Caudex Plant Encyclopedia
Encyclopedia of popular caudex plants with care guides, traits, and root management tips.
Featured Caudex Plant
Showing 14 of 79 species
Adenium (Desert Rose)
Adenium obesum
The 'Desert Rose' from Africa and Arabia. Plump caudex with showy pink/red flowers. Ideal caudex starter — develops thick caudex relatively quickly from seed. Extensive Thai breeding programs.
© juancruzado / CC BY-SA 4.0Beaucarnea Recurvata
Beaucarnea recurvata
Known as Ponytail Palm, with a swollen trunk base and cascading leaves.
Cissus Tuberosa
Cissus tuberosa
A grape-family caudex with large potato-like tuber producing vines, hardy and fast-growing.
© 22Kartika / CC BY-SA 3.0Dorstenia Foetida
Dorstenia foetida
A small caudex that self-pollinates and shoots seeds, easy to grow from seed for beginners.
© Amada44 / CC BY 3.0Fockea Edulis
Fockea edulis
Known as Martian Plant in Japan, with a potato-like caudex producing climbing vines.
© User:BotBln / CC BY-SA 3.0Gerrardanthus Macrorhizus
Gerrardanthus macrorhizus
A cucurbit with large spherical green caudex producing vines, fast-growing and impressive.
© Amada44 / CC BY 3.0Ibervillea Sonorae
Ibervillea sonorae
A Mexican cucurbit caudex with large green tuber producing vines, hardy for beginners.
© Delince / CC BY-SA 3.0Jatropha Podagrica
Jatropha podagrica
Known as Gout Plant, with red flowers and a plump trunk from Central-South America.
Kedrostis Africana
Kedrostis africana
A cucurbit-family caudex with gnarly gray caudex producing vines, hardy and easy.
© KENPEI / CC BY-SA 3.0Pachypodium Bispinosum
Pachypodium bispinosum
A South African Pachypodium with pink bell-shaped flowers and large underground caudex.
© Stan Shebs / CC BY-SA 3.0Pachypodium Succulentum
Pachypodium succulentum
A hardy South African Pachypodium with pink flowers and large underground caudex.
© Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz / CC BY-SA 4.0Raphionacme Flanaganii
Raphionacme flanaganii
A South African milkweed-family caudex with gray round tuber producing vines, hardy for beginners.
© John Rusk from Berkeley, CA, United States of America / CC BY 2.0Trichodiadema Bulbosum
Trichodiadema bulbosum
A small mesemb caudex with bonsai-like form and cute pink flowers, easy from seed.
© Michael Wolf ( Webseite ) / CC BY-SA 3.0Xerosicyos Danguyi
Xerosicyos danguyi
Called Silver Dollar Plant, with round succulent coin-like leaves on a cucurbit vine caudex.
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.