ponytail palm

Question

I’ve had my ponytail palm for 41 years. It was the size of a little green onion and is now over 8 feet tall. Is it possible to cut it back a couple of feet or will that kill the plant?

Thanks for your help.

Answer 1

Many gardeners have had luck cutting back a ponytail palm, but it's a bit risky. Usually, they will grow back, sometimes with multiple tops. Sometimes, the cut surface will get infected with a fungus and the plant will die. To prevent this, keep the cut surface dry, and also cut down on watering the plant, because it will use less water with no leaves. If your plant has any "pups", you can remove them and use those to grow a new plant, which may be more convenient.