Madagascar palm ∗ The 10 best care tips

origin

the Madagascar palm bears the Latin name Pachypodium lamerei and belongs to the dog poison family. Except for its German name, the plant has no characteristics in common with palm trees. Their distribution area is in Madagascar. It is the only natural area of its kind in the world. It focuses on southern and central Madagascar.

growth

This plant is one of the succulents. It develops a conical trunk that is barely branched and not lignified. It is created by nested leaf tissue. Its surface is covered with numerous thorns. This trunk can grow to a height of 200 centimeters in culture. In the natural range, the plants reach heights of growth of up to six meters. Their annual growth is between 15 and 30 centimeters. The older the plants get, the faster they grow.

The special growth form of the Madagascar palm is an adaptation to the climatic conditions. It can store water in its trunk so that it can withstand longer dry periods without any problems. The succulent plant develops leaves that form a kind of crown. In the dry season, the thick foot sheds its leaves. This is also an adaptation because it prevents the plant from losing excessive fluid.

leaves

Pachypodium lamerei develops leaves that are arranged alternately and crowd together like a tuft. They are divided into a three to four centimeter long stalk and a leathery leaf blade up to 25 centimeters in size. Their surface is colored dark green and provided with light central ribs.

The linearly shaped leaves arise on the warts. These structures are comparable to knots on twigs or sleeping eyes on rhizomes. The stipules, which are formed at the base of the stem, are transformed into thorns in Madagascar palms. There are three thorns in a leaf axil.

blossom

Madagascar palms develop aesthetic single flowers, the five white colored petals of which are arranged like a star. Its base has grown into a funnel that opens with whorl-like, superimposed edges of the petals. The center of the flower appears bright yellow. The organs of the hermaphrodite flowers are hidden deep in the corolla tube so that only certain pollinators can get to them.

The sepals are very short compared to the corolla tube. They are fused together and form a five-lobed calyx tube. It takes several years for the Madagascar palm to bloom for the first time. Plants rarely bloom in indoor culture.

Offshoot

In rare cases, Madagascar palms develop side shoots that can be used for propagation. These are cut off during the growth phase and air-dried until no more milky juice comes out of the cut. You can place the offshoot with the leaf-free part in a glass of water or in a damp one Potting soil set.

What you need to pay attention to:

Cactus soil as Growing substrate(€ 12.99 at Amazon *) use
Place the seed container in a light and warm location
Avoid direct sunlight
if new leaves form, the offshoot should be repotted

use

Madagascar palms are not just for Greenhouses(€ 55.99 at Amazon *) suitable in botanical gardens. They decorate living rooms and winter gardens as houseplant. The pulp is used as an ingredient in the manufacture of cosmetics.

Is Madagascar Palm Poisonous?

It is believed that Madagascar palms are poisonous, similar to other dog poison plants. So far there are no precise descriptions of the structure of the ingredients. Pachypodium lamerei is said to contain cardenolides, which are among the poisons that have an effect on the heart. Symptoms of poisoning can occur in both humans and pets.

Protect your hands when you need to cut the plant. A white milky sap emerges from the wounds, which can severely burn the skin.
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Which location is suitable?

The thick foot prefers a warm location with sufficient light, whereby the succulent does not like direct sunlight. A bright location in the Penumbra offers the plant ideal growth conditions. When choosing a location, you should pay attention to a balanced relationship between temperature and light. The warmer it is, the more light the plant needs. A suboptimal location encourages the spread of diseases and pests.

Place your Madagascar palm next to a west or east facing window. In summer you can put the plant outside. A sheltered place on the south side of the house is ideal. You can also place the succulent plant in covered corners on the terrace or balcony, because this is where the heat accumulates.

If your plant is outdoors, look out for:

Protection from cold winds and rain
Temperatures of at least 15 degrees Celsius at night
Minimum nighttime temperatures of 18 degrees Celsius when the plant is young

What soil does the plant need?

The substrate should be rich in nutrients and have a loose structure. Use potting soil or potting soil that you loosen up with sand, coconut fiber or cactus soil. Such mixtures increase the permeability of the substrate and prevent the soil from storing too much moisture. Alternatively, you can use special mixtures for cacti and succulents. Since these substrates are low in nutrients, they need to be more frequent fertilize or repot.

sowing

When an older Madagascar palm first begins to flower, you can collect seeds after it has been pollinated. You support seed formation by pollinating the flowers with a brush. After collecting the seeds, they are stored until the next spring. Pay attention to dry and dark storage conditions.

Sow the seeds thinly on a nutrient-poor growing medium and cover the seeds only lightly with soil. Moisten the substrate and cover the planter with a transparent film. Place the pot in a warm place with lots of light. You can place the cultivation vessel on a windowsill with direct sunlight.

The germination success rate is highest at temperatures between 24 and 30 degrees Celsius. If you cannot guarantee these conditions, we recommend growing them in a heated greenhouse for the windowsill.

Madagascar palm in a pot

The thick foot is cultivated as a container plant. Make sure that the water can drain well. Waterlogging in the substrate affects plant health as the roots rot and fungal spores find optimal growth conditions. You can prevent waterlogging by choosing a pot with a drain hole.

Put pebbles, or pottery shards Expanded clay(€ 16.36 at Amazon *) over the drain hole. In this way, no substrate trickles out of the hole and the irrigation water can flow off better. Clay pots are better suited for cultivation than plastic vessels. The natural material can better regulate the moisture in the substrate, as the water penetrates the pores and evaporates on the outside.

Watering the Madagascar palm

In the natural area of the Madagascar palm, rainy seasons alternate with dry periods. While the plant grows in periods of high rainfall, they go into a dormant state when there is a lack of water. These conditions should be mimicked in cultivation. You can adjust the rainy and dry seasons to suit the seasons.

Starting in spring, start watering regularly. Let the substrate dry on the surface before each casting unit. Pour penetratingly so that the stem tissue can soak in water. The water requirement of the Madagascar palm is much higher than that of other succulents. The more you water, the higher the increase in leaf mass. In autumn, reduce the watering until the plant has shed all of its leaves. Then moisten the substrate with a little water so that it does not dry out completely and become cracked.

Use stale tap water and filter it if necessary. The plant does not tolerate hard water. Rainwater is well suited.

Shorten

Pruning measures are superfluous with this exotic plant. A section of the crown causes the plant to die. Wilted or diseased leaves can be removed at any time with a sharp knife. If your plant is growing too strong, you can reduce the watering a little. A change of location to a darker location also slows down the growth rate.
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Fertilize Madagascar palm properly

Like irrigation, fertilization is adapted to the natural growth phases. A nutrient supply is recommended during the growth phase. If this extends over the summer, you can start fertilizing in April. Give the plant additional nutrients in the form of a liquid at regular intervals until September Complete fertilizer. This is administered in a weakly concentrated manner via the irrigation water. More than one application of fertilizer per month is not necessary.

If your plant grows and rests regardless of the season, orientate yourself on the fresh shoots. If these have been visible for four weeks, start with the first fertilization. Give the plant extra nutrients once a month. The measure is discontinued around four to six months after the first supply.

Repot

Every two to three years the roots have grown through the substrate in the tub and the plant needs a larger planter. Completely remove the old substrate and rinse off any residue under water. In order to touch the Madagascar palm with this measure, a multiple wrapping of the trunk with thick foil has proven itself. Gloves are not enough as the strong thorns penetrate the material.

How to transplant the succulent:

in spring or before the growth phase
Mix fresh and nutrient-rich substrate with sand
Line the new bucket with potsherds
Insert the plant, fill up with substrate and water
do without additional fertilization

Overwinter

If you cultivate your thick-footed feet outside in summer, bring the bucket indoors in autumn. The temperature in the winter quarters at this time should be 18 degrees Celsius. A sharp drop in temperature between the location outdoors and in winter quarters weakens the plant. Then move the bucket when the temperatures at both locations are similar.

If the Madagascar palm is in the house all year round, you can place the plant in a mild and light place in winter. Overwintering near a heater does not cause the plant any problems. She likes warm winter quarters where the thermometer doesn't drop below 18 degrees Celsius. Adjust watering based on the needs of the plant. The darker it is, the less you need to water.

If you don't cut back on care, the plant will keep its leaves. It does not go to sleep and uses the water for leaf development. However, periods of rest are important for the health of the plant. Weakened growths become susceptible to disease.
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Fungal attack

If the water drainage is not guaranteed, waterlogging can accumulate in the substrate. This leads to rotten roots. You should water with caution, especially in winter, as the plants require less water and the substrate quickly becomes too moist. A cold floor also promotes putrefaction.

Fungal spores can settle on the affected roots and damage the plant. It loses leaves and dies with severe infestation. As soon as the first signs of waterlogging appear, you should put the plant in fresh soil. Completely remove the old substrate and cut off rotten roots. In the next time you shouldn't water the plant so that the roots can recover.

Pests

Occasionally there may be an infestation by scale insects, which prefer to spread during the cold season. Dry air, warm temperatures and a location that is too dark promote the spread of the pests. They leave a sticky film on the underside of the leaf and on the trunk. Scale insects feed on the sap and secrete this honeydew. Dabbing the pests with a cotton swab soaked in tea tree oil has proven to be an effective method of control. Special parasitic wasps serve as beneficial insects. Sustainable control usually requires the use of oil-based insecticides.

Brown leaves

It is common for Madagascar palms to have brown to black leaf tips. The discoloration can spread to the entire leaf and indicates suboptimal environmental conditions. Various factors may come into question, which should be checked in turn. A lack of nutrients, waterlogging and a pH value that is too high as well as drafts and a location that is too dark can damage the plant. If the roots hit the pot, this can also lead to this damage.

Tips

The already top-heavy plants shift their focus higher and higher with increasing growth. You can give the bucket additional stability by placing it in a larger pot. Fill the gap with pebbles. For smaller specimens, you can cover the substrate with larger stones.

sorts

Pachypodium saundersii: Silver-gray trunk with warty thickenings, of various shapes. Leaves with a slightly wavy margin. Grows up to six meters high.
Pachypodium geayi: narrow leaves, silvery green. Trunk cylindrical. Growth height four to five meters.
Pachypodium rutenbergianum: Sparse branched, stem bottle-shaped. Flowers delicate pink. Grows three to eight feet tall.