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Pachypodium succulentum
The plant likes sunny locations, but can also tolerate partial shade.
Water the substrate, always a few days after it has dried out. Reduce watering in winter.
It can withstand temperatures as low as -3.9 °C for short periods. However, the plant is not frost-resistant.
Unlike most South African pachypods, this species is extremely hardy and can survive even severe frosts for short periods in winter.
Pachypodium succulentum bears the epithet succulentum, meaning “succulent,” referring to its noticeably swollen stem used for water storage. In nature, it occurs in dry habitats, most often among rocks. It belongs to succulents with a pronounced caudex and a distinctive growth habit.
The plant develops a large, tuberous stem that can reach a diameter of up to about 15 cm, with most of its volume remaining below the soil surface. Several slender, slightly twisted branches emerge from the caudex. These branches carry brown spines, usually arranged in spreading pairs. Young branches are grey and felted, becoming smooth with age and developing wrinkled brown bark. The leaves are fleshy, green to brownish, scattered along the branches and clearly clustered toward their tips. The plant can reach a height of up to approximately 60 cm.
The flowers are crimson to shades of pink, rarely white, and often show a darker central stripe on the corolla lobes. They appear in spring and early summer.
For cultivation, a very well-draining substrate and a bright position are suitable. Watering should be done carefully, allowing the substrate to dry well between waterings. This is a resilient succulent that can be shaped and grown long-term as a distinctive houseplant.