Beaucarnea hookeri

[Agavemonger]

These plants are tough as nails. They transplant readily anytime of year, although the next couple of months would be ideal timing. Just be very careful not to tear up the caudex when you dig it up!

Beaucarnea hookeri plants thrive on all-day full-sun, light soil, and plenty of water with dilute fertilizer (1/2 recommended strength is best, or a 1.0 millimhos electrical conductivity reading for any science-types out there! ) These plants grow surprisingly fast when well taken care of.

An occasional grooming where old, straw-colored leaves are carefully removed (if they don't pull out easily, then cut them rather than yanking on them) will keep your plant looking attractive.

These long-lived plants make superb potted specimens, especially in the middle of a patio table when small, on raised pillars when larger, or paired up on both sides of an entryway.

The Monger

[mickthecactus]

IMG_4297.JPG (241.74 KiB) Viewed 5738 times

3 flower spikes on mine this year -

[Geoff]

Kew's Plantlist.org still calls this Calibanus, and lists Beaucarnea as a synonym. What plant site refers to this as Beaucarnea?

[toditd]

Kew's Plantlist.org still calls this Calibanus, and lists Beaucarnea as a synonym. What plant site refers to this as Beaucarnea?

An article with a brief summary can be found here:
Beaucarnea updated
(It may take a while load.)

The molecular study of Rojas-Piña et al (2014) that the above pdf cites, can be found here:
Molecular phylogenetics and morphology of Beaucarnea (Ruscaceae) as distinct from Nolina, and the submersion of Calibanus into Beaucarnea

[Agavemonger]

Rojas Pina, et al., December 2014 (see toditd's link to this paper directly above).

This is a superb paper on this entire group of important landscaping plants, and is no doubt definitive. This extensive study defines the Genus Beaucarnea quite succinctly, ironing out many former problems with species misidentification, and is an excellent and fascinating read. Importantly, it also re-defines Nolina as its own distinct Genus, with the Genus Dasylirion quite unexpectedly falling phylogenetically between Nolina and Beaucarnea!

The three former Calibanus species form a clade that falls right in the middle of the Beaucarnea complex phylogenetically, so are now definitively (and apparently unarguably) Beaucarnea species.

The Monger