The curly ones are among my favorites. I keep my eyes open for them at Wally World...I've found/bought a couple there. That said, they're not impossible to find locally, which is probably the most cost efficient way short of ordering one online.

Jeni

Hi there, You posted a while ago. I hope you have found your ponytail palm by now :) If not, I just found 2 smaller but beautiful curly ponytail palms at Lowes. They were tagged at Beaucarnea Recurvata however, they are clearly curly yet do not have red in the new growth that I have read about with the Beaucarcea Guatamalensis... whatever they are I love them! They are beautiful and look like the one you pictured just smaller. The leaves are not as long yet. I also picked up 2 beautiful Sansevieria. I've read that both are hard to kill as long as you don't overwater, which is a great thing! :) I'm not sure how to post pics here or I would show you.

This post inspired me to get one in hopes that it might look anything like that someday. Did you find one, splattered?

I actually did find one...sort of. I actually found four, and they're very small. But if I can keep them long enough...

I ended up getting one of those bunches you see at big-box stores with four of them clumped together. They were in pretty sorry shape, so I separated them and potted them individually. Thankful to say they are doing much better! Three of them have curly tops, one has straight. I've attached a photo of how the runt of the bunch is doing now.

For reference, this is what it looked like when it was separated.

Splatter. I used to work at Home Depot.

One afternoon, the most beautiful Ponytail I'd ever seen was brought in the green house.
It stood about 6', with very long, super-curly leaves. 39.00 but worth every penny.

I should have bought it, but didn't...duh! :)

I was reading about curly Ponytails before your thread popped up.

Supposedly, curly leaf types, 'sorry, can't find species name,' are slower growers than straight leaf PT's.

The article also said, people are stealing baby, curly PT's from the wild, making it more difficult for people to buy. Nice huh?

I can't find the species name, and believe me, I've checked several sites.

Speaking of the PT in the lobby. I see moss on top soil. There's no need for moss..in fact, covering the top w/moss can invite fungus gnats.

The PT is large enough to produce babies, but without light, 'hence the moss' they might not sprout because of shade, or you can't see them.

If/When babies sprout, perhaps you can ask whomever owns the plants if you can take a baby???? Toni

Cool to hear, and what an improvement! I got one of those clumps of babies too, pics here (and other cool pics of big ones.) Even if not curly, it should make a really cool trunk eventually.

I would also love to find some pots like the top pic in this discussion. Tall with straight sides (but preferably green or white instead of silver.) So many more plants could fit in a same space (and lower center of gravity, for those outside.) The traditional flower-pot shape is just so boring.

So sorry about your loss. What a lovely plant!

If I brought my ponytail palms inside, none of the leaves would survive. One of my cats goes bonkers around them and will stop at nothing to get to them, HaHa! She is relentless and stubborn about it. This is why they have to hibernate for the winter in my unheated garage. About a week ago, I was out there and brushed up against their leaves and she heard them. For the rest of the night, she sat by the door to the garage crying to get out there, even though she never goes outside and knows she's not allowed. I've since planted some cat grass and catnip for her to chew on all she wants; once they finally grow large enough, that is. She's my little assistant gardener, and just HAS to be involved whenever I'm working on my plants.

As for ponytails with long curly leaves, I suspect that they do this when they're grown in shaded indirect light. They grow longer and etiolated in the lower light levels. This doesn't appear to harm them any, seeing as how they still look very green and healthy.

Mine go outdoors once the weather warms up, and they stay out there almost all year long. During that time, they get full, direct sunlight shining down on them from sunrise to sunset. Of my two largest ponytail palms, the larger one seems to have longer leaves that hang down lower. The other has leaves that curve inwards. I love the way each of them look. I plan on moving them along with almost everything else, back outdoors over the weekend. For where I live, it appears that the bitter cold days of winter are behind us. Now comes spring, along with its thunderstorms.

Wow, until this posting, I did not realize their was a varietal difference (curly vs. non-curly)! I agree, I like the curly ones better too. Which is the one I already have but would be trying to attain if I did not already have!

I disagree though about the cause of the curliness. Mine are grown in full, blazing sun light, outdoors from mid-March till November.

Are these two "varietal" differences or a different species? I see there is a B. guatalensis species (that is described as having longer, curlier leaves).

P.S., LOL, about the cats! I have two of those too and have noticed their fascination with Ponies in the house..., but I overwinter Ponies in a detached greenhouse/garage.

This is my curly ponytail palm. it’s leaves are about 3 feet long. I’ve had it for over 5 years and probably bought it at Lowe’s or Home Depot.