Baja Elephant Tree
Pachycormus discolor
Family: Anachardaceae
This is a summer-deciduous caudiciform tree characterized by its unique gnarled growth habit, skin-like exfoliating bark, and succulent nature. In the late spring to summer the leaves yellow, fall, and give way to bright red, cream, or pink flowers that give it a striking appearance in bloom. Fruit are small and bladder-like. The inner bark exudes a milky sap that dries clear and hardens into a gum or resin. These trees can reach 30’ in height, but often in our region they are grown in pots where they will be dwarfed, like a bonsai. There are several subspecies, generally identified by differences in flower color.
Plant in full sun, with very well-drained soil. Plants are very low water. Perhaps lightly water once a month in summer if there is no rain. You can water once a month in winter. In containers, only water lightly once a month in the summer, in winter, maybe once every week or so, thoroughly. Protect from prolonged hard frosts, though this plant can tolerate a light one. Mature plants are hardy to 25°F.
The genus name Pachycormus is a compound of two Greek words, pachys, which means “thick,” and cormus, which means “trunk” or “log”. The specific epithet means “lacking color” and refers to the pale bark. This is a monotypic genus, there is only one species of Pachycormis.
This species is endemic to the Baja California peninsula of Mexico, occupying the states of Baja California and Baja California Sur from sea level to 4,500’.
Plants are dormant in summer (they have adapted to be active in winter when the rains happen, and dormant in summer, when it is dry outside). Photo by carlfrederick, iNaturalist
Pachycormus discolor is green in the winter. Photo by Carlos Gonzalez, iNaturalist
Plants often grow out of cracks and take on strange forms. Photo by Ian Rhodes, iNaturalist
They sometimes have "fall" color (in late spring when they begin to go dormant). Photo by Vince Scheidt, iNaturalist
The flowers vary in color and appear usually after the plant drops its leaves.
Trunk closeup, photo by Mariana Delgado-Fernández, iNaturalist