Sept 20th, 2022

Hey Plant Friends!

This week we are going to be talking about Alluaudia procera or Madagascar ocotillo. This deciduous plant belongs to the Didiereaceae family and is native to south Madagascar. Alluaudia procera can grow 2-3 feet a year in its natural habitat. This unusual succulent is covered in grey spines and deciduous green leaves. This is a great succulent for indoors but in the summer, it loves to be outside. In the wintertime it will drop almost all its leaves but no worries they will return. This is an easy to care for succulent if you are looking to expand your collection and have a nice sunny spot.

Let’s talk about care. Alluaudia procera are going to want the brightest spot in your house. Direct sun is ideal for this plant, if you don’t have full sun, I would recommend supplementing with a grow light especially for our long winters. Alluaudia procera is very drought tolerant. Allow your plant to completely dry between watering, once it is time to water give it a good soaking. Since you want your plant to dry easily between watering you are going to need a sharp draining soil. I would recommend using the Sol Soils Cactus Coco Grit, this mix is excellent for all cacti and succulents. Keep an eye out for common pests such as mealy bugs. Check for pests weekly when watering and keep a bottle of Bonide’s Insecticidal Soap on hand for easy treatment. This is an incredible specimen plant that is very much worth adding to your collection.

Alluaudia procera is available at Tonkadale in 1 Gallon and 5 Gallon pots. If you have additional questions feel free to reach out to us by phone, Instagram, or email us at hello@tonkadale.com.

Happy Planting!