Fouquieria columnaris aka Boojum Tree

[Meangreen94z]

It’s one of those plants you figure most people would think as ugly, but surprisingly the majority of people I show think it’s cool. That would probably be a great spot for it, Stan.

[Stan]

Thanks. I also wish I had put it in a gallon pot to start. I thought I would just go up from the 2" pot it was in, to a 4". It's not the turtle slow I expected. I would advise anybody buying a seedling to go large with of course very fast drainage.
Its kind of a wonder why 2' or even 3' Boojums are not seen as often as the Pachypodiums are for sale.

[Stan]

It's still in full leaf. So,not only does it leaf out sooner than Pachypodium lamerei -its old world equivalent- It MIGHT also stay in leaf longer..right now my P. lamerei are still in green leaf too.
Wow,I wish I had been on to these sooner. I let the whole UC Berkeley thing throw me off for an extra decade.

[Stan]

Ok,well,its now the 25th of January and its in full leaf. Its definitely going to go in ground now. It would be nice to start with a 4' or 5' plant..but one day 15 years from now..

[Meangreen94z]

Yeah mine is fully green and loving life. It’s been a pretty soggy winter and hit a low of 31*F Wednesday night with no ill effects. I’ll try to take a picture on Sunday

[Meangreen94z]

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[Stan]

Sooo nice. How old is that?

[Meangreen94z]

I’m not sure on exact age, I’ve only owned it for 2-3 years.

[Stan]

What size was it when you started? Whats the growth rate for you ? Fast,slow?

[Meangreen94z]

Very slow growth, although it has green leaves most of the year for me. I should measure it and document in this thread so I can tell if there is a difference year to year.

[Minime8484]

To gieve an idea of how fast they CAN grow....I bought mine when it was 10-11" tall in 2004. It didn't grow at all until I planted it in-ground in 2005...still less than 12" tall.

By April 2007, it had surpassed 12", but not by much; it was always a very "bushy" clone with long lateral branches. (NOTICE the tan rock near the trunk that can be used in each photo for perspective)

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Once it got going though, it put on about 6" to a ft a year (seems to be more as it got older):

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And today, it stands just over 14 ft tall.

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It tried to bloom in 2017, but during a heat wave in the middle of the summer, and the buds aborted before forming. Hoping this year it gets fully-formed flowers!

[Stan]

Oh,that's great!
Congratulations.

[Meangreen94z]

Hopefully I can find it a permanent home soon and let it develop enough roots to grow at that pace.

[Stan]

The Boojum is dropping leaves in a very fall like yellow. I would guess this it's dormant time until a summer flush gets it going again? Or sooner?
Not an ideal spot for all day sun..but it sure wont be too wet there.
It's about the size of McV's in the blue sapphire pot.

[Meangreen94z]

We get enough rain that mine keeps its leaves year round. Only lost them during extra cold weather a year or so ago. In habitat they grow leaves during winter rains and lose them during summer drought. Maybe throw it a splash of water if it hasn’t rained in a while.

[Gee.S]

We get enough rain that mine keeps its leaves year round. Only lost them during extra cold weather a year or so ago. In habitat they grow leaves during winter rains and lose them during summer drought. Maybe throw it a splash of water if it hasn’t rained in a while.

Dunno about Boojums, but keeping Ocotillo green will shorten its life.

[Meangreen94z]

My large ocotillo(s) would require water everyday to stay green, but they were chopped at the base and brought from either West Texas or Mexico. They have yet to regrow a root system, stay mostly leafless, and I won’t buy anymore that way. My small seed grown ocotillo(splendens) and other forms of Fouquieria( macdougallii, purpusii , Formosa , columnaris, diguetii ) do stay green with our climate. I never give any of them extra water.

[Gee.S]

There is a very odd habitat spot near an abandoned uranium mine in which the substrate demonstrates a strong propensity to hold moisture for prolonged periods. A fair number of ocotillos grace the landscape. All are completely leafed out, even through the worst of summer, and none are more than 8' tall.

[Meangreen94z]

Interesting, good to know. My boojum has grown, but not at the rate of minime8484’s. It’s been uprooted twice in the last couple years though. The others have varied, the Macdougallii is definitely shooting up.

[Stan]

We get enough rain that mine keeps its leaves year round. Only lost them during extra cold weather a year or so ago. In habitat they grow leaves during winter rains and lose them during summer drought. Maybe throw it a splash of water if it hasn’t rained in a while.

Dunno about Boojums, but keeping Ocotillo green will shorten its life.

I think I did miss watering it after Easter. Should resprout in its new life in ground. I hope.

[Stan]

Here,planted out. I'm not sure if I will keep both Myrtillocactus in that spot,and today I plan on taking out the last of the Yucca recurvifolia. Its reached that time. I might put a Pandanus there. Not sure what will happen if it thrives. Or,I might go all low growing things I have in pots..cactus,black Aeoniums,like that.

[Meangreen94z]

Nice, one day I would like to add 1 or 2 more. They seem to each develop into a unique form.

[Stan]

You would think they would be as standards in soucal xeric gardens as Agaves. But,you never seen them or Teddy Bear cactus. I guess being close to natives makes them lower than the rare Oleander?

[Gee.S]

Why in the world would anyone want a teddy bear cholla? Sorta like having a honey badger for a pet.

[Meangreen94z]

Yeah, what kind of idiot would put one in their front yard? Let alone their backyard? That’s just asking for it....