Pachypodium lealii
| Light | Full sun to very bright light |
|---|---|
| Water | Only while in leaf; keep bone dry through its winter/dormant rest |
| Soil | Very gritty, fast-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Frost-tender; keep warm and above ~10 °C, USDA zones 10–11 |
| Propagation | Seed (the reliable method) |
| Toxicity | Sap is clear (not milky); it can cause mild skin or eye irritation, so wash hands after handling |
Pachypodium lealii, widely known as the bottle tree, is a stout, caudiciform succulent from the arid country of southwestern Angola and northwestern Namibia. It is grown for its dramatically swollen, tapering trunk — broad and bottle-shaped at the base, narrowing sharply upward into a few thick, spiny branches — which is crowned in the dry season by a flush of white flowers. It belongs to the genus Pachypodium in the dogbane family (Apocynaceae).
Description
Pachypodium lealii is a deciduous, succulent-stemmed tree that can reach several metres tall. Its most striking feature is the fat, water-storing trunk, which swells at the base and tapers toward the top like a bottle or a squat candle, giving the plant its common name. The pale, greyish bark is armed with paired or clustered spines, and the sparse crown of stubby branches carries small, soft leaves only during the growing season.
The plant is leafless for much of the year. Flowering typically happens while the plant is bare or nearly so: the white, five-petalled flowers open near the branch tips, standing out vividly against the leafless, pale-barked silhouette. Unlike many members of the dogbane family, Pachypodium does not exude milky latex; its sap is clear and watery, and can cause mild irritation.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to southwestern Angola and the arid northwest of Namibia, where it grows in hot, dry, rocky terrain — often rooted in cracks in rock outcrops and on stony hillsides with very little soil. These are harsh, low-rainfall habitats with a long dry season, and the swollen trunk is an adaptation for storing water through months of drought.
In habitat the plants are widely spaced and slow-growing, and old specimens develop a characteristically gnarled, weathered form. As with all wild succulents, plants should come from nursery propagation rather than habitat collection. All Pachypodium are CITES-listed — P. lealii on Appendix II — so internationally traded plants require the appropriate permits.
Cultivation
Pachypodium lealii is a plant for growers who can give it real heat and can resist the urge to water. Grow it in full sun or the brightest light available, in a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix, in a pot that drains fast and dries quickly.
Water only when the plant is in active growth and in leaf, letting the mix dry thoroughly between drinks. The critical rule is the winter rest: as the plant drops its leaves and goes dormant, keep it warm and completely dry, because cool, damp conditions on a resting caudex are the fastest route to rot. It is very frost-tender and must be kept above roughly 10 °C. Expect slow growth — this is a plant to enjoy over many years. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Seed is the practical method. Fresh seed sown onto a warm, mineral surface and kept lightly moist (not wet) until it germinates gives the best results, and seed-raised plants develop the most natural swollen base. Cuttings are difficult and rarely satisfactory, since the species does not root easily and cutting-grown plants tend not to form a good caudex. See Propagation — seed for a full walkthrough.
Common problems
- Rot — by far the most common killer, caused by watering during dormancy, cold-and-wet conditions, or a slow-draining mix; the trunk softens and discolours.
- Cold damage — even a light frost can be fatal; keep the plant warm through winter.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff in the crown and among the spines) and spider mites in hot, dry, still air are the usual offenders. See Pests and diseases.
See also
- Pachypodium — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting · Propagation — seed · Pests and diseases