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Pachypodium lealii
| The spiny trunks of these intriguing plants contrast dramatically with a crowning rosette of deciduous leaves that drop off during a dormant period. Trumpet-shaped white, red, or yellow flowers bloom at the rosette center in different seasons. Disliking too much wet and cold, their tolerance for dry indoor air makes them good houseplants. Growers often graft a rarer, slower-growing species onto the trunk of the Madagascar Palm (Pachypodium lamerei). Pachypodium saundersii's smooth trunk has only a few long spines. Grow in a sunny, warm, well-ventilated spot, in humusy soil with sand and perlite for good drainage. Water actively growing plants with leafy crowns thoroughly when soil dries out in summer, less in winter. Stop watering when leaves drop; just spray occasionally. The Madagascar species tend to rot in damp cold. The South African species -- Pachypodium bispinosum, leallii, namaquanum, and rutenbergianum -- are hardier, and Pachypodium succulentum will stand occasional frost. Seeds germinate easily. Susceptible to red spider mites. |
The huge, conical trunk tapers into thick, bumpy branches. Long spines grow in clusters of three pale, 1 to 2-inch-wide flowers. Blooms among leaves with rippled edges.
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Attributes - Pachypodium lealii
Plant Type: Succulent
Bloom Season: Early Summer through Late Summer
Flower Color: White
Foliage: Deciduous
Height: 6 ft. to 18 ft.
Width: 7 ft.
Sunlight: Full Sun
Climate: Zones 9, 10, 11
Notes: Thrives in Dry Climates. Container Plants, Drought Tolerant, Low Maintenance, Showy Flowers.
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