Cyphostemma laza
This member of the Vitaceae family is a smal caudiciform species from Madagascar with peeling pale trunk topped with sprawling, vine-like stems.

Description: This is a smal a tree-like caudiciform species with peeling pale trunk and vining. In its native habitat, this extraordinary pachycaul member of the Vitaceae is a rare and long-lived plant.
Caudex: The caudex, at first green, becomes brownish-grey and woody as the plant ages. It is narrowly conical and grows 50 to 150 cm tall or more, 30-50cm in diameter
Stem (vines): The twiggy branching vines reaches 5 meters.
Leaves: Light green with 7-9 large lanceolate leaflets, slightly succulent.  In the wild, leaves are shed during the dry season; and in cultivation, they fall as winter approaches.
Flower: Brown/greenish.
Fruit: Spherical, 1.2-1,5 cm, with persistant style, black-purple when ripe, and poisonous.

Cultivation: Grows in a rich, very well drained, preferably stony soil with some water and lots of sun throughout the year. It is suited to greenhouse culture, but does well out of doors in Mediterranean climate. It doesn't like a wet winter, but will survive. Water plentifully in summer but keep rather dry in winter at a minimum of some 12°C. C. laza, like all pachycaul succulent species of Cyphostemma, is sensitive to excess moisture, and should be kept on the dry side. Mature plants are hardy to 2° C. Can't stand any frost. Exposure: light shade. For soil in full sun throughout the year.

Propagation: Propagates usually from seeds that must be prepared, aged and scarified, and even then germination is uncertain or by cuttings.

Origin: Endemic to Madagascar. Cyphostemma laza is probably the most widespread throughout species of the genus in Madagascar.

Common Name:  Elephant-foot Grape Tree.

Etymology: The genus name comes from Greek kyphos, meaning hump, and stemma, meaning garland. Laza is the Malagasy name.

Formerly included in the genus Cissus, the genus Cyphostemma contains some of the most desirable and attractive of all caudiciform plants.

Synonyms:  

• Cissus laza

C. laza  in winter without leaves.
Aged plant of this species  are spectacular sights in succulent and caudiciform collections, but are not difficult to grow.