Pachypodium saundersii
| Light | Full sun to bright light; loves strong direct light |
|---|---|
| Water | Regularly in active growth; keep dry through the leafless dormancy |
| Soil | Very free-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep well above freezing; frost-tender, USDA zones 9b–11 |
| Propagation | Seed (primary); occasionally by cuttings |
| Toxicity | Sap and plant are best treated as toxic, as in many Apocynaceae; keep away from pets and children |
Pachypodium saundersii is a caudiciform succulent from southern Africa, prized for its swollen, silvery-grey base and its display of white, pinwheel-shaped flowers. It forms a squat, bottle-like trunk topped with spiny, sparingly branched stems, and in winter it drops its leaves to sit as a bare, sculptural caudex — a look that has made it a favourite among collectors of fat-stemmed plants. It is sometimes called the kudu lily, and was long treated as a subspecies of Pachypodium lealii.
Description
Pachypodium saundersii develops a broad, rounded caudex — a water-storing swollen base — that is smooth and pale grey to silvery, often wider than it is tall in older plants. From the top of this base arise several stout, tapering branches armed with paired spines, giving the plant a knotted, characterful silhouette.
The leaves are small, glossy and deep green, clustered toward the branch tips, and are shed during the dry-season dormancy. Flowering comes in autumn to winter, when the bare or nearly bare stems carry clusters of showy white flowers, sometimes flushed pink or with faint pink veining, whose five petals are arranged in a distinctive pinwheel. Against the pale caudex and dark spines the effect is striking.
Distribution and habitat
The species grows in hot, seasonally dry country of southern Africa, ranging across parts of South Africa (notably KwaZulu-Natal), Eswatini, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. It favours rocky slopes and outcrops, wedging its caudex among stones where drainage is sharp and roots stay dry between rains.
Its habitat is strongly seasonal: warm, wet summers drive rapid growth and flowering, while the cool, dry winter triggers leaf drop and dormancy. Like most caudiciform Pachypodium, it has evolved to store water through these lean months in its swollen base.
Cultivation
Pachypodium saundersii is one of the more forgiving members of its genus and a good introduction to caudiciform growing, provided its seasonal rhythm is respected. Grow it in full sun or the brightest light available, in a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix in a pot only a little larger than the root system.
Water generously while the plant is in leaf and actively growing through the warm months, always letting the mix dry between waterings. As the leaves yellow and drop in autumn, taper off and keep the plant nearly dry and warm through its winter rest; a wet, cold caudex is the quickest route to rot. Warmth is essential — the species is frost-tender and should be kept comfortably above freezing. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Seed is the usual and most reliable method. Fresh seed sown onto a warm, gritty surface and kept humid germinates well, and seedlings quickly begin to swell at the base — the caudex forms naturally rather than needing special coaxing. Cuttings are sometimes taken but root less readily and generally will not develop the same fat, symmetrical caudex as a seed-grown plant. See Propagation — seed and Propagation — cuttings for full walkthroughs.
Common problems
- Rot — by far the commonest cause of loss, from watering during dormancy, a slow-draining mix, or cold wet conditions; the caudex softens and discolours.
- Winter losses — plants kept too cold and damp during their leafless rest are especially vulnerable; keep them warm and dry.
- Etiolation — too little light produces weak, drawn-out stems instead of a compact, characterful form.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff at the growing points and in leaf axils) and spider mites are the usual culprits; see Pests and diseases.
See also
- Pachypodium — the genus overview
- Pachypodium lealii — the closely related species this was once treated as a subspecies of
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting · Propagation — seed · Propagation — cuttings · Pests and diseases