Symbolism, colours and shapes Beaucarnea is a symbol of strength and perseverance. The name pays tribute to Jean-Baptiste Beaucarne, a Belgian succulent enthusiast who was the first to successfully grow a Beaucarnea recurvata into bloom.

The plant owes its name, “elephant’s foot”, to the swollen base of its trunk, which closely resembles the foot of a pachyderm. In fact, the Elephant’s Foot does not look like a houseplant, but rather a small tree: a straight trunk grows from a swollen base, which is crowned by a funny ‘curly’ head of elongated leaves arranged in a rosette.

Officially, it is a flowering plant. But indoors, Beaucarnea flowers quite rarely, and when it does, the flowers are barely visible. The Elephant’s Foot is distinguished not only by its silhouette, but also by its endurance.

The plant grows slowly but steadily and is very tolerant. If you forget to water it, it doesn’t matter. The plant stores water in its growth and trunk in order to survive dry periods. This means that the elephant’s foot is partly self-sufficient, making it very suitable for beginners in plant care.

Although the elephant’s foot is often considered a palm tree, the plant belongs to the Asparagaceae family. It is native to the southern United States and South America. Here, the plant grows to a height of about eight metres and a diameter of one metre. In Mexico, there are 350-year-old elephant’s feet. When grown indoors, the plants become smaller, but they can still develop into imposing trees.

Just make sure that the leaves can hang freely. If they come into contact with a wall, cupboard or curtain, they can turn brown. This also happens when the air humidity is low.