Pachypodium Species, Elephant's Foot, Madagascar Palm
Pachypodiumgeayi

Family: Apocynaceae (a-pos-ih-NAY-see-ee)
Genus: Pachypodium (pak-uh-PO-dee-um)
Species: geayi (GAY-ee)

Category
Trees
Tropicals and Tender Perennials

Water Requirements
Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping

Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Sun to Partial Shade

Foliage
Grown for foliage
Deciduous
Textured
Velvet/Fuzzy

Foliage Color
Blue-Green

Height
12-15 ft. (3.6-4.7 m)

Spacing
10-12 ft. (3-3.6 m)

Hardiness
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)

Where to Grow

Danger
All parts of plant are poisonous if ingested
Plant has spines or sharp edges; use extreme caution when handling

Bloom Color
White/Near White

Bloom Characteristics

Bloom Size

Bloom Time
Late Winter/Early Spring
Mid Spring
Late Spring/Early Summer

Other details

Soil pH requirements
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)

Patent Information
Non-patented

Propagation Methods
From herbaceous stem cuttings
Allow cut surface to callous over before planting
From seed; sow indoors before last frost

Seed Collecting
Bag seedheads to capture ripening seed
Allow pods to dry on plant; break open to collect seeds
Allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds
Seed does not store well; sow as soon as possible