About
Welcome to Caudexology, a field guide for growers of caudiciform and succulent plants. We publish sourced care guidance for the species that survive by storing water in swollen stems, fattened trunks, and underground caudices.
We focus on the demanding world of fat-plants:
- Caudiciforms: Pachypodium, Adenium, Dioscorea, Fockea, Stephania, and other caudex-forming species.
- Succulents & Xerophytes: Grafting, seed-raising, and seasonal dormancy management for drought-adapted plants.
We write about the specifics that decide whether a caudex fattens or rots: dormancy cycles, watering matched to the growth phase, mineral substrate ratios, light intensity, and grafting technique.
Grow a thicker caudex, on purpose.
Where this started
This site grew out of a group of friends who share the hobby and bring different professional backgrounds to it. Our plants kept doing different things under supposedly identical care, so we argued about why, and settling each argument meant pulling sources and comparing notes. Somewhere in that pile of write-ups we decided a site like this ought to exist.
As a joke we called the group PIT, our own plant-growers' MIT. The name stuck, and PIT became Plantology Inst, the collective behind Caudexology and its sister sites.
Editorial policy
Who writes here
Articles are written by that same circle of friends. Each writes inside the scope of their own experience. Where an article goes beyond what the author has personally grown or tested, the claim rests on the cited sources, not on first-hand observation. We do not use invented credentials or unsupported success rates.
Peer review before publication
A second contributor reviews every article before it goes live, and is named on the article as Reviewed by. Review covers horticultural accuracy, safety boundaries, species fit, and whether limitations are stated honestly. A review is a professional read-through, not a laboratory replication; where experiences differ, the article says so.
Sourcing standards
Claims that affect plant health, safety, or product use are checked against the primary source for their scope: a product label, manufacturer documentation, extension publication, botanical reference, or peer-reviewed research. A source can support a narrow observation without proving the same outcome everywhere; that limitation stays visible in the article.
Use of AI tools
Contributors sometimes use AI tools to polish wording, structure, and formatting. We do not rely on AI for the knowledge itself: the experience, facts, and recommendations come from the named contributor, and the peer reviewer checks the final text before publication.
How the site is funded
Product recommendations start from what contributors have actually used in their own collections and setups. Caudexology is funded through the Amazon Associates program: product links may earn a commission at no extra cost to the buyer, and those commissions cover hosting and operations. No manufacturer pays for placement.
Corrections
We correct factual errors, broken links, outdated product details, and misleading wording. Each contributor stays responsible for their own articles and updates them when information turns out to be wrong or new findings change a recommendation. When a correction changes a recommendation, the article explains what changed.
Contact
Corrections, questions, and contributor inquiries: [email protected]