The Madagascar palm (Pachypodium lamerei), or simply palm, it is a succulent plant with a caudiciform and spiny trunk that belongs to the Apocynaceae family. As its popular name betrays us, it is an endemic species of the island of Madagascar.
It is a succulent plant with a fusiform stem covered by abundant thorns, with dark green lanceolate leaves that can reach up to 8 m in height. The flowers are very aromatic and in shades of white, red and yellow. The fruits are characterized by their particular banana shape.
Its natural habitat is located in xerophilous environments, so it is very well adapted to dry and warm conditions. The succulent stem acts as a water storage reservoir, which favors its survival in extreme weather conditions..
It is an easy plant to propagate, which is grown for its ornamental value, both in pots and gardens, in isolation or in groups. However, it is an extremely poisonous species, both the thorns and the succulent trunk and the leaves contain toxins that can be poisonous to the body..
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Succulent stem plant with terminal ramifications that reaches in its natural habitat more than 8 m in height. The base is quite wide, being able to measure between 90-100 cm in diameter. The greenish-brown bark is covered by numerous diagonal stipules in the form of thick and sharp spines 3-6 cm long..
The lanceolate leaves, petiolate and bright green, are between 30-40 cm long, their size is proportional to the height of the plant. The basal leaves tend to fall as it grows, with only the apical leaves remaining. For this reason its appearance is associated with that of a palm tree.
Flowering occurs during spring or summer, only in adult plants grown on dry land and under favorable climate conditions. The 6-8 cm diameter flowers have 5 white petals with red-yellowish hues and an obvious calyx. They are arranged in terminal inflorescences of more than 10 flowers.
The fruit is a fusiform follicle in the shape of a succulent banana 15-30 cm long. Inside are rounded seeds of 15-20 mm in diameter and bluish-brown in color..
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Division: Magnoliophyta
- Class: Rosopsida
- Subclass: Asteridae
- Order: Gentianales
- Family: Apocynaceae
- Subfamily: Apocynoideae
- Tribe: Malouetieae
- Gender: Pachypodium
- Species: Pachypodium lamerei Drake.
- Pachypodium: the name of the genus comes from the Greek "pachys" and "podos", which mean "thick" and "foot". Alluding to the broad and robust shape of the basal area of the plant.
- lamerei: the specific adjective was given in honor of the French official surnamed Lamére, who collected certain holotypes of the species in the Mandrari region.
- Pachypodium champenoisianum Boiteau
- Pachypodium ramosum Costantin & Bois
- P. rutenbergianum var. lamerei (Drake) Poiss.
- P. lamerei var. ramosum (Costantin & Bois) Pichon
- Pachypodium rutenbergianum F. lamerei (Drake) Poiss.
The species Pachypodium lamerei it is an endemic plant to the south of the island of Madagascar in East Africa. It is a plant adapted to hot climates and xerophilic conditions, although it can withstand dry cold as long as the frosts are not persistent..
It grows on poor, loose and well-drained logs, even in sand dunes, at an altitude range between 1,300-1,900 meters above sea level. It develops under full sun exposure and tolerates wide temperature ranges, from -10 ºC to 40 ºC.
At present, they are cultivated in gardens as ornamental plants, the species being Pachypodium lamerei the best known, for its rapid spread and growth. Its geographical distribution is located in southern Africa, in Angola, Botswana, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe.
The reproduction of the Madagascar palm is carried out from seeds or by means of stem cuttings obtained from branched and vigorous plants.
The establishment of the crop by means of seeds takes place during the cool months of spring and autumn. The seeds require a pre-germination process of soaking in warm water for 24 hours before being planted..
The sowing is carried out in germination trays using a fertile, humid and disinfected substrate. Under greenhouse conditions, maintaining constant humidity and half shade, germination takes 8-12 days.
The stem of the Madagascar palm has the ability to generate basal or lateral branches in the area where leaves and thorns are grouped. These small shoots are the cuttings that are used to reproduce the new plants.
Once they are cut, they are dried directly in the sun for 3-4 days for the cut to heal. They are then sown in pots with loose and damp substrate, preferably in early summer..
The Madagascar palm requires a location in full sun exposure and protected from strong winds for optical growth and development. It does not tolerate shady conditions, so when planted in pots it should be placed on balconies or terraces where it receives high solar radiation..
It naturally grows on different types of soils, preferably loose, sandy and well drained. Grown in pots, it requires a substrate based on siliceous sand, gravel and black soil with a low content of organic matter..
It is recommended to sow in regions where the daytime temperature does not exceed 30 ºC and the night temperature does not drop below 15 ºC. The optical range of growth is between 20-24 ºC. Temperatures below 15 ºC cause foliage to drop and stem blossoming.
Under high temperature conditions it is advisable to water 1-2 times a week, always keeping the substrate moist to avoid the deterioration of its roots. During the winter season, the frequency of irrigation is reduced, limiting its application only when the substrate is dry..
The Madagascar palm is a rustic species adapted to xerophilic conditions and dry soils of low fertility. However, as an ornamental plant it can be paid monthly with a mineral fertilizer for succulent plants..
In adverse conditions the incidence of aphids and mealybugs is frequent. These insects feed on the tender tissues of shoots and leaves, causing the general weakness of the plant. They can be eliminated by physical methods or specific insecticides.
Among the most common pathologies are the fall of the leaves due to excess humidity or low temperatures. As well as the compaction and rotting of the stem caused by frost or lack of lighting.
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