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Beaucarnea recurvata - Ponytail Palm or Elephant's Foot Tree


Beaucarnea recurvata - Ponytail Palm or Elephant's Foot Tree (Beaucarnea recurvata - Ponytail Palm or Elephant's Foot Tree)

You can see the reason for the other common name. Located
at Elephant Oydessy on elephant mesa at the San Diego Zoo.
Photo taken Oct. 12, 2009.



Comments on this photo

 

Wow how amazing - that certainly makes it clear! This one must be quite old.

13 Oct, 2009

 

As soon as i saw the thumbnail i thought of elephants feet !!!
What an amazing tree.

13 Oct, 2009

 

Bernieh:

It's about 25 feet / 7.6 meters tall.

I can't even estimate how old this tree is...
it is pretty slow growing and live for many
centuries.

Louise1:

Yes, they are pretty amazing! Thanks.

13 Oct, 2009

 

What a wonderful tree ...

13 Oct, 2009

 

Amazing ......

13 Oct, 2009

 

fantastic looking

13 Oct, 2009

 

Stunning ! :o)
Definitely nominated for GoYpedia trees category !

13 Oct, 2009

 

Thanks!

Terratoonie, thanks for nominating it for GoYpedia trees. : > )

13 Oct, 2009

 

Wow!!! I've got 2 pony tail palm houseplants... is this what could be doing outside?!? I do like them indoors though :)

14 Oct, 2009

 

Tasteyg:

Yes, in many years. However, it does grow a little faster in the ground outside. In pots as a houseplant it can stay small for decades.

15 Oct, 2009

 

awesome..

15 Oct, 2009

 

Do these have the same shape base of trunk when they are young, or in pots ?

15 Oct, 2009

 

Terratoonie:

Yes, they have the same shape at the base in a pot...however, it's much smaller when young.

15 Oct, 2009

 

Baby elephants... Lol. :o)

15 Oct, 2009

 

Terratoonie:

Yes... : > )

I have posted a wider photo of this area...showing more of these trees.

15 Oct, 2009

 

Thanks. I'll take a look. :o)

15 Oct, 2009

 

wow! great to see a specimen in nature... all we see are the potted ones! how old do you think this one would be? I love their tops as well~ they look like a green fountain!

16 Oct, 2009

 

Lori:

I think this tree because of it's height (~ 25 feet tall) and thick caudex -- it may be around 90 years old because they grow slowly.

18 Oct, 2009

 

Brilliant picture Delanoix, a handsome plant. What do the elephants make of them ?!!

18 Oct, 2009

 

Rbtkew:

Thanks! Not sure what the elephants think. : > )

19 Oct, 2009

 

TT- Mine look more more like the one on the right, behind gigantore!

20 Oct, 2009

 

wow..I thought at first it was an Ombu. Nice Beaucarnea find.

8 Oct, 2014

 

Yes, it's quite spectacular! Virtually all these plants were moved to Elephant's Mesa, from throughout the SD Zoo.

8 Oct, 2014

 

I found it quite scarey - it really looks as though it's ready to lift up that foot and start marching around...

4 Mar, 2016

 

It's not scary! LOL! There's many growing in this area that are very old.

5 Mar, 2016

 

So if they do get up and walk they don't go very far....

5 Mar, 2016

 

It's fantastic ! :)

5 Mar, 2016

 

Hywel:

You should see when they bloom...they are fantastic!

Look at the next pic to the right...that's a tree in bloom.

6 Mar, 2016

 

Thank you I've never seen the flowers.

6 Mar, 2016

 

That's ginormous. Mine I planted in 1992 is about like the one to the right. 3' wide at the base-or more. 8' tall with a half dozen branches.
It gets much competition from a big Magnolia and my squeezed collections of plants. I still like it.
When you can't have the biggest and best? Love the one your with.

6 Mar, 2016

 

It's the biggest one at the SD Zoo. I can't remember if this one is 80 or maybe close to 90 years old (or older). I did find out several years ago.

8 Mar, 2016



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