Linda, your Pony Tail it its bonsai pot looks fantastic. Wow!
Trunk is perfect thickness. I love it.

PT and pot look like they belong together..You did great job. Toni

And now for a contrary message....
Beaucarnea get huge fast. The roots will fill the pot in a year or less. Also, the Echeveria clumps up quite fast ('Topsy Turvy' I think.) Plan on repotting soon. If you notice many leaves dying and few growing on the Beaucarnea, plan on repotting.

Otherwise, the plants look healthy, just underpotted.

It looks very nice..I have a pony tail palm that needs to be repotted. I got it in a huge plastic pot and I want it in a much smaller, nicer looking pot, but I'm scared to trim the roots...I guess now I'll just have to wait til next spring to make up my mind....

Linda,

I agree with dz - if you're going to group plants with a fast grower like the Beacarnea, it likely needs a deeper pot (at least for the Beaucarnea - the Echeveria's fine in a shallow pot).

Hi all,
thanks for the warning...
I have a neighbor that has one of theses and its 14 feet tall and in a pot thats bigger then a bushel basket....he has to use a 2 wheel cart to take it in and out of the house.....I just thought it would look nice...and all plants if they live need to be repotted sooner or later...
linda

Linda, everyone is right about growth. I have two Ponytails that have been in the same 'small' pots since the 90's. Aside from thicker trunks, their heads are a little larger than when they were first potted.

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The next two PT's are in larger pots...both were babies when purchased.

8" pot

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10" pot

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If you want your PT to grow large, then next spring repot into a larger pot..I wouldn't plant in too big a pot. I gradually repot according to the rootball.

However, I still think your PT in a bonsai container looks great. Toni

OTOH, Linda, if you keep it potted small (by itself) it will stay small - if it's kept with other plants it's likely to take those other plants' resources.

I don't know diddly about PT palms, but clicked in here in case there were pics, testing myself for susceptibility to this plant... And how cute! The proportions are visually appealing, even if the plants soon outgrow it. The Sans in the background look happy!

Do you tickle the ivories?

The attributes that account for most of the ponytail's popularity are its ability to tolerate neglect and its ability to survive inadequacies much better than excesses. In the face of too little water, not enough nutrition, and cramped quarters for its roots, it remains stoic and ready to rebound when conditions improve. It doesn't tolerate excesses of water or fertilizers well, and responds to small pots by a growth rate that decreases as root congestion increases, as has already been noted, but tolerates tight roots much better than most other plants.

Growing it tight (keeping it root bound) restricts growth and vitality, but also reduces the probability of negative effects associated with over-potting - a plus for those using water-retentive soils. Fastest growth and best vitality can be had by siting in full sun and potting in a pot large enough for roots to have plenty of room to run, but that requires a soil that doesn't have a tendency to remain soggy to avoid that 'over-potting thing'.

If I wanted to grow this plant as close to its potential as possible, I'd grow it in a very large pot and a very fast (draining) soil.

Al

Very nice! I so want one!