Question
QUESTION: My ponytail palms also froze this winter when Tucson temps dropped to a rare 15 degrees.  The trunk of one rotted and I now have a crown of 26 new shoots.  I have absolutely no experience with ponytail palms!!! What do I do?

The second one also froze, but the trunk has 'split'?)into 6 seperate plants (shoots?), and has a crown of 17 new shoots.  

Should I just let it go? :)  Thanks so much for any suggestions you might have!

Sandy Ackerman


ANSWER: Yes, allow the sideshoots to develop, then when the stronger ones prevail, you can snip off the smaller ones and this will help shape it; usually 2 or 3 should be allowed to develop fully and the rest cut off. Pony Tails are very resilient, but do need to be groomed as new growth develops.  

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QUESTION: So are these 'new' plants?  And the second one, will it develope into 6 new trunks?  there is really no way for me to 'pinch' any of these down as they come straight from within the original trunk.

And, just to be sure, :)  I should eventually only allow 3 or 4 of the crown to continue.  Will they eventually have their own trunks as well?  What would happen if you were to let all of the crown survive?

This is awesome, I can't thank you enough for your help.
San

ANSWER: Sandy, is there anyway you can take send me an image of it?

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ponytail palm   QUESTION: i have the pictures for yo  Nick. please let me know if it came thru.  Thanks for everything, San

Answer
Ok, let the one on the right develop as it is, with the crown in tact, snip the tiny sprouts at the bottom off; the one on the left needs to be left alone, until several show stronger growth then the others, then you need to gradually snip off the weaker ones, until you are down to 3 strong shoots, these will be your new crown.