Caudex Plant Encyclopedia
Encyclopedia of popular caudex plants with care guides, traits, and root management tips.
Featured Caudex Plant
Showing 4 of 141 species
© Marinosalas / CC BY-SA 3.0Beaucarnea gracilis
Beaucarnea gracilis
A ponytail-palm relative endemic to Mexico's Tehuacán Valley, raising several slender stems from a huge corky base like an elephant's foot. Unlike B. recurvata, its narrow, strongly blue-grey leaves stand stiffly upright.
© Frank Vincentz / CC BY-SA 3.0Euphorbia knuthii
Euphorbia knuthii
A small southern African spurge whose twisting tuberous caudex sends up many slender three- to four-angled branches striped grey-green. Tough and easy to root from cuttings, it is a good first caudiciform Euphorbia.
© Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz / CC BY-SA 4.0Madagascar ocotillo
Alluaudia procera
The "Madagascar ocotillo" of the southern spiny forest, with bone-white stems lined with conical spines and small round leaves. It looks much like the American ocotillo but belongs to an unrelated family.
© Daderot / CC0Senna meridionalis
Senna meridionalis
A caudiciform legume from south-western Madagascar with thick zigzag branches and small pinnate leaves. Even small plants have a swollen base and look like a miniature old tree; the flowers are bright yellow.
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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.