How To Grow Multiple Trunks on a Ponytail Palm

The ponytail palm is a long-lived succulent plant that can grow up to 30 feet tall (9.1m). ponytail palms with multiple trunks are prized for their unusual but aesthetic appearance and can be grown indoors or outdoors.

Although challenging, using the correct procedure and tactics, you can produce various trunks on your ponytail palm.

You can grow multiple trunks on a ponytail palm by cutting the main trunk 4-6 inches from the soil to promote adventitious bud growth. Ponytail palms may produce several buds at the cut sites, but the process is not guaranteed and is not without risks.

In the rest of this article, I’ll take you through the processes of growing multiple trunks on your ponytail palm. I’ll also cover how to care for this plant so it can add to your home’s aesthetic appearance. Keep reading!

Table of Contents

1. Cut the Ponytail Palm Stem

Cutting the stem is the oldest and most used approach for growing multiple trunks on a ponytail palm. The method relies on the plant’s ability to quickly produce adventitious buds after cutting the stem. Adventitious buds are dormant structures that can develop into new shoots or roots.

You can separate the new buds that grow after cutting the stem and report them separately or allow them to form additional limbs. This process is effective if you also wish to propagate your palm because the buds produce roots and can germinate independently.

The following guideline will help you cut the stems correctly:

Cut the Main Trunk of the Ponytail Palm

Cutting the main trunk of your ponytail palm creates a region where the new trunks will develop and branch off. On average, the box develops between three and six new limbs at the cut point. However, this range is not always guaranteed; sometimes, you can have more or less.

It’s worth mentioning that you must use the correct procedure to cut the trunk for it to produce multiple limbs. Otherwise, you’ll damage your plant and expose it to rot.

The following procedure will help you cut the main trunk correctly:

Put on gloves as you’ll be using a sharp knife that can injure you. Ponytail palm leaves are also sharp and can cut your hands.
Choose the right area of the trunk to cut. The site should be about 4 to 6 inches (10.1 cm-15.2 cm) above a healthy plant’s soil surface.
Use a sharp knife or saw to cut the trunk cleanly. The incisions should be perpendicular (at a 90-degree angle) to the central axis of the trunk. A sharp knife will create a smooth cut without exerting excessive pressure on the plant—which is essential for healing quickly.

Keep Watering the Plant and Providing Sufficient Light

The cut plant needs sufficient nutrients to heal and grow new trunks. The best way to achieve this is by ensuring it has enough water and light. Light is crucial as it facilitates photosynthesis, through which the plant makes energy necessary for growth.

It’s worth noting that ponytail palms need indirect light. Therefore, you should place them near a window where they can get diffused sunlight.

Ponytail palms need more water when actively growing new trunks. Therefore, you should increase the watering frequency to about once or twice weekly. However, don’t overwater the plant as it can lead to root rot.

You should also:

Fertilize the Plant

Fertilizing is another way of providing nutrients to the plant. The best time to fertilize is in spring and summer when the plant is actively growing. However, reducing feeding frequency in winter would be best as the plant’s growth rate slows down during this period.

A water-soluble fertilizer is the best option—it is easy to apply, and the plant can absorb it quickly. I recommend Miracle-Gro Succulent Food from Amazon. You can use the product straight into your soil mix, and the 0.5-1-1 ratio is perfect for your palm-look-alike succulent!

Follow these steps when fertilizing:

Dilute the fertilizer in water according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Pour the diluted solution over the ponytail palm’s root ball until water starts draining from the pot’s drainage holes.
Don’t apply fertilizer to a dry plant, as it can damage the roots.

Prune the Leaves Regularly

Pruning is essential as it helps shape the plant and remove damaged leaves. It also increases air circulation, which is necessary to grow new trunks. It would be best to prune the leaves when they grow in spring or summer.

Use sharp and clean shears to cut off the leaves about an inch (0.08 feet) from the trunk. Wear gloves to protect your hands from the plant’s pointed leaves.

2. Wait for the Ponytail Palm to Flower

The second option to grow multiple trunks is waiting for your ponytail palm to bloom. The stems bifurcate after blooming, producing multiple trunks that add to the plant’s beauty.

Ponytail palms produce white flowers that have a sweet fragrance. They bloom in spring or summer, which lasts about two months.

The only downside of this method is that it takes 20 to 30 years for ponytail palms to flower. Nevertheless, it’s worth the wait as you’ll end up with a fuller and more beautiful plant.

This approach is suitable if your ponytail palm is old. For instance, if the plant is 15 years old, you can wait five years or so for it to produce flowers.

Favorite Conditions for Growing Ponytail Palms

According to Wisconsin Horticulture—ponytail palms are native to the semi-desert areas of southeastern Mexico. They’re hardy plants that can tolerate different conditions. However, they thrive in warm and dry environments with plenty of sunlight.

In the United States, these plants grow well in warm climates. These are the regions within the USDA plant hardiness zones 9 through 11. Such regions include:

California
Texas
Florida
Louisiana

Ponytail palms grow well in the following conditions:

Temperature: Ponytail palms are tolerant to high temperatures. The ideal temperature range is between 60 and 80°F (15.56 and 26.67°C).
Light: They need bright indirect sunlight. It would be best to avoid direct sunlight as it can scorch the leaves.
Water: These plants are drought-tolerant and don’t need much water to survive. However, watering them regularly during the growing season is best to encourage growth.
Soil: Ponytail palms grow best in sandy or loamy soil with good drainage.
Fertilizer: You should aim to fertilize the plant once or twice a year with a water-soluble fertilizer.
Pruning: Pruning is essential to remove damaged leaves and encourage growth. It’s best to prune the leaves when they grow in spring or summer.

If you follow these tips, you’ll be able to grow multiple trunks on your ponytail palm. These plants are easy to care for and don’t need much attention.

How To Care for Ponytail Palms

Ponytail palms are susceptible to pests, especially after cutting them for multiple trunks. Therefore, you need to take extra care of the plant to ensure it’s healthy.

Here are some tips on how to care for ponytail palms:

Use the Correct Pot

Like other succulent plants, ponytail palms can’t tolerate excess water. Therefore, you should use a pot with drainage holes to prevent root rot.

It’s also essential to choose the right pot size. If the plant is pot-bound, it won’t grow well, and the leaves will start yellowing. On the other hand, if the pot is too large, the roots will start rotting due to water retention.

The ideal pot size is one or two inches (2.5 cm-5 cm) wider than the plant’s current pot.

Water the Ponytail Palm Regularly

Ponytail palms need little water to survive, but you should still water them regularly during the growing season. The best time to water these plants is in the morning, so the leaves have time to dry before nightfall.

It’s best to allow the soil’s top 2 inches (5cm) to dry out completely before watering the plant again. Overwatering is one of the leading causes of root rot. As a result, you should be careful not to water the plant too often.

Provide the Right Soil Mix

These plants prefer dry and sandy soil that drains well. The ideal soil mix is two parts sand and one part potting mix. You can also add some perlite or pumice to improve drainage.

A key concern should be the amount of water in the soil. Moist soil is not preferable for these plants as their roots are susceptible to rot when exposed to excess moisture.

Fertilize the Plant

Ponytail palms are slow-growing plants, so they don’t need a lot of fertilizer. You should fertilize the plant once or twice a year with a water-soluble fertilizer.

The best time to fertilize these plants is in spring and summer when they’re actively growing. You should avoid fertilizing the plant in winter because it’s dormant and doesn’t need nutrients.

It’s also advisable to fertilize the plant a few weeks before cutting the stem. This application will help it recover quickly from the stress of cutting and pruning.

Conclusion

Multiple trunks make ponytail palms more aesthetically pleasing and are not difficult to achieve. It only takes cutting the main trunk a few inches above the ground in spring or summer. The cut region provides a surface over which new trunks sprout.