This is a tender, evergreen plant grown for its ornamental leaves. It grows wild in Mexico. Its leaves are long and slender and resemble those of the Dracaena. The main kind, Beaucarnea recurvata, variety glauca, has blue-gray leaves.

The best compost consists of two parts fibrous loam, one part leaf mold and a bit of sand. Repotting should be done in the spring. Loose soil should be removed with a pointed stick and the plants are set into slightly larger pots.

Seeds can be sown in the spring in well-drained pots of sandy loam. Place them in a greenhouse that has a 65-degree temperature. Young shoots can be inserted in pots filled with sand or sandy soil in the spring. Place them in a propagating case to speed up the growth of roots.

Beaucarnea recurvata and its variety, glauca.