Pachypodiums were first collected at various places in the Madagascan Highlands by the Reverend R. Baron in the latter part of the 19th Century. The first Pachypodium to reach Europe came from the southern-most end of the range in the Eastern Cape province. This is where the two allied caudiciform species, P.succulentum and P.bispinosum, were collected by the great Swedish explorer, Carl Peter Thunberg, during his travels sometime between 1771-75.

These are some of the many Pachypodiums:

Madagascar Group 
geayi
lamerei
rosulatum
rosulatum var gracilis
densiflorum
densiflorum var brevicalyx
baronii var baronii
baronii var windsorii
decaryi
horombense
brevicaule

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Pachypodium brevicaule
[Photo by jnotias]

African Group
lealii var saundersii
namaquanum
lealii
bispinosum

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Their growing conditions vary. The following are a few selected examples:

Granite
densiflorum var brevicalyx
rosulatum
rosulatum var gracilis
namaquanum
lealii var saundersii

Quartz and quartz-mixed granite
brevicaule

Limestone
baronii var windsorii
decaryi

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        You may have other ways of growing and my way may not suit you, so please just use it as a guide. I do not allow my plants to dry out too much even through winter. I believe the roots should not dry out for any length of time. All my large plants grow in all kinds of weather as they are too large for my shed. The collection ranges in size and maturity. P.rosulatum and P.horombense in 200mm pots, with the plants branching out to 600mm wide and 600mm high. These will split the pots soon. P.lealii spp saundersii in a 400mm pot with a base of 180mm round and stems branching out to 1200mm wide and 600mm high. This plant is grown from seed collected from my own plants, sown in December 1987: 9 years old! I also have these two stems which are side-cuttings off my largest P.lealii spp saundersii. In one piece, the base got yellow rot through it. Each stem is 150mm at the base and the branches spread 1200mm wide and 900mm high. This is starting to fill a 500mm pot. This was the first Pachypodium I ever grew. It started off in my collection as a seedling from Tarrington Exotics in 1987. It is nearing the middle of September and my P.lealii spp saundersii are coming out of their winter rest. Signs of leaf are forming.

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Pachypodium geayi with the Indian Ocean in the background - Le Jardin Naturel
[Photo from www.baobabs.com]

The P.horombense did not drop all its leaves during our so-called ‘winter’ but new shoots and leaves, plus some flower stems are coming forth. P.rosulatum did drop about half its leaves and they are now showing some new growth and flower stems. The P.densiflorum var brevicalyx are also responding to the coming of spring. It is good to see the new growth forming after the winter rest because then you can say, “Well, I may have them for another year (I hope!).” Two years ago, I had two P.brevicaule which each filled 4” pots and were doing so well. September of that year, they started to bud and for some reason they turned up their toes. It was a sad day in my life as they went so quickly.

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But on a brighter note…well, it was nearly not a brighter note! In January 1996, my P.lamerei, which is 3’8” (1120mm) tall, started to rot up one side, about half way up. I scooped out the rot and coated it with sulphur powder to help heal the wound. Luckily, it started to do so! Then a stem started to form on the crown. “Yes!” (no, not Optus…) I thought. It was a flower stack forming. What a sight, all these blooms. So I pollinated as many as I could. I was lucky to have 10 pods, but only 4 have reached any size. The rest dried up. The remaining ones, at about 120x50mm, are still putting on size.

My Pachypodium potting mix is just my normal cacti mix with some scoria added to it. It must be very open — they do not like ‘wet feet’!