Pachypodium lamera leaves turn pale. Pachypodium: species with photos and descriptions, home care. Important flower facts

The tree-like flower called pachypodium lamerei belongs to the Kutrovy family. It has a needle-like stem and narrow leaves. A distinctive feature of this plant is that it discards its foliage during the dormant period. In nature, the pachypodium (Madagascar palm) is found mainly in Australia, Madagascar and Africa.

Home care rules

Pachypodium loves good lighting ... For him, direct sunlight is preferred, which improves the appearance and condition of the foliage.

In summer and spring, it is recommended to take the plant pot outside. This will significantly increase its decorative properties. If the air temperature rises to 34-36 degrees, then the pachypodium needs to organize a shade. Heating the soil too much can adversely affect the health of the root system. During the growing season, the trunk of the culture is often bent. During this period, the flower pot needs to be turned over from time to time in the direction of the light source.

The Madagascar palm tree in nature never undergoes sharp temperature jumps. But the culture is able to withstand a long decrease in temperature to -10 degrees.

The pachypodium has a very massive aboveground part, therefore, for its planting, you need to select the most durable and resistant box. It is best to use ceramic pots. Ceramics will provide palm roots with reliable overheating protection.

For compact and slow-growing varieties, you can choose wide containers and small bowls. It is imperative to make 3-4 holes in them, through which excess reins will drain.

Diseases and pests

The Madagascar cactus often suffers from mealybugs, spider mites and scale insects. To combat pests, the aerial part of the plant must be treated from time to time with a mild soapy solution. After that, you can use insecticides.

The pachypodium tree plant is one of the brightest representatives of the kutrovy family. It features a succulent stem with needles and narrow leaves. The culture sheds its leaves during the dormant period. In its natural habitat, the flower can be found in Africa, Madagascar and Australia. There is a species of pachypodium that grows in the shape of a real tree. The height of the giant can be more than 8 meters. Small representatives of the genus resemble a pile of cobblestones. In indoor conditions, the length of the plant does not exceed one meter. When proper care the pachypodium is covered with abundant flowers.

The pachypodium is a rather unpretentious plant.

Lighting

The pachypodium responds well to bright sunlight throughout the day. Direct sunlight has a beneficial effect on the shade of the leaves.

In the spring and summer, you can take the container out into the open air. A plant in an open area significantly improves decorativeness.

If in the hot season the temperature rises above + 35 degrees, it is advisable to move the pachypodium to a darkened place. Overheating the substrate can damage the root system. A thermometer mark above + 40 degrees causes a state of stagnation.

During the active growing season, the trunk may bend. It is necessary to constantly turn the pot towards the light source.

Temperature regime

The pachypodium or Madagascar palm does not experience extreme temperature fluctuations in its natural habitat. In a temperate continental climate in open ground only two members of the genus can be cultivated - P. Succulentum and P. Bispinosum. The plant can withstand a prolonged temperature drop of the order of - 10 degrees.

When buying planting material, frost resistance must be taken into account. Cover the palm with a thick layer of mulch for the winter.

AT closed room when the temperature drops in the cold season, you need to stop watering. The root system of the pachypodium is better preserved in a dry substrate.

How to water a plant

Under natural conditions, the Lamera pachypodium can withstand a dry period for more than five months. The root system is filamentous. With long roots, the plant can easily draw moisture from cracks and debris.

During the growing season, the soil should be moderately moistened as the upper layer of the substrate dries. At the stage of stagnation or dormancy, watering should be carried out after the earthen coma has completely dried.

The plant perfectly withstands the aridity of the substrate.

Use a garden watering can to moisten the soil. A thin stream of water wets the soil mixture along the edge of the container. Depending on the microclimatic conditions, watering should be carried out two to three times a month.

In a greenhouse with moderate humidity, one watering every 30 days is sufficient. In indoor conditions with a reduced level of water content in the air, the soil should be moistened more often. During the winter rest period, it is not necessary to increase the humidity level of the environment.

Transplant features

The pachypodium is capable of developing for several years in one substrate and container. It is advisable to replant the Madagascar palm every 3-4 years. The procedure should be carried out in early spring at the initial stage of vegetative growth.

A transplant can be carried out in two cases:

1. For complete or partial renewal of the substrate.
2. After the growth of the root system. A new container needs to be prepared. The volume of the pot should exceed the size of the used container by 10%.

When planting, the level of the pachypodium in the pot must be taken into account.

Pruning

It is believed that the palm tree does not need to be shoots removed and periodically formed. In fact, the plant responds well to cleansing weakened areas.

The pachypodium can be made compact.

The procedure can be carried out in the summer. New shoots will appear in a week. The apex should be trimmed in the spring to give the desired shape. From above it is necessary to cover the cut with crushed coal and cover the kidneys with "Cytokinin" paste.

How to grow a pachypodium on a site

You can plant a palm tree outdoors only if two conditions are met:

1. preparation of a frost-resistant variety;
2. suitable climatic conditions.

For the pachypodium, you need to choose a sunny area. You can protect the plant from the effects of the weather using container growing. A potted palm tree in summer is best placed on an open terrace or balcony. In the winter season, it is better to keep the culture in an equipped winter garden or greenhouse.

Growing technology

Soil mixture

For the prevailing majority of species, soil with an acidity level of pH from 3.5 to 8 units is suitable. When preparing the soil mixture, you need to consider:

1. high drainage needs of the pachypodium;
2. the required pH level;
3. the ability of the substrate to perform mechanical functions for a long time.

The primer can be prepared at home.

There are several recipes for preparing a substrate at home:

1. It is necessary to mix the leafy soil with sod soil, clean river sand, crushed wood ash and brick chips.
2. Crushed gravel can be added to loamy soil. The mixture must be sterilized before filling the container.

Top dressing

Fertilizer should be applied during the period of active vegetative growth. It is advisable to use mineral preparations intended for succulents for the pachypodium.

To prepare one portion, you must follow the dosage indicated in the instructions. You can use fertilizer with sodium, potassium and phosphorus no more than once a month.

How to choose a container

All types of pachypodiums have a bulky aerial part. To balance the container with the root system and substrate, you will need to prepare a stable, large container. It is advisable to use ceramic pots. The material also helps protect palm roots from overheating in an open area.

Subspecies with slow growth and compact size can be purchased in low bowls or wide pots. It is imperative to make several holes in the container to drain excess liquid. It will be necessary to promptly clean the sump of water residues.

Features of planting and transplanting can be found in the video:

Typical problems, pests and diseases

The pachypodium is often damaged by scale insects, spider mites and mealybugs. It is necessary to clean the palm tree with soapy water. Then you can use insecticides.

Violation of growing conditions leads to sporulation of fungi. Over-watering causes stem and root rot... At the initial stage of the lesion, the plant can be saved. The extracted pachypodium must be cleaned of rot and transplanted into a dry, disinfected substrate. Places of cuts can be sprinkled with crushed charcoal.

Cessation of vegetative growth in the summer indicates excessive overheating of the container. It is necessary to rearrange the pot in a place with diffused sunlight.

A curved trunk indicates insufficient lighting on one side. To evenly distribute the light, you need to constantly turn the plant or move the palm to another place.

Lack of proper care lowers the plant's immunity.

If the crop is affected by frost in an open area, remove the damaged area in early spring. Do not moisten the soil for a long time.

The stem can recover. The damage often caused stimulates lush growth and greatly enhances the decorative effect of the palm. This will leave severe frost damage scars on the tree.

Falling leaves can be the result of natural processes. The loss of vegetative organs is also caused by a sharp drop in temperature or damage to the roots.

If a jelly-like brown mixture (gum) appears from the tip, it is urgent to move the container with open area... Prolonged exposure to high temperatures combined with poor ventilation resulted in stagnation.

Wrinkled leaves occur due to excessive soil moisture. After the onset of symptoms of damage, it is imperative to transplant the palm tree. From the root system, the remnants of the old soil should be gently shaken off. All damaged areas must be removed. The cut sites are treated with root stimulants. Keep the plant outdoors for 24 hours. It is not recommended to add organic matter to the new mixture.

Influence of culture

All members of the genus contain hazardous substances that can affect the activity of the cardiovascular system. If leaves or flowers are swallowed, be sure to rinse the stomach. Bitter vegetative organs induce vomiting. Failure to act can lead to poisoning. You need to go to the medical center.

Pachypodium from seeds

For seed reproduction, you need to carefully prepare. The buds quickly lose their germination. Therefore, it makes sense to use only fresh seed. Pachypodiums from seeds are susceptible to mold infestation.

The material must be sterilized before sowing. It is advisable to soak the seeds in water at room temperature. It is not recommended to use tap water.

Pachypodium sprouts.

A mixture of perlite, coarse sand, compost and vermiculite should be used as a substrate. You can also add bone meal and charcoal.

Seedlings need to be provided with uniform lighting and a low level of water in the air. You can dive a pachypodium from seeds after the formation of full-fledged leaves.

Why doesn't the palm tree bloom

The lack of inflorescences may vary by crop variety. To bloom a indoor specimen, you need to purchase the correct variety. The flower buds are favorably affected by the optimal temperature regime and a timely rest period.

Planting material

Pachypodium saundersii 30 cm high in a container can be purchased for 450 rubles.

The average price for Plasmas pachypodium seeds is 32 rubles.

It is important to bear in mind that pachypodiums from seeds can only be grown from freshly harvested seed.

The pachypodium is an unusual plant on which an amazingly spreading crown is combined with sharp thorns. Distinctive qualities - a spectacular look and unpretentious care. A healthy adult plant with an original trunk and beautiful leaves will look gorgeous in any interior. Exotic will add its impressive size and bright flowers.

Briefly about the plant

The name is Pachypodium, which translates as "Thick leg", corresponds to the appearance - lush foliage is located on a dense trunk covered with sharp thorns. For its non-standard image, the plant was also nicknamed the "Madagascar Palm", however, it does not belong to this family, although at first glance there is a similarity.

Pachypodiums are succulents (accumulating moisture) from the kutrov family, native to hot countries: Madagascar, Africa, Australia.

In their usual habitat, these giants striking in size, growing up to 10 meters high... Although there are also such species, which you will pass by without paying attention, because in the dry period without leaves they resemble cobblestones.

Features of Pachypodium care

With proper care and comfortable conditions, the succulent will grow up to 1.5 meters... However, its owners need to be patient: it grows slowly, and amazing flowers can please only 6-7 years of life.

Pachypodiums are not too "capricious" in terms of care, and such simplicity favorably distinguishes them not only from ordinary indoor flowers, but also from other succulents.

They do not need to organize a cool winter, they feel great both in the immediate vicinity of heating radiators in winter, and under the scorching sunlight in summer.

A significant drawback of the Madagascar palm is its poisonous sap, which is released if the plants are damaged.

Attention

The poisonous juice does not irritate healthy skin, but hands should be washed after any manipulations with the plant.

Pachypodiums secrete toxic sap if the plant is damaged. The harmful substance acts on damaged or wounded skin and mucous membranes.

They are strictly forbidden to "enter" some rooms - plants with sharp thorns and poisonous sap have no place in the nursery.

Temperature regime

For a heat-loving southern plant, a comfortable temperature regime of air and soil is preferable. The warmer and drier, the better it feels.

On summer days, he will calmly endure the heat over 30 ° C, and in winter the temperature should not drop below 16 ° C... Only for one species - Lamer's pachypodium - is acceptable temperature below 8 ° C.

A succulent plant will grow well on the windowsill, next to the radiators, but provided that there are no drafts there.

In the summer it can be sent to fresh air, but with a sharp change in weather and precipitation, it is better for him to return indoors.

Careful with the light

Drafts and sudden temperature changes are destructive for a handsome man from the south.

Necessary lighting

The best place for the Madagascar palm tree is south-facing windows... Placement on the south-east and south-west sides is suitable. The lack of sun in the autumn-winter period helps to compensate for phytolamps. Bright light and direct sunlight for the Madagascar palm tree is only for the good, but only on one condition!

It is important to remember that the flower is gradually taught to the changed lighting. Leaves can even get burned if, after long, cloudy winter days, the succulent is abruptly taken out under the spring, harsh, direct sunlight.

Watering, air humidity

For succulents, air humidity does not matter much, they do not need to be sprayed, it is enough to collect dust from the leaves with a damp sponge.

Harm the plant and even lead to its death can improper watering:

• from a lack of moisture, it can lose its wonderful crown;
• excess water deforms the stem, and in winter the "overflow" contributes to its decay.

1. Water the plant only with warm water, which has settled well.
2. There should be no stagnation of water in the pan, it is better to drain the excess.

The most abundant watering is during the spring-autumn period, from March to October. Here the opinion of florists is divided. Some people believe that the soil in the pot should remain slightly moist from watering to watering. Others wait for the earth from above to dry out a little and only after that they again fill it with life-giving moisture.

In winter, the plant is watered much less frequently. If the leaves have already fallen off, the plant is not watered until several weeks, until new greenery appears.

Soil and fertilizing

The pachypodiums need a variety of feeding and fertile soil. You can use a special soil for cacti.

Land from a garden or vegetable garden with the addition of sand, charcoal and red brick chips is quite suitable. Peat, sand and a small amount of sod land are also mixed for the substrate.

For a succulent, the presence of air and moisture in the ground is more important.

Note:

• the presence of drainage in the pot is required;
• with expanded clay or pebbles, a third of the total volume is filled;
• to remove harmful microorganisms, it is better to warm up the self-prepared soil in a water bath.

Additional fertilizers are applied in spring or summer.

The appearance of new shoots on the Madagascar palm is a sign that the plant needs feeding. It is carried out once a month, using a special liquid fertilizer for cacti.

Mineral fertilizer must be added to the water when watering.

Additional fertilizers are not applied in the autumn and winter periods. And when transplanting, additional complementary foods are postponed for a month.

Transplant and reproduction

It is easier to grow pachypodiums with seeds. You can try to root the stem, but the success rate for the plant to be accepted is very low.

15-20 cm of the apical cutting is cut off. Sharp does not disinfect: boil or heat. Charcoal is sprinkled on the resulting cut. The stalk is placed in the same soil as in a conventional transplant. The pot is placed in a warm and bright place.

The seeds of the pachypodium are large, so they are deepened into the soil of a half-centimeter pot. The planted seeds are also placed in a warm and lighted place, additionally covered with a lid.

For transplanting, pots with holes are selected so that the roots do not decay. The young plant is transplanted once a year, the rest once every three years.

The pachypodium is transplanted earlier from all indoor plants - in late February or early March. Transfer the succulent from one pot to another, without removing the earth from the rhizomes, so as not to damage them.

be careful

Thick gloves are used to avoid injuring hands when transplanting with a prickly base. Wrap adult plants additionally with an old blanket or towel

Varieties of Pachypodum

There are 23 known species of pachypodium. Suitable for home growing much less. In offices and living rooms, the following are more common:

Problems and diseases

One of the key problems: leaves are falling. If the pachypodium began to "fall leaves", then we can assume several options, which is why the problem arose:

1. the plant was watered with cold or hard water;
2. the irrigation regime is broken;
3. the pachypodium has undergone a sharp temperature drop;
4. the plant is infected with a spider mite.

If pests appear on the pachypodium, then you will have to get rid of them with the help of special means. The thorny stem cannot be hand-processed, only sprayed.

Light spots on the leaves followed by dropping and a reddish bloom on the stems indicate that a red spider mite has started.

Thrips will settle on the underside of the leaf, where they lay the larvae. Leaves change color to grayish brown.

Diseases caused by improper care recede by themselves if the plant is kept dry and warm. To grow a tropical plant - a pachypodium, due to its unpretentiousness, even novice florists can do.

The pachypodium is a succulent plant with a rather thick, fleshy stem and thin leaves at the top, forming a kind of crest. It belongs to the kutrovy family and has about twenty species, the smallest of which fit in the palm of your hand, and the height of the large ones exceeds the height of a three-story house. As a potted plant, all pachypodiums grow no more than seventy centimeters in height.

The trunk of the plant is capable of storing a large amount of moisture, so it is not afraid of direct sunlight. The name of the flower in translation from Greek means "thick-legged", which perfectly characterizes the appearance of the succulent. Flowers in wild and rosette species of the pachypodium are very beautiful and have a strong, pleasant aroma, the trunk is very prickly, and the juice is considered a strong poison.

Natural habitat - Australia, Africa and Madagascar regions with an arid climate, where these plants feel so good that they amaze the imagination with their size and bizarre shape. There are many wild species of the pachypodium, only a few of them can be found in the apartments of amateurs.

Popular types and photos of the pachypodium houseplant

A plant suitable for growing at home has only a few varieties adapted to indoor conditions. Pachypodium Lameri is deservedly considered the most famous among succulent lovers, and perfectly tolerates the change of seasons. Many growers note that the branchy variety is less prone to leaf shedding in winter.

The most famous among amateur flower growers is the pachypodium Lameri, called the Madagascar palm tree or, in his homeland, the ghost man. This tall tree is inextricably linked in the view of the aborigines with an ancient legend, according to which the gods turned people into bizarre trees.

In places where it grows, it can reach six meters in height, as a potted plant it has a small size, a neat trunk and a lush bunch of leaves at the crown. It is characteristic that the decorative Lamery looks much more like a palm tree than its wild-growing counterpart. The flowers of this variety of pachypodium are pink, large.

There is a branchy variety of Pachypodium lameri, which differs in that instead of leaves, branches grow on the trunk. Branched Lameri blooms with white fragrant flowers, collected in inflorescences.

The Sanders pachypodium is an amusing plant with an almost round stem, on which there are several short shoots. The elongated leaves have an olive tint, and the thorns are located only on the shoots, leaving the trunk unprotected. It blooms with white and pink flowers.

The short-stemmed pachypodium is very similar in appearance to a cactus, since its trunk has no branches or stems. Thorns, leaves and flowers that have a bright yellow color grow directly from the trunk. When the leaves fall off, the plant strongly resembles an ordinary stone.

How to care at home for a pachypodium flower

Pachypodium easily tolerates direct sunlight, it can be placed on the south side without fear that the plant will receive sunburn

The pachypodium of various varieties has a well-deserved fame as a plant for beginners, as it is unpretentious in care, reproduces well with purchased seeds and even blooms. For this succulent, the presence of moisture or spraying of the leaves is not important, it does not require additional fertilizing and can live on the windowsill all year round. But if the owner wants to get not just a nondescript bush, but a beautiful, flowering plant, he needs to learn the basic rules for maintaining and caring for the pachypodium.

Lighting

Since the homeland of the plant is hot Africa and sunny Madagascar, it calmly tolerates direct sunlight. The pachypodium loves sunbathing, this is exactly the flower that will feel great on the sill of a window facing south. Some partial shade is not fatal for the plant, but chronic lack of light leads to curvature and thinning of the trunk. Caring for the pachypodium at home is not difficult, it requires knowledge of some of the basic features of the plant and a great desire to grow a beautiful succulent.

Optimum air temperature

The temperature for growing pohypodium should not fall below 16 degrees

Most species of pachypodiums need temperatures below sixteen degrees, and only Lameri can overwinter normally at eight degrees. In summer, on fine days, the succulent can be taken out into the fresh air, but you should not leave it under open air... An excellent option would be a summer veranda or balcony, where the plant can be on warm days around the clock.

Cold drafts are very dangerous for this heat-loving flower.: you should not open the window if it is quite cool outside, because after that, the leaves will begin to turn black and fall off, the trunk will become sluggish, soft. All this will lead to the death of the plant from stem decay.

Watering a houseplant pachypodium

For this plant, both excessive and insufficient watering are equally bad. In the summer, it is much easier to find out how much water a green pet needs, this is noticeable by the drying of the upper lump of earth by one or one and a half centimeters. It is convenient to check the soil with an ordinary match: if grains of soil remain on it, then watering is not needed. An elongated, thin trunk becomes signs of excess fluid at high temperatures.

In winter, it is more difficult to calculate the regularity of watering, since the temperature decreases, the evaporation of water remains the same in home conditions, or even increases. The plant "drinks" less, so some excess water in the soil is very dangerous and can lead to decay of the trunk. If watering is insufficient, the pachypodium will shed its leaves, but this is not so dangerous.

If you remember that the trunk is a water reservoir, then it is very easy to check if watering is needed by simply squeezing the trunk with your fingers. If it is firm and elastic, then watering is not needed, if it is slightly soft and springy, then it is necessary to fill the "container".

Air humidity

The pachypodium does not need to be sprayed

The plant is absolutely not demanding on humidity, does not need additional air humidification and spraying. It tolerates dry air well, the pachypodium pot can be located near the heating radiator without consequences for the health of the succulent.

Fertilizers for pachypodium flower

If you want the pachypodium to bloom, then you definitely need fertilizing with a fertilizer containing a low percentage of nitrogen. Every two weeks during the growing season, the flower is fed with a special complex fertilizer for cacti. It is strictly forbidden to use any natural feeding, in the form of diluted manure or fish remains.

Overfeeding is undesirable, as it leads to deformation of the trunk, the appearance of large faults and cracks.

The pachypodium needs to be replanted twice a year.

Like cacti, an adult pachypodium is transplanted twice a year; one transplant is enough for young ones. Usually this procedure is carried out after wintering and before the onset of cold weather. An important condition for the health of the pet: there must be good drainage in the pot, taking up almost a third of the volume. For drainage, you can take ordinary expanded clay, any small stones, even soil for an aquarium.

The land can be taken ready for cacti or use a well-drained garden or forest. Before planting, it must either be warmed up or spilled with a manganese solution and mixed in a ratio of one to five with charcoal or chiseled red brick.

The transplantation process is quite specific, since the trunk of the pachypodium is extremely prickly, and the size of the thorns is such that even very strong protective gloves pierce. In order to protect your hands, you need to wrap the plant with some dense soft cloth in several layers, then carefully rearrange it along with a lump of earth into a new pot.

In nature, the thorns on the trunk of this succulent are not able to grow back when they are damaged, and an adult tree almost always has thorns worn off by the wind or broken. If at home this is relevant, does not spoil the appearance of the plant, then it is possible to file the tips of the thorns, making them less sharpened. This will protect from numerous injuries when caring for the flower.

Reproduction of the pachypodium at home

In the photo pachypodium seeds

In the wild, the trees and bushes of the pachhopodium multiply by seeds, at home you can also try to grow a plant from seeds, but a novice florist may face an unforeseen difficulty: they germinate very slowly and are difficult to acquire. Guaranteed good seeds can be bought either in large specialized seed shops, or ordered by mail, but in this case there is no guarantee that they will sprout, since there is no guarantee that it will be exactly the pachypodium.

In order to grow a small tree from a seed, patience is needed. The seeds are planted in a small pot, the soil can be taken for cacti. Plant, water and cover with glass or foil on top, put in a sunny place. The sprout will appear quickly, in about a week, after which the film is removed, and the small pachypodium is grown in a sunny place, regularly watering. Interestingly, even a five-centimeter baby already has sharp thorns on the trunk.

Lamers can be propagated by lateral shoots, before planting they are separated and dried for two or three days. After that, they are planted in the soil, but very often the shoots simply live on it for a month or two without giving roots, then, when the supply of food ends, they die.

If the plant gets sick or begins to wither, then you can try to cut off the top of the trunk and try to root it. At the cut site, if the pachypodium survives, new branches or babies will grow.

Plant diseases and pests

In the photo, the pest thrips

The most common diseases are red spider mites and thrips. Aphids are very dangerous. Pests live at high air temperatures and severe dryness in the room.

• When infected with a spider mite, which absorbs chlorophyll, the leaves become very light, thinner and fly around. A reddish-red bloom is found on the thorns and trunk.
• Thrips strongly affects leaves, and colonies of this pest are located on the back of the leaf. At the same time, the upper part of the leaves acquires a gray-brown color with a characteristic silvery sheen.
• As a treatment, the best result is obtained by a single spraying with Actellik. Caring for a sick plant does not differ from usual, you do not need to spray it with water, as well as to rearrange it to another place. Pachypodiums really do not like rearrangements and even turning the pot, and during illness it is generally not recommended.
• If the plant begins to ache at low air temperatures or excess moisture, then its leaves turn yellow and look dirty. No special treatment is required if placed in a warm, dry place.
• Rot of the trunk and shoots can be treated with the usual Trichopolum, which is diluted at the rate of one tablet per glass of water.

Precautionary measures

Very important! A novice florist should remember that pachypodium is very poisonous, its juice is considered especially toxic, which is still used by the natives of Africa to lubricate arrowheads. This fact alone suggests that the plant should be kept away from children and pets. Leaves and flowers taste bitter and can cause vomiting, and the glycosides and alkaloids in the juice cause cardiac arrest.

Note to the flower grower

• If you water the flower not on the ground, but in the pan in which the pot is located, then the plant will be very happy, and the likelihood of trunk decay will decrease.
• For planting, you can purchase a soilless mixture, and add a third of perlite to it, on this soil the pachypodium grows magnificently.
• The five-year-old pachypodium blooms every year.
• A plant that has reached the desired height is pinched at the growing point and it gives side shoots.
• If the leaves of a plant turn black, most often the reason must be sought in the cold air. Even overhead ventilation on plastic windows can lead to blackness. Any exposure to cold must be excluded.

Watch the video on this plant, in this video the florist will tell you about two types of pachypodium.

Pachypodium (lat.Pachypodium) Is a genus of treelike plants of the Kutrov family that grow in the arid regions of Madagascar, Africa and Australia. There are 23 species in the genus. Translated from the Greek "pachypodium" means "thick leg": the plant has a voluminous, fleshy and thorny trunk. In nature, the pachypodium can reach a height of eight, and in diameter - one and a half meters, but at home this tree does not grow above a meter.

Planting and caring for the pachypodium

• Bloom: in spring, the first time - in the sixth or seventh year of life.
• Lighting: bright diffused light.
• Temperature: in summer - from 20 to 30 ºC, in winter - 16-18 ºC. Protect the plant from drafts!
• Watering: in spring and summer - moderate, when the substrate dries out to a depth of 1 cm, in winter - rare and scarce. After dropping the leaves, watering is stopped. The short-stemmed species requires poor watering throughout the year.
• Air humidity: usual.
• Top dressing: from early spring to mid-autumn, once a month with cactus fertilizers.
• Rest period: from approximately November to March.
• Transfer: young plants - every spring, adults - once every 3-4 years.
• Reproduction: seeds, less often cuttings.
• Diseases: fungal rot.
• Pests: spider mites, thrips.
• Properties: the plant has poisonous juice!

Read more about growing pachypodium below.

Pachypodium plant - description

Pachypodiums are succulent shrubs or trees, the characteristic feature of which, despite the many differences between species and varieties, is a thick trunk that retains a supply of water in case of drought. Otherwise, the appearance of the pachypodium species is diverse and ranges from bottle-shaped dwarfs to cactus-like trees. Almost all pachypodium species have spines, which are grouped in triplets or pairs and arranged in spirals or rings around the trunk. Branching is also characteristic of plants of this genus, however, there are species among the pachypodiums that do not form branches. Unlike other representatives of the Kutrovy family, the juice of the pachypodiums is not milky, but transparent, although just as poisonous.

In indoor culture, the pachypodium plant grows from 30 to 150 cm, and its life span is from 3 to 15 years.

Growing pachypodium at home

The pachypodium needs a lot of light and is not afraid of the sun's rays. In the summer, he will feel great on the balcony or in the garden, but he needs to be accustomed to the open air. It is better to keep the flower indoors on the southern, southwestern or southeastern windowsill. When spring comes after short winter days, the pachypodium should also be gradually taught to the effects of direct sunlight.

The pachypodium loves fresh air, but does not tolerate drafts. The temperature in summer does not play a special role for the plant: the pachypodium grows well and develops at both 20 and 30 ˚C. In winter, the plant needs a cool content: The pachypodium spends its rest period at 16-18 ˚C.

Watering the pachypodium

Caring for your home pachypodium is easy. In spring and summer, watering it should be moderate so that the soil in the pot is slightly moist all the time. If the plant lacks water, it will shed its leaves and lose its attractiveness, and if there is a lot of moisture, the pachypodium at home will begin to painfully stretch out, which will also not add decorative effect to it. Water the plant when the potted soil dries out to a depth of 1 cm. For a short-stemmed pachypodium, poor watering is sufficient throughout the year. If the plant has dropped its leaves, stop watering altogether and the leaves will grow back in 5-6 weeks.

The plant does not need high humidity, but it will graciously take your care if you wipe its leaves with a damp sponge from time to time and spray it with settled water at room temperature from a spray bottle. By the way, water for irrigation also needs to be defended.

Fertilization of the pachypodium

The pachypodium plant is fertilized from early spring, when new shoots begin to grow, until mid-autumn. Top dressing in the form of a fertilizer solution for cacti is applied on a pre-moistened soil once a month.

The pachypodium cannot be fertilized for a month after transplanting and when it is sick.

Before entering the dormant period, feeding is stopped and resumed only the next spring.

Pachypodium transplant

Young pachypodiums need to be transplanted into a larger pot every spring, and adults once every three or even four years. Moderately acidic soil for cacti is optimal for plants. If it was not found in the store, you can make up a substrate from equal parts of river coarse-grained sand, turf and leafy soil. To improve drainage properties, brick chips or charcoal should be added to the substrate. However, this does not exclude the need to place a layer of expanded clay in the pot when transplanting, filling the container by a third of the volume.

When replanting an indoor pachypodium, try to be careful not to damage the plant's root system. If the succulent is healthy, simply transfer it from the old pot to a new one and fill the remaining space with potting soil. Free the plant with diseased roots from the old soil, remove the rotten or dried out areas, treat the wounds with charcoal powder, and only then complete the transplant.

Flowering pachypodium

The indoor pachypodium flower grows very slowly, so you have to wait six or seven years for its first flowering, but if the plant is poorly or improperly looked after, it may not bloom at all. Follow the rules for caring for a succulent, do not allow drafts in the room, make sure that the plant has enough food and light, and then one day you will be lucky to see pachypodium flowers.

Pachypodium toxicity

The pachypodium secretes a poisonous sap that irritates the mucous membranes and corrodes wounds on the skin, so it must be washed off immediately with plenty of water.

In the photo: How the pachypodium blooms in the apartment

Reproduction of the pachypodium

The pachypodium is propagated by seeds, which you will have to buy, because it is difficult to get them yourself at home. Sowing is carried out to a depth of half a centimeter, the container is covered with glass or film and kept in a bright place at a temperature of 20 ˚C. When seedlings appear, the cover is removed, but not suddenly, giving the seedlings the opportunity to gradually adapt to the conditions of the room. Fortified seedlings are planted in separate pots and looked after as if they were adult plants. However, it should be remembered that the pachypodium grows from seeds very slowly.

Reproduction of the pachypodium by cuttings rarely gives results, since parts of its stem do not form roots well, but there have been cases of successful rooting of the top of the plant, in which the base has rotted. It was only necessary to cut the pachypodium at a height of 15 cm with a sharp sterile instrument, process the cut with charcoal powder, plant the top in a substrate for an adult plant and place it in a well-lit place.

Pests and diseases of the pachypodium

Pachypodium diseases and their treatment

The pachypodium at home is very sensitive to excess moisture, therefore it is prone to various rot. So that the plant does not get sick with fungal diseases, its watering must be balanced. Keep in mind that this succulent is easier to tolerate a lack of moisture than excessive moisture, from which its stem becomes thinner and rots, leaves turn black and fall off.

If the flower shows signs of rotting, immediately stop watering, place the plant in a warm place, treat it and the substrate in which the pachypodium grows with a fungicide solution and review the watering regime so that no relapses occur in the future.

In the photo: Flowering pachypodium at home

Pachypodium pests and control

In a room with dry air, the pachypodium can be infected by spider mites, which suck out cell sap from plants. Due to their small size, it is difficult to notice these pests, but if you find a thin cobweb on the plant, immediately start fighting the ticks: wash the flower under a warm shower and try to slightly increase the humidity in the room so that the ticks become uncomfortable. This is achieved by spraying the pachypodium every night with warm, settled water. If the pests have multiplied, you will have to destroy them with acaricide: Aktara, Aktellik, Akarin or Fitoverm.

Or Madagascar palm - a tree up to six meters high with a thorny, thick trunk. Adult plants with the arrangement of leaves at the top of the trunk resemble a palm tree, which is why this species got its second name. The stem of the Madagascar palm is erect, thickened and ligneous in the lower part and covered with protruding tubercles located in a spiral, each of which contains three powerful spines. At the top of the stem, a rosette is formed of elongated lanceolate petiolate leaves of a dark green color, which can reach 20 to 40 cm in length. There are three bare spines under each leaf. The flowers of this pachypodium are pinkish or creamy white, with a yellow center, up to 11 cm in diameter. The fruits are green, oval. At home, the pachypodium Lamera can reach a height of no more than half a meter. The plant has the following varieties:

• typica - pachypodium with leaves pubescent on the underside;
• ramosum - a form with a branched trunk, leaves with a pronounced median vein and white flowers gathered in umbrellas up to 10 cm in diameter.

Photo: Pachypodium lamerei

It is a tree with a thick and thorny trunk, reaching a height of 3 to 6 meters. At a young age, this species is very similar to Lamer's pachypodium, but its leaves are narrower, only 1-3 cm wide, and pubescent. Young spines are light gray in color, but their tips are black. The flowers are white with a yellow center. In indoor culture, the plant reaches a height of 50-60 cm.

Photo: Pachypodium geayi

When there are no leaves on it, it resembles those around it in nature gray stones: the stem of the plant is flat, tuberous, prickly, up to 60 cm high. This species blooms with elongated yellow flowers.

In the photo: Pachypodium brevicaule

A succulent plant with an almost spherical gray-green stem, reaching a height of one and a half meters. The plant is equipped with a few thorns up to 2.5 cm long. Its leaves are broadly lanceolate and pointed at the ends. The Saunders pachypodium forms many white flowers with a pink stripe on the petals.

Photo: Pachypodium saundersii

This is a plant with a turnip root, gradually turning into a thickened tuber with a diameter of up to 15 cm, which, higher, becomes a woody stem with age, fleshy and branched, reaching a height of 60 to 90 cm.On young branches, there are paired spines 1-2 cm long and slightly pubescent lanceolate leaves up to 5 cm long and up to 1 wide. In summer, bell-shaped pinkish flowers with a red throat, reaching 4 cm in diameter, open on the plant.

In the photo: Pachypodium succulentum

It is a slow growing succulent shrub up to 45 cm tall. It has a fleshy prickly gray-green trunk up to 30 cm in diameter, decorated with a rosette of leaves at the top, green on the upper side and gray tomentose below. The flowers of this pachypodium are up to 3 cm in diameter, bright yellow, tubular, with a widened end and yellow anthers forming a cone.

In the photo: Pachypodium densiflorum

A short succulent with a wide, smooth and thick silvery-green trunk at the base and small, narrow gray-green leaves forming a rosette at the ends of the branches. Large yellow flowers of the plant are located on long pedicels.

Photo: Pachypodium horombense

Pachypodium meridionale

Under natural conditions it can reach 3 m, but in a pot culture its growth is limited to 120 cm.The leaves of this pachypodium are green, long and narrow, the trunk is silvery brown, smooth, up to 60 cm in diameter, and large flowers with pink petals and a reddish corolla have a pleasant smell.

It is a fleshy succulent with cylindrical, upright branches and caudex. The trunk of the plant is short, thickened at the base, gray-green. The branches are densely covered with thorns. Glossy, leathery, narrowed-oblong green leaves with a light midrib are located at the ends of branches in whorls or rosettes. Greenish-yellow or yellow tubular flowers are collected in few-flowered racemes on long pedicels.

This plant has a variety:

• graceful (Pachypodium rosulatum var. Gracilius) - shrub 40-60 cm high with gray or light brown caudex, rounded and slightly compressed laterally, smooth or covered with dense spines. The branches of the plant are short, winding, sometimes smooth, sometimes thorny. The leaves are collected in rosettes on the horses of the branches. The flowers are tubular with a widened end, bright yellow, gathered in groups on long pedicels.

In the photo: Pachypodium rosette (Pachypodium rosulatum)

also a caudex plant, reaching a height of 8 m under natural conditions, but in culture its growth is limited to 60 cm.The branches of this succulent are short and covered with thorns up to 1 cm long.Glossy dark green oblong leaves with a light midrib are formed at the ends of the branches into rosettes ... They reach 15 in length and 4 cm in width. Large white flowers with a tube extended towards the end are collected 3-4 pieces in terminal inflorescences.

Photo: Pachypodium rutenbergianum

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