Caudex Plant Encyclopedia
Encyclopedia of popular caudex plants with care guides, traits, and root management tips.
Featured Caudex Plant
Showing 4 of 141 species
© Frank Vincentz / CC BY-SA 3.0Euphorbia pachypodioides
Euphorbia pachypodioides
A Euphorbia with a Pachypodium-like columnar stem topped by large leaves, glaucous blue-green above and red-violet beneath. Flowers wrapped in dark purple bracts open before the leaves.
© Frank Vincentz / CC BY-SA 3.0Euphorbia tulearensis
Euphorbia tulearensis
A small spurge from south-western Madagascar with a rounded corky caudex, short fat branches and rosettes of crinkled leaves like those of E. decaryi. It forms a bonsai-like plant about 20 cm tall.
© scott.zona / CC BY 2.0Pachypodium decaryi
Pachypodium decaryi
A northern Madagascan Pachypodium with an almost spherical grey caudex and slender, nearly spineless branches. It bears pure white flowers up to 12 cm across, the largest in the genus. CITES Appendix I.
© KP Laer / CC BY-SA 4.0Pachypodium windsorii
Pachypodium windsorii
A Pachypodium from the far north of Madagascar with a swollen, flask-shaped caudex, a few slender twisting branches and bright red flowers with a pale green eye. It is smaller than P. baronii in all parts, with very short flower stalks.
Related Content
Caudex Plant FAQ
- How much do caudex plants cost?
- Pachypodium gracilius seedlings cost 2,000-10,000 yen, wild-collected specimens 30,000-200,000+ yen, and Operculicarya pachypus can reach hundreds of thousands of yen.
- Can beginners grow caudex plants?
- Adenium (Desert Rose) and Pachypodium seedlings are relatively easy and beginner-friendly. Just be careful with watering during winter dormancy, and you can enjoy them for years.
- How long do caudex plants live?
- Some specimens live for hundreds of years in the wild. In cultivation, they can thrive for decades with proper care. Watching the caudex thicken year by year is the greatest appeal.
- What should I check when buying caudex plants?
- Whether it's rooted is the most important point. Wild-collected imports are often unrooted and require root establishment. Beginners should start with rooted domestically grown seedlings.
- How do caudex plants overwinter?
- Many caudex plants go dormant in winter. Reduce watering from October, and withhold water completely from December to February. Keep indoors in a sunny spot at minimum 10°C.