A ponytail palm losing leaves means that the ponytail palm is getting too much water and being overwatered.
When ponytail palms are overwatered the leaves start out turning yellow and then turn brown and the leaves start to fall off after they die.
To correct the issue you should stop watering the ponytail palm for awhile until the soil dries out.
Ponytail palms turning purple is a sign of under watering as when ponytail palms don't get enough water the ponytail palm leaves can turn purple, red or even brown in color.
Watering the ponytail palms can help bring back the color to the ponytail palm and get rid of the brown color.
The top of your ponytail palm turning yellow is a sign of over watering of the ponytail palm.
When the top of your ponytail palm is turning yellow then you should stop watering the ponytail palm until the soil is dry and then reduce the amount of water you give to the ponytail palm.
Other signs that your ponytail palm plant are over watered are droopy leaves and the base of the ponytail palm plant becoming squishy and soft.
A ponytail palm looks like perky ponytails which is why they are called ponytail palms.
The leaves of a ponytail palm will grow long, green and curly which given the ponytail palm plant the ponytail appearance and look.
The ponytail palm also originates from the Asparagaceae family in eastern Mexico and it's leaves grow from small rosettes which sprout from the stem and trunk.
Ponytail palms also known as beaucarnea recurvata, the elephant's foot is a species of plant in the family Asparagaceae.
The species was native to numerous states of eastern Mexico but is now confined to the state of Veracruz.
Despite its common name, the ponytail palm is not closely related to the true palms.
Ponytail palms need bright light, so plan to grow ponytail palm plants in the sunniest room of the house, near the window but not directly in the sun.
A ponytail palm will also tolerate dry conditions well, which makes them perfect for the low humidity of most indoor conditions.
The Ponytail Palm is drought tolerant, slow-growing, and requires very little care.
This plant is ideal for people with very little time or who travel regularly.
The Ponytail Palm will be perfectly happy being watered every couple of weeks and left alone to soak up the sunlight.
A ponytail palm that has brown tips is often a result of over or underwatering.
Too much water can cause brown tips with distinct yellowing, while not enough water turns the leaves brown and crispy.
Prune the leaves with a clean pair of sheers and check the soil before adjusting watering as needed.
Ponytail palms do not require regular water as many houseplants do.
In fact, it's probably not necessary to water more than once every two weeks.
Allow the soil to dry before applying more water.
If your Ponytail Palm grows inside in the colder months, it would appreciate being outside in the summer.
Just make sure it doesn't stay too wet or get too much scorching sun.
So, if you're in a climate with a lot of summer rain, you'll want to grow it under overhead protection (but in a bright location).
Ponytail palm does not require pruning, but sometimes the tips or the entire leaves may turn brown.
If you find this to be aesthetically displeasing, you can cut off the offending foliage as near to its point of origin as possible, to avoid leaving partially cut stems with a “chopped” look.
If not all the soil feels saturated, water your Ponytail Palm lightly from the top of the soil to help speed up the saturation.
When your plant's soil is evenly damp, drain the sink/tub and allow the plant to rest while it drains thoroughly.
Place the plant back on its saucer and back in its proper spot.
While not too bothered about high humidity, your Ponytail Palm will appreciate the occasional misting, which helps remove dust from their leaves.
Pruning ponytail plants that are less than 6 inches (15 cm.) tall will result in the plant producing more heads.
It only works on the very young plants and you should make slightly curved cuts into the main trunk to force growth.
Keep the plant in an arid region, without much humidity, to prevent the cut from rotting.