Indoor flowers like many. And unpretentious, easy to care for - all without exception. These include, for example, palm trees and cacti. Pachypodium is a symbiosis of these two seemingly completely dissimilar plants. They grow on the island of Madagascar, in African countries: Angola, Swaziland, Mozambique, South Africa, Namibia.
Wildlife
The pachypodium or Madagascar palm tree in the wild is a succulent tree or shrub. Belongs to the kutra family. In total there are twenty species, the smallest - the size of a palm, and the large ones reach the height of a three-story house.
Spikes are their prickly feature, grouped in bunches, arranged in the form of rings along the trunk. The thorns grow simultaneously with the leaf plate, then their growth slows down, they harden, turning into needles sticking out in different directions. Pachypodiums are:
- dwarf up to 8 cm in height, up to 40 cm in diameter of the trunk or bush oval in shape up to 4 m in height;
- branching / non-branching cigarette-like;
- trees of the species of giant cacti up to 5 m tall.
Types of pachypodiums
Botanists distinguish the following species of the plant in question:
- Pachypodium Jaya. In nature, the tree reaches 3-6 meters tall. In the form of a houseplant - 50-60 cm. The leaves are narrow, pubescent. Blooms in very beautiful white flowers with a yellow center.
In the summer, Pachypodium Jaya likes to be outdoors in the sun
- Pachypodium short-stemmed. The stem reaches 60 cm in width, resembles a grayish boulder, low. The flowers are elongated yellow.
Short-stem pachypodium - the most common indoor type
- Pachypodium succulent. The root of the flower is like a turnip. The stem is woody, up to 15 cm in diameter.
Succulent pachypodium boasts an impressive, powerful trunk
- Pachypodium densely flowered. The trunk is fleshy, the leaves are located in the upper part, the flowers are bright lemon with a white center. Indoors, it reaches 90 cm.
Pachypodium densely flowered got its name for beautiful yellow flowers
- Pachypodium Horombensee. Smooth gray-green trunk, very branched. In winter, it can drop foliage due to low light.
Pachypodium Horombense - the most branched species
- Pachypodium Lamera. Adult specimens are remotely similar to a palm tree. The leaves are elongated, narrow, flat 3-5 cm long. Below the stems are many spines. The flowers are pale white with a pink tint. Then from them ripen the long oval-shaped fruits of a greenish color.
Pachypodium Lamera - one of the most popular types
- Pachypodium Sanders. Succulent plant, spherical trunk gray-green, low 50-70 cm. There are few thorns. The leaves are wide, slightly pointed, blooms in white flowers with a pink tint.
Sanders pachypodium with rooted shoots
Table: Pachypodium conditions
| Season/ Care | Spring | Summer | Autumn | Winter |
| Lighting / Temperature | Put the flower pot in the most lighted place in the house. Not higher than +30 0C. | It is best to take the pachypodium out to the street in the sun, protect it from drafts. Ideally - an open summer veranda. Temperature from +16 to +30 0C. If at night the temperature drops below +16 0C, bring the flower home. | With the reduction of a sunny day, the flower is brought home, also placed on the most lighted place in the house. Temperature within normal limits, not higher than +30 0C. | You can highlight the flower with a fluorescent lamp in the evening. Temperature within normal limits, not higher than +30 0C. |
| Watering | Moderate, slightly moist soil. Do not overfill, otherwise it will drop leaves. | Stable, the same as in the spring. | Reduced to 1 time per week. | Once a week. |
| Humidity | Spraying with warm water. | To increase humidity, you can pour a little water into the pan. | Spraying with warm water. | It is steady against dry air, leaves should be sprayed regularly in order to avoid defeat by a spider mite. |
| Transfer | Not more than 1 time in 2-3 years. Young shoots are planted or by pruning. | Not produced. | Not produced. | Not produced. |
| Fertilizers | A mixture of turf, sand, expanded clay, humus. Liquid forms for succulent plants. Fertilize every 2 weeks. | Mineral fertilizers. | Reduce to 1 time per month. | Not produced. |
Planting and transplanting: soil, pot, drainage
Parts of the stem of the flower take root extremely rarely. Transplanted with seeds into a nutrient substrate from peat mixed with sand. You can use the store ready-made mixture for succulent plants and cacti. First, drainage of at least a third of the pot is poured into the pot, then soil is poured, a small hole of 2-3 cm is made, seeds are laid. Sprinkle with earth and moisturize.
Home Care
It is necessary to create the most comfortable conditions for the plant. You should choose the most lighted place in the house, the temperature ranges from +16 to +30 0C, moderate humidity. Transplantation is possible every 2-3 years. Periodically, the plant should be sprayed with water at room temperature, if the room has dry air (more often this should be done in winter).
Watering, fertilizing, than fertilizing a flower
Keep in mind that excessive moisture can damage the plant. It can be watered only with settled warm water. It is necessary to ensure that the earthball dries out completely. From March to October, watering is stable. From November to February - less often. The best fertilizers for pachypodium:
- mineral;
- a mixture of peat with expanded clay and sand;
- special liquid types of top dressing for cacti.
Bloom
Flowering begins in the spring - summer at six-seven-year-old specimens. Depending on the type, the flowers are yellow, white, pink.
During flowering, the pachypodium is a delightful sight
When the pachypodium blooms, you need to feed it with mineral fertilizers and provide a lot of light. Ideally, take it out into the fresh air to the sun.
White pachypodium flowers will not leave anyone indifferent
Rest period
The rest period begins from late autumn to early spring. It is better not to fertilize the flower at this time, watering a rare one.
Pruning
Pruning of the pachypodium is best done in the spring, at which time the natural process of sap flow begins. Trimming is performed as follows:
- The top of the plant is cut.
- The slice is blotted with a napkin and sprinkled with charcoal.
- This place cannot be wetted with water.
- New kidneys will appear in 3-4 weeks.
At home, this flower is not difficult to contain, it does not require frequent watering, just put the pot in the most lighted place in the house and periodically feed it with additives for succulent plants.
Table: Diseases and Pests
| Spider mite | Thrips | Blacken leaves | Barrel curvature | Leaves have fallen | Discards leaves |
| A whitish spot forms on the surface of the leaves, the leaves curl, fall off, they are treated with Derris, Fitoverm, Fufan. | On the bottom of the leaf of an insect colony - treat with Derris. | Perhaps waterlogging earthen coma. To dry the soil. | Lack of light - move to a more illuminated place. | Water, feed the plant. | Reason: overflow or, conversely, an earthen lump is dried. Pour / dry, feed with fertilizer. |
Propagation by cuttings and in other ways
Propagation by cuttings:
- Better to do in the early spring.
- The apical stalk is cut off 15 cm long.
- Roots next to an adult plant.
- The care remains the same.
In the wild, pachypodium propagates by seed.. At home, this method is very time-consuming, since seeds can rarely be grown or found on sale. If you still have seeds, they need to be planted in soil specially designed for cacti, watered, put glass or film on top, put in a lighted place and be patient.
After 1-2 weeks, tender sprouts appear. Now you need regular watering. It is noticed that even a five-centimeter flower has thorns.
Pachypodium is a wonderful succulent plant, which many flower growers love for their unpretentiousness and unusual appearance.
