Pachypodium

Lover of succulent trees and shrubs? The truth is that, unfortunately, despite the existence of many species, only a few are traded; of these, the Pachypodium they are undoubtedly the most popular. And reasons are not lacking.

Its magnificent flowers give off a very pleasant aroma, and its maintenance is not too complicated if we always keep in mind that it is not necessary to water them a lot.

Origin and characteristics of the Pachypodium

It is a genus made up of around thirty species, distributed by Namibia, Angola and Madagascar. They can grow between 2 and 12 meters in height, developing a trunk that is often thorny and thin, which over time can turn whitish, especially in those that are arboreal, such as the P.lamerei or P. geayii.

The leaves are lanceolate, more or less wide depending on the species, green or bluish in color, and its flowers are grouped in red or white inflorescences.

Main species

The best known are:

Pachypodium geayi

It is a tree native to southwestern Madagascar. It has a greyish trunk, very spiny, with thin gray-green leaves.

It does not have a common name, but I personally think that it can be called a blue or blue-leaved Madagascar palm, since it is often confused a lot with the following species.

Pachypodium lamerei

It is an endemic tree of Madagascar, being able to reach more than 8 meters in height, with a thick trunk up to 90cm in diameter. The leaves are long, up to 40cm long, and green. The flowers are white and measure about 8 centimeters.

It is popularly known as the Madagascar palm, although Pachypodium and palm trees have nothing in common.

Pachypodium saundersii

It is a small shrub endemic to southern Africa, specifically the Lebombo, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Eswatini mountains. The leaves are green, and the flowers are white.

What are the care they need?

If you want to have a copy, we recommend that you provide the following care:

Location

The Pachypodium, or paquipodiums as they are sometimes called, they are sun loving plants. They need to receive it throughout the day, directly. But be careful: if they are nursery acquisitions, you have to get used to them little by little and gradually to the star king, otherwise they will burn right away.

Earth

• Flower pot: fill with porous substrate. Volcanic sands such as akadama or, above all, pumice (which is also cheaper  ) are ideal. But you can mix equal parts fine gravel - grains of 1 to 3 mm thick - with black peat if you want to spend even less money (a 25kg bag of gravel costs 1 euro or less in any store that sells building materials).
• Garden: they are very, very sensitive to overwatering, so the garden soil must have excellent drainage. In case it is not, make a planting hole of at least 50 x 50cm (better 1 x 1m), and fill it with some of the substrate mixture mentioned above.

Irrigation

Irrigation must be very low: you only have to water each time the soil or substrate dries completely. You have to direct the water close to the trunk, and pour until all the soil / substrate is well moistened.

If you have it in a pot, do not put a plate under it or place it inside a pot without holes, since otherwise the roots would rot.

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It is interesting to pay it in spring and summer with a fertilizer for cacti and succulents, following the indications specified on the product packaging.

Multiplication

The Pachypodium they multiply by seeds above all, in spring or summer. By cuttings it is also done, but it is more complicated.

Seeds

It is advisable to sow the seeds in wide trays but with little height, with substrates such as vermiculite which maintains enough humidity and, at the same time, guarantees rapid drainage.

The seedbed must be placed near a heat source and in a bright place, either outside or inside the house with a special bulb for plants. If everything goes well, you will see that they will begin to germinate after 10-15 days.

Cuttings

It is a more difficult method, but by no means impossible. It is done in spring or after summer if the weather is warm, cutting a branch and allowing the wound to dry for about ten days.

Afterwards, the base is impregnated with rooting hormones, and planted in a pot with, for example, vermiculite or pumice. Keeping the substrate moist, but not flooded, if all goes well it will emit roots in about twenty days.

Plagues and diseases

They are quite resistant in general. But cottony mealybugs and snails can be terrible, especially the latter. Fortunately, it can be treated with diatomaceous earth or potassium soap, even if the plant is young with a brush soaked in pharmacy alcohol, the problem is usually solved.

Rusticity

It will depend on the species, but the Pachypodium lamerei and the Pachypodium geayi from my own experience I will tell you that they resist weak and occasional frosts of up to -2ºC.

El Pachypodium namaquanum (which by the way is in danger of extinction) on the contrary, it is much more sensitive to cold, so much so that if the temperature drops below 10ºC it begins to suffer irreversible damage.

What do you think of these plants?