Today I bought this beautiful Pachypodium at my local nursery. The label said Pachypodium Saundersii, but to me it doesn’t really look like a Saundersii at all. It actually reminds me more of a Densiflorum, although not completely either. Now I’m wondering if it could maybe be a hybrid?
Does anyone here recognize this plant or have an idea what species it might actually be? I’d really appreciate any help with identifying it!
Apparently this is a great place for sleeping
Planted these three with no idea they were going to germinate, when I checked the pot, there they were, any advice for their care is welcome‼️
Central Florida…I’ve had these plants for 20 plus years and always have grown them with the intent of looking as
Close to the habitat as possible. This is the result. I’m not a botanist….It seems that the spines are connected deeper in the plant than the skin of the caudex…as the caudex grows the spines get “absorbed”. If you are north of me, use a grow light, water and fertilize on the regular then I can see
How you would get used to seeing plants covered in spines. A plant won’t develop a great caudex unless it has to.
The result can only be duplicated with time, care -boarding on neglect. They succumb to my ADD whims. We are in extreme drought…I’ve watered 4-5 times this year, they have never had fertilizer outside of aquarium water, they are in a pot until they can’t be anymore, never been butchered to increase caudex. I’ve included a couple of smaller ones that are on there way to having spineless caudex’s too. I think a better way of determine whether a plant has been poached or not is what the tap root looks like, it would be incredibly difficult to dig one out of a crack in the rock without cutting the taproot.
Hope the photos show the “absorbing” spines.
Sherman, TX, Zone 8a
I'm not new to gardening, but I am relatively new to desert plants. After two days of research (including Reddit posts) and using AI to formulate a proper mix, this is what I came up with (my crib notes), and I would like to get experienced human opinions on it before I continue.
(I would include a picture of this little guy, but Reddit is having a moment. I'll try to add it to the comments.)
Pachypodium densiflorum:
Madagascar, Granite, Full Heat, Mid-day+ Shade, 3.5 to 6.5 pH
50°F+
\- 68 granite chicken grit
\- 15 coco coir
\- 10 zeolite
\- 5 earthworm castings
\- 5 activated charcoal
\- 2 Ground Diatomaceous Earth
\- Terracotta Pot (Shallow, slightly root bound)
Got the plant 3 weeks ago in the black nursery pot. Now planning to repot it in 90%-100% bonsai jack gritty mix (maybe with 10% worm casting). It’s outdoor in Southern California so it’s getting lots of sun, warmth, not a lot of humidity.
I found some of the hairy root was starting to rot when I took it out of the nursery pot. I thought it came in a 100% lava rock medium, turns out that was just the top layer. The rest was gritty and sandy — I was overwatering it for a few weeks.
I trimmed off the rotten hairy roots now unsure how deep to pot it. It was sitting at the red line. I’m new to caudex so I don’t know how depth interacts with other things like a fatter caudex/ branch growth/ rot risks, etc.
I also am debating on which pot to use. It’s got a rigid root system so it needs a big pot (like the groovy one, glazed) to accommodate its widths. I’m kinda terrified that a big pot will make it rot more likely.
Alternatively I can stick with the nursery pot since the roots have already adapted to the pot shape and it’s smaller than the alternatives.
Are recommendations on fertilizers and ways to get them like the last image. It looks like they chopped the top off and so many limbs grew out. Is it safe to start cutting or should I wait until it's mature?
My wife had a lot of them but I was looking at them with her the other day and say this Madagascar Palm and absolutely loved it. Went to my local Garden center and they had a couple so I got one can’t wait to get it planted into something more permanent. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
I just bought this P. Eburneum. However, it looks very shrivelled up, so I’m concerned the roots might be dried.
I was told the substrate is around 80% mineral, 20% peat moss.
How should I proceed? Should I keep it in the pot or should I repot it to check the roots and possibly change the substrate?
Any help would be appreciated!
(fyi: im not selling)
My largest rosulatums variant from mandritsara area. From PFN, a scratch and dent sale two years ago. This is first bloom in my care, last year was repotted and did not bloom. In an 8 inch terracotta pot. Differs from standard rosulatums in several ways, goes full dormant, starts growing later, spines are different. It’s possibly a hybrid? Have nothing to compare as a mandritsara standard. Will observe for future reference.
Was sent on an errand to Wally World this morning and as is my custom… off I went to garden center just to make sure there were no Pachypodium Densiflorum. To my chagrin I found a new wooden rack with more Pachypodiums and I just could not leave them there in bad company. I will contact my shrink on Monday.
I draw the line at 3 full trays.
New to collecting pachys (most of them purchased in the last year) and they are so happy outside with the heat and humidity. The tall one is about 5 feet, and is 15 years old, per the couple I bought her from. Since I’ve had her, she’s already grown 4 inches and is so bushy now. Here’s to hoping they continue to thrive
The shape of its spines gives such a sense of security, haha! 😄