Yes, mine split this winter too! It worried me at first because it would bleed sap, which later dried into milky looking teardrops. Doesn't seem to have hurt it any. Maybe I'll try to get a picture of it tomorrow.

It's from increased girth of the base, won't hurt it. It adds character.

It's not often that oozing fissures are a reason to run riot with happiness, so take advantage of it.

I got a baby P. d. from Miles recently. Does anyone know if I should water it infrequently in the summer, rather than let it go bone dry, since it's so little? I guess on one hand they're drought plants for much of the year, but it's such a wee one, I thought a little water would help it to September, but it could also be the source of future rot if I guess wrong.

In my climate, I pull back significantly in the hottest part of our summers. Otherwise, mine seem to like to grow...so I water them. They usually tell me when they want to be watered, and when they don't. I agree with your instinct to water a smaller one more frequently, but what do other folks here think about it?

Well here's mine. Looking at it now, I can see that it has healed some. The split used to be fairly deep and worrisome, but now it doesn't look too bad.

{{gwi:536431}}

i would be alarmed if this happend to mine! lol, glad you posted this tom.

in regards to the watering seedlings question,im working on the theory that they must have to put up with the same amount of rain fall in the wild as there parents so ive let my seedlings grow solid for just over a full year now to get them to a size were they look like they can handle themselves.ill probably stop watering in june let them go dorment and bake in the sun.

ill let you all know how many survive lol

ben

The front of my base (first pic in my first posting) had a similar split last summer. You can see that it is completely healed over.

T