My Pachypodiums and other Caudiciforms

[pannaking22]

@Smotzer got some supplies earlier this week, so I think I'm finally ready to plant some seeds! Any recommendations on soil mix percentages? I've got the red lava rock and some old moss, though I don't have perlite or much sand. I figure the lava rock should make it fast draining enough though. Haven't decided how I want to start them yet, in the seed dome or straight in a pot. It'll be cool this weekend, but back up in the 90s/100s again next week, so temps aren't really an issue anymore.

 

[Smotzer]

@Smotzer got some supplies earlier this week, so I think I'm finally ready to plant some seeds! Any recommendations on soil mix percentages? I've got the red lava rock and some old moss, though I don't have perlite or much sand. I figure the lava rock should make it fast draining enough though. Haven't decided how I want to start them yet, in the seed dome or straight in a pot. It'll be cool this weekend, but back up in the 90s/100s again next week, so temps aren't really an issue anymore.

Hey man sorry for the delay for seedlings I would do no more than 50% peat the rest lava. That will be a good place to start. When they get a little older it will change slightly but for now that’s good’

Also are you in the US? I have some cuttings from my Crassula ovata ‘Gollum’ I have no use for. I offered them up on my plant forum but no takers yet so if you want one I’d be happy to send it to you.

 

[Smotzer]

@pannaking22 I’m actually going to be mixing up a batch of soil for some repotting too tomorrow I can post how it looks if you would like. I’ll be mixing peat, perlite, possibly some pumice, and repurposing some old bonsai soil and remaining lava rock/peat mix

 

[Smotzer]

Hey @pannaking22 i made a mix up here’s how I made it. One part peat, one part, perlite,one part stone. And then I add a little more stone like lava in it. I have a mix of lava, peat, perlite already mixed up, but just needed a little more so I used left over bonsai soil which is about half lava anyway.

Here’s it all mixed up

Here’s just the lava peat mix, yours will look like this. If you don’t have the perlite just add more stone

 

[pannaking22]

Hey man sorry for the delay for seedlings I would do no more than 50% peat the rest lava. That will be a good place to start. When they get a little older it will change slightly but for now that’s good’

Also are you in the US? I have some cuttings from my Crassula ovata ‘Gollum’ I have no use for. I offered them up on my plant forum but no takers yet so if you want one I’d be happy to send it to you.

No worries, it ended up being a busy weekend for me (lots of OT at the moment, not COVID related) so I didn't have time to mix anything up. I'll try to make a quick batch tonight, your mix tips and pics help a lot! I think I'm going to make some space to put them in the seedling tray, though I'd read about people having success using the baggie method if kept warm. I did that with peppers before and placed them near my beardie heat lamp and it worked alright. Maybe for the future when I've got a better handle on these.

That's a neat looking plant! Yes, I'm in the US and I'd love a cutting of it.

 

[Smotzer]

No worries, it ended up being a busy weekend for me (lots of OT at the moment, not COVID related) so I didn't have time to mix anything up. I'll try to make a quick batch tonight, your mix tips and pics help a lot! I think I'm going to make some space to put them in the seedling tray, though I'd read about people having success using the baggie method if kept warm. I did that with peppers before and placed them near my beardie heat lamp and it worked alright. Maybe for the future when I've got a better handle on these.

That's a neat looking plant! Yes, I'm in the US and I'd love a cutting of it.

I’ve never tried baggie method with these before, I don’t know how your guys would do with that

 

[Anubis77]

Awesome. I love your caudiciforms. Good to see another enthusiast. I took a break from animals and got into caudiciforms and succulents pretty hard for a couple years. Still have a bunch, but the lighting at my new apartment isn't doing a lot of them favors so I'll likely sell some. My treasures are a Dioscorea elephantipes, Pachypodium rosulatum gracilis (bit etiolated though), Fockea edulis, Corallocarpus glomeruliflorus, and my ever expanding and exploding Dorstenia.

Caudiciforms feel more like "creatures" rather than plants which is why I think it was a natural transition. Thick plants are best plants.

 

[Smotzer]

Awesome. I love your caudiciforms. Good to see another enthusiast. I took a break from animals and got into caudiciforms and succulents pretty hard for a couple years. Still have a bunch, but the lighting at my new apartment isn't doing a lot of them favors so I'll likely sell some. My treasures are a Dioscorea elephantipes, Pachypodium rosulatum gracilis (bit etiolated though), Fockea edulis, Corallocarpus glomeruliflorus, and my ever expanding and exploding Dorstenia.

Caudiciforms feel more like "creatures" rather than plants which is why I think it was a natural transition. Thick plants are best plants.

Hey!! Sorry I just saw this! Really happy to see another enthusiast on here!! I would love to see your specimens!! You have some great species there!! Please feel free to post them on here!

And you’re right!! caudiciforms are definitely little creatures!! Just little plump strange creatures! What more could you ask for!?

 

[Smotzer]

Hey everyone!

Got some updates on a few caudiciforms now that they have woke back up in the Texas heat!! I am very happy for them they are thriving in this weather, they don’t get quite as much light as I would like up on the 3rd floor, I have to rotate them every week or so, so I don’t get too crooked Of growth. But they are so happy and staying very firm.

Pachypodium rosulatum gracilius (P. gracilius). Sporting some new leaves and two big flower stalks!! Flowers just started opening up and upon examination it confirms that it is indeed this species which makes me very happy. Flower is one of the best ways to identify pachypodiums



Then there’s this P. r. gracilius who’s got a big fresh set of leaves and some beginnings to branching at the ends where the flower stalks grew from .



This Suspect Pachypodium eburneum is having a hard time, he stayed a little too wet before and during transit down here to Texas and suffered some root loss(cold, damp, dormancy is rough for pachyies) Put him in a shallow small bonsai pot, with 90% aggregate soil to minimize sitting water in the soil, but he pushed growth and is slowly building back up turgor pressure in his caudex. Just goes to show you can never give up on these guys!! Just got to adjust their surroundings sometimes and let them re-establish.




Will post more in a little bit it’s dinner time!

 

[Smotzer]

@pannaking22 did you ever start those seeds?

 

[pannaking22]

@pannaking22 did you ever start those seeds?

I got them, but then got super busy and never planted them. Looking forward to the 3 day weekend to hopefully finally have time to do it! I've got a little space cleared off for them and everything.

 

[Smotzer]

I got them, but then got super busy and never planted them. Looking forward to the 3 day weekend to hopefully finally have time to do it! I've got a little space cleared off for them and everything.

Awesome!! My adenium's are just starting to bloom now and my Dioscorea's woke back up and are starting to grow!!


I’ll post more bloom picks as more than one opens at a time!!

 

[Smotzer]

This has been the best continuous bloom I’ve ever had with any of my Adeniums. I counted a total of 17 flowers blooming at one time, and there’s two more yet to bloom. Flowers on almost every branch. It makes me really happy that all my plants are thriving in this Texas weather.

 

[woodie]

Pachypodiums are my favorite caudiciforms. Will need to build a greenhouse to start my collection up again since our winters get pretty cold. For now I can grow an indoir tropical caudiciform such as Myrmecodia and Hydnophytum.
In fact have seedlings sprouting from seed collected on mother plants.

 

[Smotzer]

Pachypodiums are my favorite caudiciforms. Will need to build a greenhouse to start my collection up again since our winters get pretty cold. For now I can grow an indoir tropical caudiciform such as Myrmecodia and Hydnophytum.
In fact have seedlings sprouting from seed collected on mother plants.

Yeah me too they are just fascinating little “creatures”!! I’ve got two that are happily blooming this year for the first time in their lives. One I’m waiting on the flowers to fully open to get a positive ID on it.
yeah I miss the space of my old greenhouse and the ability to control environments more but I can’t complain too much all my caudiciforms are doing extremely well now in Texas.
What species of those genera do you currently have both are great, I don’t currently have them but did at one point

 

[basin79]

Can't bloody believe I've only just clicked on this phenomenal thread. Hell fire you've got some beautiful plants.

 

[woodie]

Currently only have Myrmecodia tuberosa and beccari, Hydnophytum papuanum and formicarum

 

[Smotzer]

Can't bloody believe I've only just clicked on this phenomenal thread. Hell fire you've got some beautiful plants.

Thanks man appreciate it! I got some more updated pictures to post today! Of blooms and growing updates!

 

[Smotzer]

Pachypodium gracilius multiblooms!

 

[Smotzer]

Pachypodium lamerei