Madagascar Ocotillo

Madagascar Ocotillo

• ​Common Name: Madagascar Ocotillo (other common names: Arbre Pieuvre, Malagasy Ocotillo, Madagascan Ocotillo, African Ocotillo, Alluaudia Species)
  
• Scientific Name: Alluaudia procera
  
• Family Name: Didiereaceae
  
• Origin: South Madagascar
  
• Height: 10’ – 40’
  
• Width: 4’ – 6’
  
• Growth: moderate
  
• Zone: 9A - 11
  
• Light Needs: Full sun (Partial shade from western sun is best when young, full sun when mature.)
  
• Salt Tolerance:  unknown
  
• Soil/PH/Texture: soil needs to be well draining – cactus mix
  
• Soil Moisture: Dry - allow to dry thoroughly before watering again and in winter season no supplemental water is needed.
  
• Drought Tolerance: moderate
  
• Pests/Diseases: No serious pests or diseases but is susceptible to root rot if drainage is poor.
  
• Growing Conditions: Not freely branching, so once this plant is established in its new pot, it should be cut back to 7-10 cm in height to encourage branching.
  
• Characteristics: it is deciduous succulent plant that is grown for its foliage. When it matures it is a vertical tower of stems with oval to round leaves that are around 2” in length, stems are spiny and scarcely branched or occasionally columnar, small succulent tree with an abundance of symmetrically arranged, gray stipular spines that grow to about 0.5 inch long and are found along the stems that are gray-green to bone white in color. The flowers are a range of colors from greenish-yellow, white, orange, gold, pale yellow and bloom in late spring – mid summer. Because it is dioecious, the flowers will be produced in mature specimens on separate male and female plants.
  
• Propagation: by herbaceous or softwood stem cuttings and from seed (Difficult by seed because of dioecious growth habit).
  
• Wildlife: unknown
  
• Facts: unknownDesigner Considerations: use as an accent, focal point, specimen, xeriscape, 
  

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