How does the soil feel, and how fat is the swollen base?
This palm stores water in its bulbous base — its state, plus the soil, tells the story.
How does the soil feel, and how fat is the swollen base?
Soil is wet or soggy, base feels soft or squishy→Soil is bone dry, base feels wrinkled or shrunken→Soil and base are normal, just one or two old leaves→
Read the full Ponytail Palm care guide →
Reviewed June 2026 · how we check this