Madagascar palm

Madagascar palm: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Succulent tree with a thick, upright trunk about 1.5 m tall and 60 cm across indoors; several metres tall in the wild.

Trunk

Thick, silver-grey and full of water, covered with sharp spines a few centimetres long in groups of three.

Leaves

In a tuft at the top of the trunk; long, narrow, glossy dark green with a pale midrib; often dropped in winter.

Flower

White, fragrant, trumpet-shaped flowers, only on large, older plants; it rarely flowers indoors.

Sap

Milky, toxic sap in the trunk and leaves; it is released from wounds.

Plants: March–April

Why grow it?

• A sculptural, palm-like shape that gives a sunny corner of the living room an exotic accent at once.
• Very little work: little water, no pruning and hardly any feeding.
• Drought-tolerant: the trunk stores water, so a forgotten watering is no disaster.
• Grows steadily and stays handsome for years, even without flowers.
• The silver-grey trunk and glossy green leaves give structure all year round.

Madagascar palm: where does it grow best?

• Full sun: a south- or west-facing window with as much light as possible. In summer it may go outdoors, in a sheltered, sunny spot.
• Very free-draining, mineral mix: cactus compost half and half with coarse sand, fine grit or pumice; neutral.
• Dry: let the soil dry out completely between waterings and never let water stand in the saucer.
• A sturdy, heavy pot in a spot where nobody brushes past it; the plant is tall and the spines are sharp. Keep it out of reach of children and pets.

Light

Sunny

Potting soil

Cactus compost

Acidity

Neutral

Watering

Sparingly

Size

1.5 m tall, 0.6 m wide

Temperature

Minimum 12 °C

Goes well with

• Agave: A sturdy grey-blue rosette next to the silver-grey trunk.
• Aloe: Fleshy, calm foliage for the same sunny, dry spot.
• Echeveria: A low rosette in blue-grey tones at the foot of the trunk.
• Kalanchoe: Fleshy leaves and generous flowering for a colourful accent in the same sun.

Madagascar palm: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April.

1. Repot in March–April, at the start of growth; usually every 2–3 years.
2. Wear sturdy gloves and safety glasses, and hold the plant with folded newspaper or foam; the spines are sharp.
3. Choose a heavy, deep pot with a drainage hole, one size up from the old one, so that the top-heavy plant does not topple.
4. Fill with a mix of cactus compost and coarse sand or pumice, set the plant at the same depth as before and firm lightly.
5. Do not water for about a week after repotting so that damaged roots can heal.

Care

Water

From April to September water when the soil is completely dry, roughly every 1–2 weeks depending on the heat; let the excess drain away. In winter little or none, especially if it has lost its leaves.

Feeding

From May to August, once a month, give cactus feed at the recommended dose or slightly weaker. Not in winter.

Light

Plenty of sun. After winter, get it used to strong sunlight gradually, or the leaves will scorch.

Turning

Give the pot a quarter turn now and then so that the trunk grows straight instead of leaning towards the light.

Repotting

Every 2–3 years in spring, in fresh, mineral mix in a sturdy pot.

Tip: Give it plenty of sun, little water and, in winter, a dry, bright spot above 12 °C, and always put on gloves when repotting: the sap is toxic and the spines are sharp.

Madagascar palm: when to prune it?

When: A Madagascar palm is not pruned. You only remove withered or yellow leaves as soon as they come loose.

How:

• Do not pull off dead leaves; twist them off or cut them away gently with clean scissors, wearing gloves.
• Remove soft or rotten parts as soon as you see them, back to healthy tissue, and let the wound dry.
• Do not cut off the top: the plant grows from a single point and might then branch from several points, which cannot be undone.
• Always wear gloves and safety glasses.

Caution: The milky sap is toxic and can irritate skin and eyes; it drips from wounds. Do not cut into the plant without gloves and protection.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

In spring sow fresh seed on a sandy, free-draining mix, barely covering it, under clear film at 25–30 °C in a bright place. It germinates after a few weeks. The seedlings grow slowly at first.

Side branches

If the plant has side branches, you can cut one off in spring, wearing gloves and using a clean knife. Let the wound dry for a few weeks and set it in a dry, sandy mix. It does not always work.

Madagascar palm: how does it get through the winter?

• Not hardy: keep it above 12 °C, preferably at 15–18 °C, in the brightest place possible.
• It is normal for it to lose its leaves in winter; keep the soil dry and give no water until new leaves appear in spring.
• Do not leave it in a cold draught or against a cold window: cold plus wet causes trunk rot.

Diseases and pests

• Leaf drop: Normal in winter. In summer it points to cold, a draught, a change of position or too much water. Put it in a warm, bright, stable spot and water less.
• Soft trunk or trunk rot: A soft, dark or slimy base from too much water or cold is serious. Stop watering; cut away rotten parts with a clean knife and gloves back to healthy tissue and let the wound dry. If the whole trunk is soft, the plant often cannot be saved.
• Spider mite and mealybug: Fine webbing or white, cottony tufts near the leaves and on the trunk. Rinse the plant or wipe the affected spots with gloves and a cotton bud; repeat after a week.
• Leaning growth: The trunk bends towards the light if there is too little of it or if the pot is never turned. Move it closer to the light and turn the pot a quarter turn now and then.

Through the year

• January: Rest: dry and as bright as possible, 12–18 °C. No water.
• February: Rest: dry and bright. No water.
• March: Repotting possible, with gloves and glasses. No water yet.
• April: Repot. Once new leaves appear, water a little.
• May: Water when the soil is dry. Start feeding.
• June: Water when the soil is dry and feed. Plenty of sun.
• July: Water when the soil is dry and feed.
• August: Water when the soil is dry. Last feed.
• September: Reduce watering. No more feeding.
• October: Almost stop watering; the leaves may drop.
• November: Rest: dry and bright, above 12 °C.
• December: Rest: dry and bright, above 12 °C.

Edible and useful

Not edible. Madagascar palm is not a palm but a relative of desert rose and oleander: the milky sap in its trunk and leaves is poisonous and irritates the skin and eyes, and swallowing any causes vomiting, stomach ache and diarrhoea, in cats and dogs too. The trunk is covered in sharp spines, which usually keep children and animals away, but fallen leaves sometimes lie on the floor: clear them up. Keep it out of reach of small children and pets. Wear sturdy gloves and safety glasses when repotting, and wash your hands afterwards. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Did you know?

• The Madagascar palm is not a palm but belongs to the Apocynaceae family, which also includes the oleander.
• The genus name Pachypodium comes from Greek: pachys means thick and podion little foot, after its thick trunk.
• In the wild the plant drops its leaves in the dry season and lives off the water stored in its trunk.