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Madagascar Palm
Pachypodium lamerei
Reviewed by Kiersten Rankel M.S.
QUICK ANSWER
Offset separation is the fastest and most reliable home method when your plant has produced side pups, with a rooted offset in 6 to 10 weeks. Stem cuttings work on plants with multiple branches and root in 8 to 12 weeks after a long callous period.
Seed is the best option for solo trunked plants and produces a small seedling in 4 to 8 weeks but takes years to look like the parent.
Seed is the best option for solo trunked plants and produces a small seedling in 4 to 8 weeks but takes years to look like the parent.
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Offset division
Best when your plant has sprouted side pups
Stem cuttings
Best for branched plants with side stems to spare
From seed
Best for solo trunked plants with no side pups
Offset division
Time
6–10 weeks
Level
Intermediate
Success rate
High
You'll need
Thick leather gardening gloves
Sterile sharp knife
Cactus and succulent mix
4-inch pot with drainage holes
Sulfur powder or cinnamon (for the cut)
Eye protection
1
Suit up before touching the plant
Madagascar Palm is covered in long sharp spines and the sap is mildly toxic and can irritate skin and eyes. Put on thick gloves and eye protection before you start.
A puncture from these spines bleeds freely and stings for hours.
A puncture from these spines bleeds freely and stings for hours.
2
Identify a pup with its own roots
Look for offsets growing from the base of the trunk that are at least 3 inches tall. Gently brush soil away from the base and confirm the pup has its own root system, even small ones.
Pups without independent roots have a much lower success rate and are better left attached for another season.
Pups without independent roots have a much lower success rate and are better left attached for another season.
3
Cut the pup free with a sterile blade
Slice through the connecting tissue between pup and parent with a sharp sterilized knife, keeping as many of the pup's roots intact as possible. Sterilize the blade with rubbing alcohol before and after to prevent disease spread.
4
Dust both cut surfaces and let callous
Sprinkle sulfur powder or cinnamon on the cut on both the pup and the parent plant. Set the pup aside in a dry shaded spot for 5 to 7 days to form a thick callous over the wound.
Planting before the callous forms is the most common reason for rot.
Planting before the callous forms is the most common reason for rot.
5
Pot in dry cactus mix
Once calloused, set the pup into dry cactus and succulent mix at the same depth it was growing before. Do not water yet.
6
Wait a week, then water lightly
Wait 7 to 10 days after potting, then give a small amount of water around the edge of the pot. Resume normal succulent watering once you see new growth, usually at 4 to 6 weeks.
WATCH FOR
Pup turning yellow and soft at the base. That is rot from watering before the callous formed. Unpot, cut away all soft tissue back to firm green flesh, dust with sulfur, and re-callous for a full 10 days before trying again.
Stem cuttings
Time
8–12 weeks
Level
Advanced
Success rate
Moderate
You'll need
Thick leather gardening gloves
Sterile sharp knife or pruning saw
Cactus and succulent mix
4 to 6 inch pot with drainage holes
Sulfur powder or cinnamon
Eye protection
1
Choose a side branch, never the main trunk
Select a side branch at least 4 inches long. Never cut the main trunk, since the plant cannot regenerate from a topped main stem the way some succulents can.
Main trunk cuts almost always rot before they root.
Main trunk cuts almost always rot before they root.
2
Make a clean cut at the branch base
Wear gloves and eye protection. Slice cleanly through the branch at its base with a sterilized knife or pruning saw. Sterilize the blade between cuts to prevent disease spread.
3
Callous for 10 to 14 days
Madagascar Palm cuttings need a much longer callous period than typical succulents because the stems are thick and full of moisture. Set the cutting in a dry shaded spot for at least 10 days, ideally 14, until the cut surface is dry and hard.
4
Dust the callous and stand in dry mix
Once fully calloused, dust the cut end with sulfur powder. Stand the cutting upright in dry cactus mix with about 2 inches of stem buried. Use a stake if needed to keep it upright since these cuttings are top-heavy.
5
Wait 3 weeks before any water
Resist the urge to water. Madagascar Palm cuttings rot at the slightest excess moisture before roots form. Mist the soil surface only after 3 weeks have passed.
A cutting that loses some plumpness is normal and recovers once roots form.
A cutting that loses some plumpness is normal and recovers once roots form.
6
Confirm rooting at 10 to 12 weeks
Give a very gentle tug at week 10. Resistance means roots are anchoring. Begin watering once monthly and only when the soil is fully dry, building up to normal succulent watering as new leaf growth appears.
WATCH FOR
Soft mushy spots forming on the cutting. That is internal rot moving through the stem. Pull the cutting, slice up the stem until you reach firm green tissue, re-callous for two weeks, and start over in fresh dry mix.
From seed
Time
4–8 weeks to germinate
Level
Intermediate
Success rate
Moderate
You'll need
Fresh Madagascar Palm seeds (under 1 year old)
Cactus and succulent mix
Shallow seed tray with drainage
Clear plastic dome or wrap
Heat mat
Bright indirect light or grow light
1
Soak fresh seeds for 24 hours
Place seeds in a shallow dish of warm water for 24 hours before sowing. Soaking softens the hard seed coat and improves germination rate from about 30 percent to 60 percent.
Fresh seeds matter more than any other factor. Seeds older than a year germinate poorly even with soaking.
Fresh seeds matter more than any other factor. Seeds older than a year germinate poorly even with soaking.
2
Fill a tray with cactus mix
Use a shallow seed tray with drainage holes filled with cactus and succulent mix. Pre-moisten the mix with water and let it drain so it is damp but not soggy.
3
Sow seeds on the surface
Press each seed lightly into the surface of the mix. Do not bury them. Madagascar Palm seeds need light to germinate and rot if covered with soil.
4
Cover and place on bottom heat
Cover the tray with a clear plastic dome or loose plastic wrap to hold humidity. Place on a heat mat set to 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Germination essentially halts below 75 degrees, so the heat mat is not optional in most homes.
Germination essentially halts below 75 degrees, so the heat mat is not optional in most homes.
5
Wait 4 to 8 weeks for sprouts
Keep the mix barely damp by misting the surface as needed. Sprouts emerge between week 4 and week 8 in batches, not all at once. Lift the dome briefly each day to prevent fungal growth.
6
Grow on slowly
Once seedlings have their first true leaves at about 8 to 12 weeks, remove the dome and move the tray to bright indirect light. Pot each seedling into its own 2-inch pot of cactus mix at 4 months old. Plan for 3 to 5 years before the seedling looks like a recognizable Madagascar Palm.
WATCH FOR
Seedlings flopping over at soil level with a thin pinched stem. That is damping off, a fungal disease that kills succulent seedlings overnight. Improve airflow by lifting the dome more often and water from below to keep the soil surface drier.
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About This Article
Kiersten Rankel M.S.
Botanical Data Lead at Greg · Plant Scientist
Editorial Process
Propagation methods verified against Pachypodium lamerei growth data from Greg's botanical database, cross-referenced with USDA hardiness zone data and published horticultural research.
2,277+ Greg users growing this plant
USDA hardiness zones 9a–11b
Citations:
Royal Horticultural Society
Royal Horticultural Society