Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tree
Origin
Southern Africa
Mexico
Types
Perennial
Cat palm, Date palm, Old Man palm
Number of Varieties
501
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
gardens, Grassland
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1012-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm457.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm365.76 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Long hair-like leaves
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Bugs, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Mites, Spider Mites
Allergy
Skin irritation
Blurred vision, Diarrhea, Rash, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
Air purification, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Root
-
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Houseplant, Tropical
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
BEAUCARNEA recurvata
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
Bottle Palm, Ponytail Palm
In Hindi
African Iris
Ponytail Palm
In German
Afrikanische Iris
Pferdeschwanz Palm
In French
African Iris
Ponytail Palm
In Spanish
Iris africano
Cola de caballo de palma
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
αλογοουρά παλάμη
In Portuguese
Iris africano
rabo- de palma
In Polish
Afryki Iris
kucyk palmowy
In Latin
African Iris
ponytail palmarum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Vascular plant
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Asparagales
Family
Iridaceae
Liliaceae
Genus
Dietes
Beaucarnea
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms
Tribe
Irideae
-
Subfamily
Iridoideae
Nolinoideae
Number of Species
30010
1
27800
👆🏻