Overwatering
How to tell
Leaves yellow and then drop, and the soil stays wet for days after watering.
The fix
Ease off watering, check drainage, and inspect for rot at the base if it feels soft.
Ponytail palm dropping leaves: causes and fixes
Beaucarnea recurvata
Quick answer
Leaf drop on your ponytail palm has a few possible causes, and on this plant the likeliest is overwatering.
Not sure it’s this plant?Check yours with a photo, freePet-safe
Most likely cause
Other possible causes
Not a match? Compare the signs below to find the one you have.
A recent change or shock
How to tell
It started dropping leaves soon after you bought, moved, or repotted it.
The fix
Check moisture and roots before changing anything. Keep its spot and care steady and don’t fertilize while it settles. If roots were damaged, follow this plant’s repotting guidance. Water according to moisture, only when the soil has dried out completely. Check drainage and do not water just because a calendar says it is time.
Underwatering
How to tell
Leaves drop after the soil has been bone dry for a while. Watch for crispy brown tips first.
The fix
If the soil is bone dry, water thoroughly, then check it more regularly so it doesn’t dry out that far again.
Cold drafts or temperature swings
How to tell
It sits in a draft, near a cold window, or next to a heater, and leaves fall after a cold snap or a sudden temperature swing.
The fix
Move it somewhere with stable, draft-free temperatures.
Too little light
How to tell
It quietly sheds its lower and inner leaves over weeks while new growth stays small and pale. Ponytail palm wants bright light and some direct sun.
The fix
Move it to a sunnier spot, over a week or two if it has been somewhere dim.
All ponytail palm guides
Keep reading
Related plants
Last reviewed: