Q.Hole in bulb of ponytail palm
I have a 25 year old ponytail palm. Very healthy, over 7 ft tall. It stays indoors in the winter and on the deck in the summer. This past few days we’ve had a lot of rain. Today when I checked on the plant, there is a hole on the bulb. It’s also a bit mushy around the hole. The rest of the bulb is rigid. Is there anything I should do about the hole? The plant looks fine for now, but I’m afraid the hole might get bigger/deeper and might affect the plant. Also, can you tell from the photo if the hole was made by an animal or was it caused by the amount of rain we’ve had recently? Thank you so much for your help.
Excessive moisture is an issue for your Ponytail.
Make sure the drainage holes of the pot are clear. Avoid any watering by hand and try to cover the soil if your heavy rain continues.
Root Rot can take over quickly if the soil remains wet. Yellowing leaves will be one of the first signs.
Do not cover this wound. Allow air to circulate. Watch for signs of insects.
Neem Oil could be used to treat the area as it is both an insecticide and fungicide.
Cinnamon is a substitute, you could dust the wound with it.
Wait and see.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/ponytail-palm/propagating-ponytail-palm-pups.htm
