Pachypodium help

[murmanator]

Anyone out there into Pachypodiums? Ive had good success with them until a few recent problems. I was away on vacation and had someone (that I usually trust) water my plants. When I got home I found a few of my Pachys (horombense, rutenbergianum) with soft stems and the roots a little loose in the soil. All the leaves look fine and Im pretty sure the plants in question are even growing more leaves. They have maintained in this same state for 2 weeks, I have not watered since I returned.

Are they rotting? Seems to be pretty slow for rot to progress. Is it possible they have not received enough water and are becoming desicated? I was unable to get a full report on what my friend did while I was away. These plants are kept indoors in a sunny windowsil and I typically water once a week, until I went away they all were growing great and very healthy.

Thanks for any comments.

[Bill in SC]

The first signs of dessication with Pachys is yellowing leaves and leaf loss. Then, the trunk begins to pucker and shrink. This is what occurs while mine are winter dormant. During the growing season, when I see a leaf yellowing, it usually indicates need of water, although they are constantly shedding and growing new leaves anyhow. The only thing that worries me about yours is that you say they are loose in the soil. I would unpot them and inspect their root systems to see what might be going on with them..
Bill in SC

[nachtkrabb]

Hi,
may I please add another question: my Pachy had lost all his leaves and was showing no life sign for about half a year. But its trunk was not shrunk.
Does this sound like a dormant period....?
I feared for his life.
(By now he is branching and foliating like madness.)

Is the "regular" dormant period of Pachys around December (=> descent from south of the equator) or around July? Or does this depend on where the plant was raised?
Ruth

[murmanator]

Well, good news on my front. After a few waterings my Pachys are begining to firm back up and roots are taking better hold again. Happy day!

Ruth, sounds like you may have a winter growing Pachy on your hands and, yes, it was in a dormant period. I dont know all the species and their growing periods, but I do know P. namaquatum is a winter grower... I just noticed new leaves pushing out on mine yesterday (which is kinda strange because it is not anywhere near winter here, or fall for that matter, but what the hey, the plant knows best!). My general rule on pachys is: no leaf no water. In other words do not water when dormant.

[Buck Hemenway]

Ruth,

Do you know which Pachy that you have? I believe that all of the Madagascan ones are summer growers. I have a strange relationship with P. namaquanam. I'm pretty sure that it is dormant in the dead of winter, but looses its leaves in May or June as soon as it starts to get hot. Then it starts to leaf out in August when we're the hottest. Annual ritual, 5 years. Obviously the same in Phoenix.

They really are thirsty when they are growing. I think that your plants just needed more water.

We're going to South Africa and the region where P. namaquanam grows in Sept. I intend to learn more about this fantastic plant. It grows in a winter rainfall area, so winter growing makes sense, but they get so little rain that they may be more opportunistic than regular. I do know that they will rot in a heartbeat in the winter when wet and cold, just like all the rest of their kin.

[nachtkrabb]

Murmanator,
that's good news that your Pachys get better! I do like to hear that.

Buck,
I guess I have a P.lamerei.
Are only the P.namaquanam that thirsty when growing, or is this a general rule with Pachys? - Your guy with two dormant periods sounds good fun!
Please tell us about your new discoveries from the Land Of Pachys, when you are back! Good fun to you!

(Whole plant see http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h292/ ... erei-2.jpg.)

Did I get that right, it is quite normal that during the dormant period they throw away ALL their leaves? And then I apply the Murmanator Rule "no leaves - no water", don't I? But do they report their awakening by starting to grow (still without water), or do they need an awakening-kiss in form of a good drench? And if so, how do I know when it is time for that?

Thanks for your patience with a bewildered
Ruth

[Buck Hemenway]

Ruth,

You have P. lamerei. It will be thirsty in the summer and dormant in the winter. Mine throw their leaves when it gets cold. Not every year here is cold enough (-1 or 2 C). When they have no leaves, they are very prone to rot. So murmantor is correct, no leaves, no water. They will show definitive signs of growth in the pring. I will say that I left my big guy too long one spring and nearly killed him. You will learn the plant's habits.

[Mark]

My pachypodium lameri didn't lose it leaves at all it still has some of the ones from last year.





Mark

[Buck Hemenway]

Mark,

That's the best deal. I don't believe that they lose their leaves in habitat. Some people here who grow them in very protected areas have several years of leaves on their plants.

[Mark]

So then I am doing everything right?



Mark

[nachtkrabb]

This is exactly what had irritated me in first run: for years, my Pachy did not loose his leaves at all (or just some), just as Mark's. But if it is a question of temperature - I have him indoors during winter, and our living room usually is not cold enough to freeze water. As our windows close not exactly hermetically, maybe last winter (long, very hard frost till end of Feb.) the guy got cold feet enough to sleep till late July.

Thanks for all the tips and for identification, Buck!
Ruth