Prickly Palm

The Pachypodium lamerei has a prickly stem with long dark green leaves: it looks like a cross between a cactus and a foliage plant.

It is also known as a Madagascar palm after the country where it was discovered. In its native habitat the leaves grow in the rainy season and fall from the plant as soon as the dry weather arrives. This rhythm should be imitated in your home, with summer acting as the rainy season and winter acting as the dry period.