What is this plant with thin leaves and a swollen woody stem?

Question

I would like to know what is the name of this plant with long thin strap-shaped leaves which grow in clusters from a swollen stem that looks like a large woody bulb. The "bulb" is halfway out of the soil in the pot.

Answer 1

This plant is Beaucarnea recurvata, the ponytail palm. Despite the name it is not related to the palms. These are great indoor plants if you have good or high light conditions. I have never had a lot of problems with them. Things to note include:

• in indoor environments it can be too dry ( Less than 30% relative humidity) and the tips tend to brown. Once you cut the tip back to living tissue it too can die back so you get in an endless round of scissor work. Better to leave the dead ends.
• most common cause of death is over watering. The plant stores water in the bulb at the base of the plant. Just checking to see if the soil is dry will not be an accurate reflection of whether the plant needs more water. Best solution is to place in a high light area so it uses more water and water less frequently. (For example, every two weeks in high light).
• The most common pest is mealybug which will hide in the central axil where all new growth comes from. I have never successfully controlled mealybug on these plants with soap and water because you cannot get the soap where the eggs are hiding.

Answer 2

It is Nolyna Palm. It is also called lota Palm in hindi.it is a much loved indoor potted plant. In the open ground it can achieve a height of 9-10 feet.