To help make your Madagascar Palm (Pachypodium lamerii) grow more branches, you can follow this simple procedure:

If you cut the top portion of the cactus, the plant will eventually branch out. We highly recommend that you make cuttings during mid-spring, not winter. The Pachypodium lamerii goes dormant in the winter time and will not survive propagation methods during dormancy. There is about a 50-50 chance that the top portion of the cactus will not survive due to possible rotting.

Use a fast-draining mixture like Cactus Mix for planting cacti and succulents. Do not water for 1-2 weeks; lightly water to prevent the cutting from shriveling. It will take approximately six months for this plant to have an established root system.

We recommend cutting the top portion of the plant about 2 feet. After you cut this plant, there will be new branches growing from the side and also where it already has little offshoots. The best type of soil for the Pachypodium lamerei is a fast-draining mixture. If the original soil allows the cactus to drain well, then you probably do not need to change the soil. If not, we recommend that you use "Cactus Mix" made exclusively for cacti and succulents. Here is an image of the type of mixture that we use: