Madagascar Ocotillo
Allauadia procera
Alluaudia procera is a species of spiny succulent, that is most unusual and is native to southern and southwestern Madagascar. It is a small tree that grows up to 18m tall. It has mostly stout, whitish-grey unbranched and upright stems with grey spines that sprout up along them as well as thick fleshy, rounded vivid green leaves.
Like snakes on a Medusa’s head, the stems often fork off in a pendulous direction before curving back upwards creating wonderful movement and tangles in its habit. After several years a strong central stem develops, making the plant more tree-like in appearance. This central stem is cylindrical and can grow up to 50cm in diameter. The leaves and spines alternate along the longitudinal lines that near the tips have shallow channels between the lines. They produce greenish-yellow flowers that appear at the tips of the branches.
Alluaudias need full sun or strong interior lighting and a very well-drained soil mix and well-circulated air. The best way to water these succulents is to completely soak the soil and then dry out completely before watering again. During cold winter months, the plant will drop all of its leaves and no water should be given during this period of dormancy. Begin watering again when the leaves start to appear.
_
Madagascar Palm
This is a sun-loving plant that puts out all their new growth in the summer months.