She came to live at my office (pic 1). I don't know if I picked her up by her trunk or if she was already broken, but I plopped her right back down into the soil and thought, she will replant herself in there. But she didn't and it's been about 3 months. I noticed she was not thriving. So I took her home in my backpack (pic2), where she was mistaken for an Oddish (pic3) along the walk by all who saw us. Once home, I examined her more closely and here are pics and video (I don't know if the video is loading though) (pics 4-7). If the video doesn't work, it would have shown that the whole plant lifts up where you see it laying on top of the soil. There are still a couple roots holding it down but not many. The leaves are lighter color where they come out at the base but the tips are turning brown (pic8).
The soil and roots feel dry but I just watered it not long ago. I don't know if the roots are dead? I once had a ponytail palm that would physically lean to towards the windows from across the room and the length of its leaves just kind of exploded. This one has done none of that, even with a plant light. Is the trunk damaged beyond repair?
by SnooHesitations7395
7 Comments
https://preview.redd.it/3u216gvfbhde1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ac9f8733c7786c5a180ff55d67526289a2ae0898
Since the video didn’t work, it lifts up like this!
That’s a tough one…
It doesn’t look crunchy, so I’d think it’s trying to hold on. The trunk does look a little shriveled, like she’s thirsty.
What I would do, and I bet others will have better ideas, is take it out of a soil situation and try hydroponic for a bit with lechuza pon. They’re not the fastest growers, but around March/April you will have a better idea what it wants to do with its life.
Pokémon reference had me going, lol
Do you play?
I don’t think the trunk is damaged at all. It looks like you just need to plant her deeper in the soil. You likely grabbed her by the trunk and just pulled her out of the soil some. Just take all of the soil out of the pot, put her in, and then put the soil back so she is deeper in the pot. Her roots definitely need to be covered. Also, the soil and the roots look quite dry. I would totally drench the soil until water comes out of the bottom of the pot. She should be fine. She is still green, so she is still alive.
Good luck!
Edit to add: I don’t know a ton about ponytail palms, but she may benefit from a slightly larger pot, too. Someone else may be better to confirm this, though.
https://preview.redd.it/0bzpsp8qihde1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68759f7dac3d5a6699c706c81f6e5681f7f16287
This is Harold, my ponytail palm (I’ve had him for 7 years aka my qualifications). He’s by far the hardiest plant I’ve ever had so I think your oddish is gonna be a-okay. If it’s cold where you are, he may have frozen a bit and then maybe stressed out from having to re-stabilize it’s roots. Probs cut off the dead leaves, give him a good soak, put him in the south window and just let him be. Mine always has to take a couple weeks to reset whenever I move and take him with me. So it sounds like it just needs some consistency.
Looks overwatered also
Not the odish 😭
On an unrelated note, I love the pot with the tiger on it and I love Pokémon so I hope you continue to call your ponytail palm oddish.