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Beaucarnea
guatemalensis, also named Nolina guatemalensis, the Red
Ponytail Palm and Elephant Foot, is native to semi-desert
regions of Mexico and Guatemala. Beacarneas are closely
related to Yuccas and thrive under the same conditions.
This plant is suitable for growing indoors. The plant
usually has only one stem until it reaches 2 meters tall.
Plants in nature will reach about 7 to 9 meters in height
with a base about 3 meters across. Beaucarnea can live
for decades.
The Red Ponytail Palm is a very unique looking tree. It
features a very large, wrinkled, swollen base, and very
thin, long, 1 inch wide by 6 foot long, dark green grass-like
leaves emerging from the top of the trunk. The swollen
trunk stores water, which means that it doesn't need to
be watered often. The leaves emerge bright red and turn
to green as they mature. The edges of the leaves are
slightly rough.
The small creamy white flowers are produced only on older
trees, in mid-summer. Although they are small, they come
in large quantities and form a showy display.
Hardiness zones 9-11, (-5°C/25°F, 5°C/40°F) in winter.
Older plants survive lower temperatures. Beaucarnea
guatemalensis need full sun to light shade. Use a mix
with good drainage, for instance a good cactus mix.
They are very drought tolerant. Water every 3 weeks
during the growing season and fertilize it only once
during this period. When the plant is in pot, water very
sparingly in winter to prevent rot. During the winter
months, water only enough to keep the foliage from
wilting. Over-watering is the single most frequent cause
of failure when growing Beaucarneas.
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