Question
QUESTION: I recently purchased a 3' tall Beaucarnea Guatemalensis (Ponytail Palm) through a mail order and when I received it I noticed that it had barely any roots on the base of the large trunk and it's leaves were starting to dry out, so I quickly potted it in a 14" clay pot with a cactus soil and tree bark mixture and watered it.
In about two weeks I noticed that the new growth at the top that was developing had turned brown and the older leaves were getting even more dry and starting to fold.
Is this normal or is the plant in trouble?

ANSWER: Dear Tom,

I wonder how long it took for this plant to be delivered to you?  It sounds to me as if it has suffered damage in transit and since it has hardly any roots I can't imagine that it is going to improve.

If I were you I would contact the mail order company telling them exactly what you have told me - if it were just a few base leaves which were affected I would say not to worry and that the plant was suffering shock from travelling etc. but new growth should not be turning brown.

If the mail order company is reputable then they will either send you a new plant or perhaps ask you to contact them again in a few weeks with an update on your plant's health.

You should not overwater this plant but  a after it has had a good watering leave it until the compost is moderately dry.  It will like a brightly lit spot with some sunshine.  

When I was in my local garden centre a week or so ago - I am in southern Spain - I noticed a lovely pony tail plant, not as tall as yours, but very impressive all the same.  I am going there again in a day or two and will have a more detailed look at it -if it is still there of course - no good asking for advice from the assistants as they haven't a clue!!

Let me know how you get on.

Diana

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Beaucarnea Guatemalens   QUESTION: Hi Diana,

I noticed some more yellow and brown leaves and some of them are starting to fold and dry out and whatever new growth it had dried out at the base. Could it be the way I potted it? I used Miracle Gro cactus soil and I only put a little water in it. Also, considering the size of the tree, it only had a few small roots, however, the caudex is very hard and solid. The tree was bare root in a shipping box for over a week. Does it look like it will come back to life again?
I attached a photo of the top so you can have a better look at it.

Answer
Dear Tom,

Thanks for sending me a picture of your Pony Tail plant - I realise now that the one in the local garden centre is Beaucarnea recurvata which has much thinner leaves - the same plant is still there after three weeks or so with a lot of new growth but most of the leaves had brown tips but not brown at the base of the new growth.

Maybe when you potted it you did not give it enough water but apart from that the way you potted it sounds fine.  I know the plant stores water but maybe it needed a good soaking when first potted up.  Make sure that it is in a warm dry atmosphere no less than 50F and that's in the winter.

I think it is a case of wait and see unless of course you want to contact the mail order company.  If you paid a lot of money for this plant I would definitely do this - you have nothing to lose.

I wish I could offer you more advice - sometimes it is best not to worry and just leave plants to get on with their growing.  This might sound silly but, to me, they are often like small children, ignore them when they misbehave or have tantrums and it's not long before they are desperate for your attention and start behaving properly!  No, I'm not nuts - well I don't think so but my family might disagree!!

Diana