What's wrong with my ponytail?

[NCFM]

My ponytail palms have been very happy for the last year, but about a week ago the new foliage near the top of all three plants began to droop. Here is a picture:

Should I be concerned?

Edited June 27, 2020 by NC_Palm_Enthusiast

[Fusca]

Not technically a palm, but it looks OK to me.  Is it getting a lot of water - maybe too much?  They thrive on neglect - I rarely water mine.

[NCFM]

45 minutes ago, Fusca said:

Not technically a palm, but it looks OK to me.  Is it getting a lot of water - maybe too much?  They thrive on neglect - I rarely water mine.

Yes, it's a succulent right? It has been raining quite a bit the last few weeks, so that might be what caused the sudden change in appearance. 

[Silas_Sancona]

3 hours ago, NC_Palm_Enthusiast said:

Yes, it's a succulent right? It has been raining quite a bit the last few weeks, so that might be what caused the sudden change in appearance. 

Semi- succulent Caudex forming plant would be a better description.. Able to store extra moisture in the trunk/roots, but not in the leaves like a true succulent/cacti.. Regardless, looks like yours is responding to the extra moisture with a growth spurt.. In habitat, these will get most ( perhaps all ) of their moisture and push growth during the summer rainy season, and slow down in the cooler ( relatively speaking down in that part of Mexico ) during the winter dry season there.. 

As long as the soil ( and pot you have it in ) drains well, it shouldn't have any issues with the extra water during the summer. Do watch for mealy bugs though.  Rainfall where they're native to in Mexico ranges from roughly 25-40"... maybe 40+ inches a year in the southernmost extant of their range.  In Winter, keep dry.. won't hurt it a bit.  If you fertilize it, go light.. Easy w/ Nitrogen and Phosphorus.. Really don't need much to be healthy.

Interesting tidbit, Apparently there are specimens in Mexico that may exceed 350 years in age.. Take about 10 years to produce their first flowers..

[NCFM]

8 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Semi- succulent Caudex forming plant would be a better description.. Able to store extra moisture in the trunk/roots, but not in the leaves like a true succulent/cacti.. Regardless, looks like yours is responding to the extra moisture with a growth spurt.. In habitat, these will get most ( perhaps all ) of their moisture and push growth during the summer rainy season, and slow down in the cooler ( relatively speaking down in that part of Mexico ) during the winter dry season there.. 

As long as the soil ( and pot you have it in ) drains well, it shouldn't have any issues with the extra water during the summer. Do watch for mealy bugs though.  Rainfall where they're native to in Mexico ranges from roughly 25-40"... maybe 40+ inches a year in the southernmost extant of their range.  In Winter, keep dry.. won't hurt it a bit.  If you fertilize it, go light.. Easy w/ Nitrogen and Phosphorus.. Really don't need much to be healthy.

Interesting tidbit, Apparently there are specimens in Mexico that may exceed 350 years in age.. Take about 10 years to produce their first flowers..

Ok, that’s a relief. It has seemed to have been gaining mass pretty rapidly for ponytail standards. 
 

Interesting plant for sure, I’d love to some day see them growing in their natural habitat. 
 

I actually have three separate plants growing in this pot together, as they get larger what do you think will happen to the bases/trunks?

heres a picture of them now:

Edited June 27, 2020 by NC_Palm_Enthusiast

[Silas_Sancona]

7 minutes ago, NC_Palm_Enthusiast said:

Ok, that’s a relief. It has seemed to have been gaining mass pretty rapidly for ponytail standards. 
 

Interesting plant for sure, I’d love to some day see them growing in their natural habitat. 
 

I actually have three separate plants growing in this pot together, as they get larger what do you think will happen to the bases/trunks?

heres a picture of them now:

More than likely they will fuse together and act as one plant.  Might slow down overall growth a little, but will have little effect on health, etc otherwise.. Would be a little nervous trying to separate each at this point, if you chose to attempt doing so.

Agree w/ you, seeing them in their natural habitat would be an unforgettable experience..  Heck, lol.. just seeing the HUGE specimens in the Huntington's ( Huntington Botanical Garden ) collection is quite eye opening. Knew they can get big, esp. the diameter of the trunk/ base ( up to 14 ..meters.. in circumference.. ), but ..A pretty incredible plant, and that's putting it mildly.. 

Really good site to look over for more info regarding these ..and the other sp. in the Genus:  Explore Life On Earth " The Beaucarnea-Calibanus Page".. Lots of pictures, most, if not all from habitat..

[NCFM]

55 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

More than likely they will fuse together and act as one plant.  Might slow down overall growth a little, but will have little effect on health, etc otherwise.. Would be a little nervous trying to separate each at this point, if you chose to attempt doing so.

Agree w/ you, seeing them in their natural habitat would be an unforgettable experience..  Heck, lol.. just seeing the HUGE specimens in the Huntington's ( Huntington Botanical Garden ) collection is quite eye opening. Knew they can get big, esp. the diameter of the trunk/ base ( up to 14 ..meters.. in circumference.. ), but ..A pretty incredible plant, and that's putting it mildly.. 

Really good site to look over for more info regarding these ..and the other sp. in the Genus:  Explore Life On Earth " The Beaucarnea-Calibanus Page".. Lots of pictures, most, if not all from habitat..

Thanks for the info!

[Umbrae]

one of my favorite plants 

[NCFM]

4 hours ago, Umbrae said:

one of my favorite plants 

Wow, that’s a beast

[Umbrae]

side view

[Fusca]

8 hours ago, Umbrae said:

one of my favorite plants

Is yours male or female?  Ever get any seeds?  I've seen some big ones but not as big as yours and have seen flowers but never any seeds.

[Fusca]

Here is my 4-headed beast-to-be:

 

[Umbrae]

i sprout a few thousand of them every year from the ones I have here on the property

[Umbrae]

 mature seed producing specimens

[Umbrae]

seedlings waiting to be stuck into 72ct trays 

[Umbrae]

this was/is what happens when you grow them too close together and they grow into each other , I don't recommend it because it eventually causes rotten voids and if you try to move them they will break apart