Elephant-foot Tree Beaucarnea recurvata

Ponytail palm is an evergreen perennial in the asparagus family (Asparagaceae). It is native to Mexico and is commonly grown as a houseplant. It grows in rocky, poor soils in low deciduous forests.

It is slow growing, drought tolerant and hardy to 50 degrees F. In its native habitat, it can grow 30 feet tall but in a pot it will grow 6 to 8 feet tall. Plant in well-drained soils such as those for cactus and succulents and provide a sunny window. Ponytail palm prefers dry winters and does well even with indoor heated air, which makes many houseplants suffer.  Plants can be moved outdoors to a protected patio with gradual adjustments to the temperature.  In summer, water deeply but allow plants to dry out between waterings. Greatly reduce water in the winter.

Even though it is called ponytail palm, it is not a true palm,  it has a thick swollen stem (caudex) that stores water and narrow dark green strappy leaves that gently curl toward the ends.  The plant almost looks like a plume from a water fountain.  It rarely blooms as a houseplant. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

In tropical areas, it can be planted outdoors. In temperate areas, it will need to be grown in a pot and brought indoors for winter.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems though houseplants may experience damage from mealybug, scales, and spider mites. Diseases include stem rot, bacterial leaf streaks, and leaf spots.