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 Description: Pachypodium lamerei
forma cristata is a nice large succulent with a thick crested trunk.
The spiny gray stem will soon form an heavily convoluted fan-shaped or
snaky ridged cluster. The comb-shaped
foliage is arranged
only at the top of the
trunk .
Cultivation: Is fairly easy to grow both indoors, as well as
outdoors in warm climates and can grow at about 10cm a year. In the
winters it is deciduous, except in very tropical areas. Needs a
draining
cactus potting mix and regular water when the plant has leaves,
contrary to popular belief, it likes a lot of water in the warm summers,
as long as it's planted in a very well draining soil. Indoors it is best
to err on the dry side, or it is prone to rot. It like
full sun to
light shade with warm temperatures.
It is a fairly slow growing plant, but in 10 years it can easily outgrow
its indoor location, requiring a 'pruning'. Though branching is usually
a response to naturaly injury, or something that happens in older
specimens, one can stimulate branching by cutting off its top. It has
amazing regenerative properties.
Repot the plant every 3 years; this is quite tricky given all the
spines. The best way is to wrap several layers of newspaper around the
trunk where it is to be handled.
Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and
cultivars of Pachypodium lamerei.
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Cultivation
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