PAHIPODUM – HOW TO CARE FOR THE MADAGASCAR PALM
Pachypodium – photo and care
The pachypodium looks pretty unusual: powerful spiny stem, like a cactus, and spreading foliage, palm-shaped. Due to this amazing appearance, this plant is also called the thick leg or Madagascar palm.. But the pachypodium has no relationship with palms, it belongs to typical stem succulents.
BETWEEN CACTUS AND PALM
Homeland of most species of the pachypodium – the island of Madagascar, the rest came from the arid regions of Africa and Australia. In addition to palm-like specimens, plants are also found in nature., small tree-like or rounded stone, from which rosettes of leaves break through in places.
Pachypodium Lamera (Pachypodium lamerei) – the most popular type among indoor florists. It is a tree-like plant with a thick trunk, covered with thorns, and a lush crown of elongated lanceolate leaves collected in a rosette, whose length is up to 40 cm.
The flowers are pale cream or pinkish with a yellow throat. Pachypodium Lamera is very hardy and forgives small errors in care, but the truth, at the same time it loses its decorative effect.
One of the most important conditions for the well-being of Lamer's pachypodium – good lighting. A southern window sill with direct sunlight is ideal for him.. With a lack of light, the plant stretches, stem deformation may occur, a constriction appears.
Pachypodium – photo and care
Important to remember, that pachypodium does not tolerate change of place. Even a slight accidental rotation of the pot can cause the leaves to drop.. Indoors, with proper care, the plant is able to reach a height 1,5 m.
Strong plant roots can grow well even in heavy clay soil. But the optimal mixture of sod land and non-acidic peat in proportion 2:1.
Pahipodium Summer (Pachypodium geayi) requires the same conditions of detention, like Lamera (both of these species came to us from the island of Madagascar). It has narrower leaves
mi dark green color with a slight grayish tint and relatively restrained growth. It can grow in height up to 50-60 cm. Jaya pachypodium flowers are white or cream in color with a yellow center.
Pahipodium namakvanum (Pachypodium namaquanum) – more moody look, not characterized by high growth rate. For 2-3 he adds on average about 5 cm in height, therefore, some growers plant it on the fast-growing Lamer pachypodium. The plant requires a well-drained substrate and backlight in winter.. In such conditions, it continues its growth until the end of summer.. Watering at this time, abundant watering is desirable., but rare (about once in 10 days), feeding with complex mineral fertilizer is recommended. From the second half of August, the plant goes into a dry dormant period..
This type of pachypodium has a characteristic tuft of beautiful wavy leaves at the crown of a thick columnar trunk and long thorns.. With a lack of lighting, foliage waviness is lost.
Pachypodium – photo and care
Rare view pachipodium brevicaule (Pachypodium brevicaule) notable for its short stems, resembling gray cobblestones, small rounded leaves and rather large yellow flowers. Usually the plant reaches no more than 10 cm, but at the same time it grows strongly in breadth and looks very impressive in low wide pots.
For the pachypodium bre-vicaule, windows of the southern, east and west orientation. The plant does not tolerate stagnant water and hypothermia of an earthen coma. Optimum summer temperature 22-27 °, winter – not lower than 15 °.
Most suitable potting mix – from leafy ground, peat, humus and sand, taken in equal proportion. Young plants are recommended to be replanted annually.. To achieve flowering, it is necessary to provide a dormant period from October to February, at this time the plant can shed its leaves.
Abundant flowering is different pachypodium densiflorum (Pachypodium densiflorum). true, maybe it, only when the fleshy gray-green trunk reaches about 30 cm in diameter. The leaves of this pachypodium are elongated., with a central light streak. The flowers are bright yellow when dissolved, later take on an orange tint. The plant can grow up to 1 m in height.
Pachypodium – photo and care
Pahipodium rozulatum (Pachypodium rosulatum), Madagascar view, – compact plant with a short silvery-greenish stem, with a thickening at the base, and vertically located shoots. Narrow leaves are collected in small bunches at the ends of branches. Flowers are light yellow.
Pachypodium – photo and care
Pahipodium Saundersa (pachypodium saundersii) has a thick short cylindrical stem, which branches into multiple shoots. Thanks to strong branching, all growing mistakes can be easily corrected by pruning, which after a while becomes invisible.
Shoots of this African species are covered with green ovoid leaves and brown spines.. The flowers are white with a pale pinkish stripe in the middle of the petal.
Pachypodium juice is poisonous, so when transplanting, grafting and propagation of the plant, the necessary precautions should be taken.
5 PACHIPODIUM CARE RULES
- In summer, the pachypodium feels great outdoors with shelter from the rain. But one must remember, that sudden temperature changes are fatal for the plant. In winter, when the pachypodium falls into a dormant state, it is best to move it to a cool room. If the plant has stopped watering and it shed its leaves, then a short stay even at a temperature of about zero will not harm him. The exceptions are pachypodiu-we namakwanum and brevikaule, for which the temperature should not fall below 15 °.
- In winter, the pachypodium tolerates dry apartment air well. But in summer especially in dry weather, it is advisable to spray it with warm water from time to time. And you need to do it like this, so that the water does not drain into the pot.
- If the plant has spent the winter in low light, then with the onset of spring, you cannot immediately expose it to bright light. It is fraught with burns. The pachypodium should be accustomed to new conditions gradually., increasing sun exposure every day.
- If the pachypodium is not kept under artificial lighting in winter, then it is advisable to practically exclude watering. Wet substrate can cause root rot.
- In summer, watering should be abundant, but rare. It is important to wait until the soil in the pot is completely dry to the very bottom.. Optimum water temperature for irrigation – 3-4 ° above room temperature.
IF THE PAHIPODIUM IS FILLED
With excessive watering of the pachypodium, softening and decay of the stem is possible. In this case, it is almost impossible to save the plant.. But you can try to root the living top of the pachypodium, true, rooting is slow, it may take several months.
You need to cut off all the rot, powder the place of the cut with a powder rooting agent and plant the tip in the sand, perlite or special substrate, intended for cacti. Watering should be very moderate.
PAHIPODUM – VIDEO CARE
© Author: D. ARTEMOVA, florist
