€47,70

🌱 Morphology
Succulent and pachycaul tree, slow to moderate growing, which can reach approximately 8 m in height in natural conditions. It develops a single, columnar, and very thick trunk, with smooth silver-gray or metallic gray bark, densely armed with spines.

The trunk usually remains unbranched for several meters and begins to branch from about 3 m in height, forming a relatively open canopy. The spines appear in groups of three, with a fourth sometimes reduced, and are pale gray to whitish in color, a useful trait compared to Pachypodium lamerei, whose spines are usually darker.

The leaves are concentrated at the ends of the branches and are one of the most distinctive features of the species: very narrow, long, and linear, approximately 15–40 cm long and 2–4 cm wide. They have a grayish-green color and a finely velvety texture, especially visible on the underside. With intense lighting, the midrib can acquire a striking pink or reddish hue.

This combination of silvery trunk, light spines, extraordinarily narrow and long leaves, and pubescent underside allows it to be distinguished from P. lamerei, which has wider, shiny, and practically glabrous leaves.

🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Family Apocynaceae. It is endemic to southwestern Madagascar, where it grows mainly in dry forests and xerophytic shrublands. Kew currently recognizes it as an independent species.

It inhabits sandy and rocky terrain, including soils derived from calcareous materials and schists. SANBI indicates populations at very low altitudes, approximately between 0 and 100 m, in low dry forests.

It is a species with a more restricted distribution than P. lamerei and, according to SANBI, has a narrower ecological tolerance, which can make it somewhat more delicate in cultivation.

❄️ Temperature
USDA Zone 9b–11b. It tolerates minimum temperatures down to −3 ºC, as a punctual reference for adult specimens, perfectly dry and under protected conditions.

The USDA classification should be interpreted with caution: other horticultural references place its reliable cultivation in warmer zones and recommend avoiding temperatures close to freezing. Therefore, the figure of −3 ºC represents a punctual tolerance and not a recommended cultivation temperature.

During winter, it is especially important to keep the substrate dry, as simultaneous cold and humidity significantly increase the risk of rot.

☀️ Lighting
Indicative DLI PAR: 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹.

It requires very high lighting to develop a robust trunk, keep the leaves compact, and promote the formation of a balanced canopy. Full sun or an extremely bright position is recommended, performing a gradual acclimatization for specimens coming from greenhouses.

Intense radiation can also promote the appearance of the characteristic pink coloration of the leaf midrib.

💧 Growth cycle and watering
It is a seasonally dry and partially deciduous species. During the favorable period, it produces new leaves and maintains high vegetative activity, while under unfavorable conditions, it may reduce its activity and lose part or all of its foliage.

During active growth, it is recommended to water abundantly and let the substrate dry out completely before the next watering. The succulent trunk functions as a water reservoir that allows it to overcome dry periods.

When temperatures drop or dormancy begins, watering should be spaced out gradually. During the resting period, it is recommended to keep it almost dry, especially if it has lost its leaves.

The seasonal loss of leaves does not necessarily constitute a problem: it is part of its survival strategy against unfavorable conditions. Cultivation sources agree on strongly reducing water during winter.

🌸 Flowering
The flowers appear grouped in highly branched terminal inflorescences, which can rise above the leaves.

They are relatively large flowers, approximately 3–4 cm in diameter, with a white to yellowish-white corolla, generally with a yellow center or throat. The corolla has five widely extended lobes, giving the flower a characteristic star shape.

In mature specimens, the flowering can be very spectacular due to the contrast between the white flowers and the silver-gray foliage. Flowering occurs mainly during the warm season, although the dates may vary depending on cultivation conditions. RHS places it during the summer.

Compared to Pachypodium lamerei, the flower may look quite similar, so to identify plants without flowers, the narrow and long leaves, the velvety underside, and the grayish spines are much more useful.

🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, Desert CHOICE® Succulents is recommended, applied after watering. Before flowering, it can be complemented with Desert CHOICE® Flowering.

It is not recommended to fertilize during dormancy or when the plant has lost its leaves.

This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a technological square pot with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.

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