Previous plant

Pachypodium brevicaule

Next plant


Two wild plants by Ferdinand Poilodan.

Author:  John Gilbert Baker, 1887
Family:  APOCYNACEAE
Origin:  Madagascar
Soil:  Grit
Water:  Minimum - Often!
Sun:  Maximum
Thickness:  1 Meter
Height:  40 Centimetres
Flower:  Yellow
Propagate:  Seeds/Cuttings
Names:  -
Synonyms:  Pachypodium brevicaule subsp. leucoxanthum, Lüthy.

This difficult member of the Apocynaceae family was described by John Gilbert Baker in 1887. It is found in the central Madagascar, growing in limestone with a little water but often, year round. It needs lots of sun, and can grow to one meter in diameter and 40 centimetres in height. The flowers are light yellow, and the plant can be reproduced both by seeds and cuttings.

The genera name from Greek; pachys; 'thick' and Greek podion; 'small foot' for the thick caudiciform trunk, formed by some species. The species name means 'short stem'.