Question
I have a Ponytail Palm 38 years old that I bought for my Mother.  It is about two feet tall and has been kept pot bound through the years so it stayed small.  Pot is about 12 or 14 inches across.  A cat climbed up it and the top snapped off near the top of the trunk when the pot fell over and broke.

Will the trunk regrow?  Is it possible to root the top that broke off? I have read previous posts on a Ponytail Palm that was partially broken.  This plant was bought for $.79 when it was an inch across and I am very attached to it.   Thank you!

Pam Bell

Answer
Pam,

Set the plant outdoors in a sunny location and it will grow a whole new top. It will probably send out several new shoots and if it were mine I would eliminate all but 1 or 2.

The top may grow new roots. I would dip it in rooting hormone, available at any garden center, then insert it in a pot of sand and keep it in a very sunny location or outdoors in full sun. The more sun the better chanc you will have of it rooting. You have about a 50/50 chance. In the future keep the cat away from it.  You might even want to empty a bottle of generic cayenne pepper around it. Cat's don't like that. Good luck!

Darlene