypixiexoxo
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Ponytail palms -

Why oh why do places like Home Depot and Walmart sell ponytail palms in clusters in pots with other plants?

This is the second time I've bought a "plant pot" with a different plant, and a cluster of multiple ponytail palms under the name "exotic angels". The tag gives no info on what you actually are buying.

What I bought today was a cluster of 11 ponytail palm babies trying to grow together on top of each other in a fancy pot with no drainage holes or room for anything to expand.

Ponytail palms can grow in to huge plants.. but in the midwest, ponytail palms can grow into sizable individuals in pots for years and years. It saddens me that someone tried to let these 11 babies sit there and die without reaching their full potential.

I had to buy the pot, and separate 11 bulbs of baby ponytail palms, and create makeshift pots for them to grow for 2-3 months. Once the start to grow without their siblings on top of them, their roots will branch out and enable them to become actual mini trees.

I have 17 "rescued" baby ponytail palms on that table, as well as a much older, larger ponytail palm that I bought from IKEA.

If you happen to see ponytail palm babies being sold in clusters at any store, please, please buy the pot, separate the bulbs, and foster new trees to grow on their own. They will grow for years and years, and will appreciate your ability to care less about aesthetics, and more about letting things live as they should be.

[img]https://i753.photobucket.com/albums/xx173/tinypixiexoxo/whhhattt011.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i753.photobucket.com/albums/xx173/tinypixiexoxo/whhhattt012.jpg[/img][/url]

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BewilderedGreenyO.o
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Thats crazy! I have also noticed some real lack of consideration with plants found from lowes and home depot... some plants aren't even labeled at all. I myself haven't been able to find ponytail palms anywhere in the lowes or home depots around here.. perhaps its because they are labeled wrong or as you mentioned.. crammed in together with a bunch of other plants... or maybe they just don't carry them here. I've been wanting one ever since I saw this one..

[url]https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=29659[/url]

but could never find any locally.

Green Mantis
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I bought a little pot of them from Home Depot last winter, and it had 2 in the pot as well. Unfortunately I couldn't buy them all, or I would be over run with them :( But they are interesting little plants. I know what you mean though, I have seen lots like that, 2 to a pot, but never 11 of them. :shock: Good Luck with all your babies.

tgplp
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I know how you feel- I went to Ben Franklin and there was an aisle selling baby tillandsia! They looked as though they hadn't been misted/watered in a while, and didn't look very healthy. So of course, I had to save some, right?!

Good job on the rescue mission! They look great. :D
Can you order pony tail palms online?


I'd love to grow one! :)

Taryn

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tinypixiexoxo
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tgplp wrote:I know how you feel- I went to Ben Franklin and there was an aisle selling baby tillandsia! They looked as though they hadn't been misted/watered in a while, and didn't look very healthy. So of course, I had to save some, right?!

Good job on the rescue mission! They look great. :D
Can you order pony tail palms online?


I'd love to grow one! :)

Taryn
I have 17 babies so if I could send one to you I totally would...

I would def. call first, but here are some sites that sell them. I'm not sure if you'd be able to get a baby like mine, but perhaps you could request one? Or, take a chance and grow from seeds? They take years and years to grow but it might be fun. If you like bonsai, these have similar properties..kinda

https://www.tytyga.com/product/Ponytail+%28Bottle%29+Palm+Tree

https://www.plumeriagallery.com/catalog_i6254269.html

seeds: https://www.gflora.com/zen-cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=130

I only found these through a google search, but I recommend you call or do more research first. Happy ponytail-ing!

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tinypixiexoxo
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woops also if you have any IKEA stores around you, they might sell 1 ft tall ones like the bigger one I have in the picture there.

tgplp
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Okay, thanks! :) if I get one, I'll tell you how it does!

Taryn

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BewilderedGreenyO.o
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I have been inspired... inspired by *You* tinypixiexoxo ... I was so moved by what you did that when I was at Walmart the other day I came across a bunch of ponytail palm "clusters" ... I don't know if they are supposed to grow this way or not but I'm guessing not? but I decided to grab one so that I can divide them and give them all the proper care that they need! Pictures are below of my brand new batch of babies.. I want to do this right and any guidance as to how to divide them without killing them would be of much help :D Here is what a bought. I'm just sad that I couldn't buy them all .. there are just soooo many :(

[img]https://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt261/NySnap/P1010592.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt261/NySnap/P1010591.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt261/NySnap/P1010590.jpg[/img]

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tinypixiexoxo
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Oh those are just beautiful with nice big bulbs.. and they look like they're all standing up right. Good find!

Uhm, when I separated them, I would target a bulb and gently tug at it.. the roots that were vital and specific to that individual usually comes with, and you just plant what you got. There may be some that have little roots left, but honestly all of mine have flourished and have grown roots of their own.

Remember to sit the little bulb on top of the soil, not in the soil.

Very happy!!

[img]https://i753.photobucket.com/albums/xx173/tinypixiexoxo/palmy001.jpg[/img]

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tinypixiexoxo
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haha well I just reread green thumbs original comment and picture of a dream ponytail palm.. it will take years for one of those to get very big at all.. They are succulents so afterall they do take their time :)

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BewilderedGreenyO.o
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Following in tinypixiexoxo's footsteps I have taken on 14 lil' ponytail palms :) saving them all from the clustered sadness of which they were sold to me for $4.50 Today I took a bunch of time and separated them all giving each of them their very own pot to spread out and grow into :D

Here are some pictures of my babies :)

[img]https://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt261/NySnap/P1010599.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt261/NySnap/P1010601.jpg[/img]
Last edited by BewilderedGreenyO.o on Wed May 25, 2011 9:55 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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tinypixiexoxo
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oh my goodness!!!!!!!!!!!!

They are all really good looking! :does happy dance:

you did much better with the roots than I did. Even the littlest ones are soo cute!!

do you have a favorite?

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BewilderedGreenyO.o
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The one that has quickly become my favorite was the biggest one lol Even though the smallest ones are absolutely adorable! :D There is something about the biggest one that seems just perfect. It is the second one from the left on the top row in the potted photo.. :) However I know that may change as they grow. My favorite will quickly become the one that has the longest and most curly leaves. :)

I know I will be giving some of the larger ones away to family members who are just as capable as me in taking care of plants. I might give one to my boyfriend, and one to a family friend...These plants will only be going to places that I visit often so that I *know* for a fact that they are thriving :)

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BewilderedGreenyO.o
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I would like to mention one little concern though... I am having some trouble keeping them from falling over in their pots... as the base is above the dirt and the roots being below.. there isn't much to support the plants from falling over at the first gust of wind that hits them...

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tinypixiexoxo
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yes you are right, I had that problem too.

For a while I used toothpicks like 5 or more wedged right up next to part of the bulb. I know there's a better way to describe it but basically a circle of toothpics flush with the bulb does hold it a little.

Later, I bought medium sized pebbles and put them decorativly on the surface around the bulb, and some bulbs used the rocks to stand right

oxfordpa
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Hello,

I am so inspired by your experience and advise regarding these plants. I just purchased two small pots of ponytail palms. One with 7 babies and the other having 8.

Before I try to plant these babies individually, is there any particular mixture of soil that I should use? I read somewhere to add sand???

Thanks!!

tinypixiexoxo wrote:Why oh why do places like Home Depot and Walmart sell ponytail palms in clusters in pots with other plants?

This is the second time I've bought a "plant pot" with a different plant, and a cluster of multiple ponytail palms under the name "exotic angels". The tag gives no info on what you actually are buying.

What I bought today was a cluster of 11 ponytail palm babies trying to grow together on top of each other in a fancy pot with no drainage holes or room for anything to expand.

Ponytail palms can grow in to huge plants.. but in the midwest, ponytail palms can grow into sizable individuals in pots for years and years. It saddens me that someone tried to let these 11 babies sit there and die without reaching their full potential.

I had to buy the pot, and separate 11 bulbs of baby ponytail palms, and create makeshift pots for them to grow for 2-3 months. Once the start to grow without their siblings on top of them, their roots will branch out and enable them to become actual mini trees.

I have 17 "rescued" baby ponytail palms on that table, as well as a much older, larger ponytail palm that I bought from IKEA.

If you happen to see ponytail palm babies being sold in clusters at any store, please, please buy the pot, separate the bulbs, and foster new trees to grow on their own. They will grow for years and years, and will appreciate your ability to care less about aesthetics, and more about letting things live as they should be.

[img]https://i753.photobucket.com/albums/xx173/tinypixiexoxo/whhhattt011.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i753.photobucket.com/albums/xx173/tinypixiexoxo/whhhattt012.jpg[/img][/url]

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tinypixiexoxo
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A soil that advertises being for succulents and cacti, or for prevention of over-watering should do nicely. Do add sand if you have it, and especially if you cannot get a soil like ones described above. But above and beyond all- preventing over-watering and root rot is the number one priority in helping these plants thrive. Also, don't put the babies in too large of a container. A pot that is too big is a risk for over-watering.

These are such slow-growing plants. I've had about 17 bulb babies for over 6 months, and very few have noticeably changed. They will not grow to look like fashionable ones they sell in stores with tall trunks for many many years! These years include careful trimmings to get them into the shape and size we want them to grow into. The years of hard work to grow them should provide us with some moderate ca$h potential as well, or look forward to some life-long, funny looking succulent friends!

oxfordpa
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Thank you SO much!! I'm in my 40's now, so I look forward to having a few new friends to grow up with :D

The sand gives me a great excuse to drive to the beach in Maryland...errr perhaps after any earthquake aftershocks LOL. Now THAT was interesting today.

Thanks again for all your help. I'll keep you posted

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Kisal
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Beach sand is full of salt. It requires thorough and rather extensive washing before being used in a planting mix, because salt kills plants. You would be better off with a river sand. :)

tikipod
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I wish I had known those were ponytail palm pups! I saw a pot of them next to the large ones on the clearance rack. I would have been better off buying those than the large one I got for my Dad.

Has anyone bought a large one from Lowes? I got one on clearance for $10.00 and ended up having to put a large chunk of change in the swearing jar. When I went to replace the potting mix with fresh I discovered that the gravel was glued in, creating a mass, and could not be removed. I had to chisel the stuff off of the palm's trunk and the pot.

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tinypixiexoxo
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That's terrible!!! The poor thing!! Why oh Why would they do that. It's true, they grow VERY slowly, but that just... ugh

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rainbowgardener
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Bonsai trees sold at big box places frequently have the glued on pebbles, too. I think it is to keep the soil from falling out as it is being shipped and to give it a "finished" look. But when you buy the tree, the pebbles should be chiselled off as described.

tikipod
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I wasn't able to chisel off all of the gravel but most of it. I left a few pieces on the trunk out of fear I'd damage the poor thing. It is really beautiful.

If I spot any of those babies I will try to buy them. I really like the pony tail palm and always feel my plants need friends lol

Kiayad
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Thank you so much for this information. I have a pot that contains 5 of these little guys. They seem to be growing fine, but it's great to know the proper way to care for them & that I can enjoy 5 of them instead of just one. I can't wait to separate them & have one in every room. Thanks again!! :D

Krisandtiff4
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okay so I read every single post on here and finally found a pot that had 3 palm's in it. I'm going to attempt at re potting but I'm kinda nervous. I have killed one of these plants already but I really really love them and had to find more. Thanks for everything on this forum, it has given me great insight and information on how to care for these plants. Please let me know of any new info you can help me with. tried to post pics but not sure how. :([/quote]

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rainbowgardener
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Please read the New to Helpful Gardener? section. There's lots of good stuff in there, including under Helpful Tips and Suggestions for New Members detailed instructions about how to post photos here.

LizDavis898
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I am so excited to hear that I CAN separate the bunch I got from Walmart. I do believe my cousin got my grandmother's upon her passing. She had a big one in a pot in her sun room. I'm off to save the little trees!

vicarious1
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OMG I had asked the UBC gardening forum with a pic. Someone replied mentioning they are most probably Poney tails. I was concerned as these babies seem to grow like a fan out of the root ball. And I recall big Poney tails have leaves all around the center in all directions, never owned a baby. I the SAME set up at my little Chinese grocery shop for 99cents only a pot of clusters of three and four (the reminded me of our huge Poney tails we used to have in South Africa) but now I know these are Poney tails. I had planted mine by the three groups in one sort of smallish Banzai pot yesterday so now I now they will need to be divided. I am in Vancouver Canada so they need to come inside in the winter or go to the green house but will they survive like 1-4C ?? One I can put in the house but 9 -12 NO way :-)...

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That is interesting. I have only seen ponytail palms in the ground or planted singly in a pot.

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rainbowgardener
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but will they survive like 1-4C ?? One I can put in the house but 9 -12 NO way :-)...


Yes, they are a frost tolerant tree (technically not a palm tree at all) that is said to survive temps down to about 20 F or - 5 C. But often those kinds of ratings are about mature trees. I would be a bit more protective of the babies. If you are leaving them out, give them some winter protection.

Skylights90n
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I purchased a group of ponytail palms in one pot from Walmart about three years ago. A new bulb recently formed on top of the originals and one formed on the side. All plants are doing well and growing like crazy. I re-potted this summer into a broader pot. I like the grouping of plants and find it attractive. FYI --A group with bulbs growing on top of one another is a highly prized form.

elle616
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I just bought 3 pontails palms and being this is my very first time repotting and placing I feel it is important to gain all of the information you would recommend. The babies are in a 4" pot tightly growing, what should I do? Oh and I am not plant saavy so please give me step by step including soils for different pots I would love to put one in a bonsai pot.


Elle

imafan26
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They are cute now. My friend had two pony tail palms planted on either side of his sidewalk about 30 years ago. He has to squeeze by them now.

Suzieq527
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:o OMG! I'm so glad I found this post. I bought an exotic angel plant from Lowe’s to fill a small empty pot at home. But the plant did not have a name. Even my plant picture app didn’t show me anything recognizable. The app was calling it a boat orchid and I knew this plant was not an orchid. Then I came across your post and it made a lot of sense. I kind of thought it was a ponytail plant, but they were also tiny. But now that I know what it is, I’ll definitely take your advice and divide them up so they can grow correctly. :-D



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