So you've bought yourself a Ponytail Palm known botanically as Beaucarnea recurvata!
The Ponytail Palm is often reffered to as Elephants Foot, funnily enough it's actually not apart of the Palm family at all! This plant is often mistakenly suggest as a palm due to it's woody trunk like appearance and leafy foliage, but it's actually got the care regime closer to a succulent.
The Beaucarnea orginates in Central America histroically growing up to 20 feet tall, much different to it's houseplant form where they remain a small potted shrub.
Owning its place in the Asparagaceae family the Ponytail Palm is a very distinct houseplant with a swollen lower stem which helps it store its water. The harsh deserts of Central America often lack water, this plant stores it's water from within making them perfect houseplants for dryer climates.
Light Requirements:
Bright, Indirect Light or in some cases full sun will make encourage your new houseplant to thrive! It can tolerate lower light, however with most plants it will grow significantly slower. Due to it's instinctual desert plant behaviour, this plant doesn't need high humidity.
Soil:
Make sure to provide this plant with a well draining soil, a mix of succulent and cacti mix wouldn't hurt it either!
Watering:
Like most of our houseplants, do not let this plant sit in water. Give it a generous water making sure the surface of the soil is damp, until water soaks through the soil and comes out of the bottom pot drainage hole. Depending on your location, this plant requires water when it's dry. During winter it may need less winter, and during summer you may need to up your watering. Keep an eye on the quality of your soil, if it's holding water don't give it a drink! If it's looking abit parched and the soil is dry, give it some water!
Fertilising:
During the earlier warmer months, give your plant a liquid fertiliser dose to keep it growing faster during summer! Expect slower growth from this plant during winter, this plant does not need to be fertilised weekly/fortnightly. Once in early spring is enough.