Ponytail Palm

Question

I am terribly sad over the damage my “PT” sustained during Hurricane Hermine. I’ve had her since she was about 2 feet tall. She has grown to be approx 8ft & just as beautiful as ever.
While we did move her to a spot where we thought she would be safe….we woke to find that she had not only fallen but had landed on a chair & broke. The break is about a foot below the top & is almost through & through.
My hope is that there is some way to save her & possibly end up with 2 trees. A baby had begun to grow near the base about 3 months ago & seems fine.
How should I proceed? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Kym

Answer 1

I am sorry to hear about the damage to your ponytail palm. Palm babies, or “pups”, can certainly be transplanted into their own pots and grown. If the pup is less than 4 inches tall it is best to leave it on the mother plant to grow a bit more. If it is greater than 4 inches and has some roots growing you can transplant it now as described in thiese articles:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/ponytail-palm/propagating-ponytail-palm-pups.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/palms-trees/propagate-palm-pups.htm

Some gardeners have reported that they were able to save damaged ponytail palms. If you cut the trunk again to make a clean cut, the palm will sometimes send up new foliage a few weeks or months later. Other gardeners have successfully planted the broken top in a separate container. Sometimes neither works, but it’s worth a try.