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Pittocaulon praecox
Pittocaulon praecox, the Broomstick Tree, is a deciduous, succulent-stemmed shrub or small tree from semi-arid central and southern Mexico, and the type species of its genus. It is grown for its candelabra-like grey stems and needs very well-drained soil and full sun.
Pittocaulon praecox is the type species for the genus Pittocaulon and family Asteraceae. This species also has the widest range of the genus.
It is a plant native to the semi-arid and temperate zones of central and southern Mexico. Its short roots allow it to grow on thin and uneven soils. In particular, it has found a niche thriving on deposits of extrusive igneous material, such as the Nealtican malpaís and the Pedregal de San Ángel (Coyoacán, Mexico City). The proliferation of Pittocaulon praecox in the Pedregal de San Ángel has been such that its xerophytic ecosystem is usually classified as "matorral de palo loco".
An infusion made from the leaves is a traditional remedy against rheumatism, wounds and dermatitis.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Pittocaulon praecox by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
