Question
I just bought a foot tall bonsai Madagascar palm tree from Florida and brought it back to NE. I have no idea what i need to do to keep it healthy and alive:)If you have any helpful advice it would be very appreciated. I don't know the first thing to do to take care of it.  

Answer
Jes,

They are like a cactus or succulent plant. The following info came from a website and I added a few notes.

PACHYPODIUM LAMEREI, Madagascar Palm
 
FAMILY : Apocynaceae
ORIGIN : Madagascar
SIZE : 10'-12' growing to up to 4-6 foot when kept potted
GROWTH RATE: average
LIGHT REQUIREMENTS : sun/shade outdoors, full sun indoors
WATER REQUIREMENTS : keep dry in the winter during dormancy
MIN. TEMP. : 55?farenheit
FLOWER : summer

This popular Pachypodium is grown for its shiny silver trunk covered with thorns. The leaves form only at the top of the trunk, like a Palm Tree. However the Madagascar Palm is not really a palm. It is actually a succulent related to Plumerias.
Flowers appear on mature plants grown outside. The flowers are lightly fragrant but they are displayed too high up for you to really enjoy them. It can be grown indoors if you can provide a very sunny window.
Pachypodiums are great for begginers. Most Pachypodium are very easy to care for. This one is no exception, it requires very little water, even less in the winter when it looses it leaves. During the winter it should not be given more than 1/4 cup once a month. During summer water it whenever it has been bone dry for a week. I would only water every 2 weeks during summer.


There are 2 varieties. Pachypodium geayi and Pachypodium lamerei. They are so similar that most people cannot tell them apart. The only difference between the two is that P. lamerei has greener, wider leaves and P. geayi has a narrower, gray leaf with red veins.

If you have more questions feel free to write again. Good luck.

Darlene