Where do most ponytail palm owners put this plant, indoors or outdoors? Are you able to keep it outdoors even during winter time?

I just want to know coz I have one which I have kept indoors since I bought it. It is thriving well, very lush leaves and I like it so much, but I somehow feel it has outgrown its indoor setting, but am very nervous about winter conditions for this plant.

I have one that stays in my sunroom, but, then, I live way up north! I doubt they would be able to withstand freezing temps but would think they would do fine where other palm trees grow. Admittedly, however, I don't have much experience with palm trees... hope someone that actually knows what they're talking about will jump in here!

I left a large one outside during frost, and it did not survive it. I think if it would have been close to the house it would have been fine but it was out on the back 60. :(

I've been wanting to try a variegated one, but am hesitant, because they can get so big.

That is my other concern too, when it really start to get big, I will have a difficult time moving the plant in and out or anywhere around....though I know it is a slow grower, but this one has such lush leaves..right now it is in a south facing room upstairs. It may still be short in height but the lush leaves makes it look big and wide.

Knowing how Plumeria and Sanseveira cannot survive in our winter outdoors makes me really hesistant to bring this ponytail palm outdoors.

I gave our ponytail palm it's first taste of our outdoor garden! It was such a nice warm and calm late winter day! I still have to re-pot this to something more stable later..just giving her a dose of the outdoors It has been growing indoors for the last 3 years.



And on the table are some Amaryllis plants and Adenium also sun-bathing



Just enjoying a warm day for a change!

It is a very windy day...looks like my ponytail palm is having a bad hair day!

On a calm day:


With the forecast of a windy 25 to 40 mph wind for today, am I glad I moved it to a sturdier stand & have repositioned it yesterday, but the winds are just tossing her leaves everywhere! Like a leafy-haired gorgon!

tarev: It sounds like you are having a day like we've been having. We've had winds all day of 20 - 30 mph here with gusts higher, up to 40 mph in some areas. I had to take down some hanging plants on my deck because they were being swung around so much and banging into the side of the house. A couple of larger plants keep getting blown over and I got tired of picking them up so I finally decided to just leave them until the winds die down! It's so dry here and the winds aren't going to help if more brush fires flare up.

Regarding the "Pony Tail Palm": Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata) (which is not actually a Palm)... I knew they were used as landscape plants in South Florida but never realized they would do well in the ground this far north in the state until I saw one at a house down the road from where I used to live. It's a huge plant growing in the front yard. Winter 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 were very cold here with many frosts and freezes. We had quite a few nights that got into the mid 20's and days that didn't get out of the 40's ... and that tree survived just fine but I'm pretty sure it was because the plant was well established. I have two and thought about planting one in the yard but haven't gotten to it yet ... maybe in the next few weeks I will plant it and see how it fares next winter.

Thanks Lin for the winter info for the ponytail palm..hmm..that has always been my reservations about leaving her outside. I am taking a chance now..well, I do have two of them..so if this one fails..hopefully not- then I have one more indoors. I have no space to plant it on the ground, really want to make it grow in a container. So far this year the coldest we got was 21F ..but it has been an unusual winter..drier than others, our winters are normally rainy. Need to find a shorter heavy based pot and add more drainage once I repot..

Yup seems like we are having similar weather condition right now! Old man winter just have to make his eventual exit a grand one!

tarev: It would probably do well in a heavy terra cotta pot as long as there's good drainage. I think the Beaucarnea stores water in that bulbous base so you don't want it to be sitting in a lot of water. I'd say a smaller size plant probably wouldn't survive 21ºF temp's for very long.