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Thursday, July 28, 2011

Adenium arabicum Update

After moving back across the country, the Adenium arabicum experienced a little bare root shock. They ended up dropping all of their leaves and going dormant for a few months. New growth started just in time for me to move them outside for the summer. Of course after moving them once again they stopped growing for about 3 weeks but fortunately there was no leaf drop.

After about a month I moved them into full sun against a nice warm rock. Guess what happened. They stopped growing again for about 2 weeks. So if my experience with this species of Adenium has taught me anything, it's that they like to be put in one spot and stay there! About 3/4 of the leaf growth is actually from within the last month. They really do grow quickly when not being moved around.


There are a bunch of little branches forming all along the trunks and most of the caudices are swelling up quite nicely. I ended up with a good mix overall: Some dwarf, some not, some with fuzzy leaves, some with smooth, some with a pronounced caudex, others with next to none, some with lightly coloured bark, and others dark. All are unique in one way or another.


I have yet to get any flowers. One bud formed last summer but after an aphid attack fell off. I have had absolutely no problem with insects so far this summer. Hopefully I'll finally see my first flower! The plants are now about 2 years old, grown from seeds provided by a supplier in Thailand.
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9 comments:

  1. JulieJuly 28, 2011 at 11:07 PM

    I remember when you planted these...thank goodness they have survived the moves...they are quite good looking!!! I'm sure they should flower any day now!

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  2. AnonymousJuly 29, 2011 at 9:06 AM

    I have been following your Adenium adventures for two years, too! It doesn't seem like that long, but those plants are looking nice! Mine are only three weeks old, right now. Can't wait to see how they'll look in two years!

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  3. UnknownJuly 29, 2011 at 5:53 PM

    @julie, I sure hope so! Then maybe they'll even produce seeds and I can plant more! :)

    @TheExpatGarden(er) Three weeks old eh? So still in the adorable chubby little green stem phase. Hopefully they grow well!

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  4. NicJuly 29, 2011 at 5:59 PM

    They really do look great, especially for having had such an adventurous live already. I am looking forward to seeing how the flowers turn out. Also, can you recommend the supplier you got the seeds from? I absolutely adore Adeniums and considering their price as grown plants and my lack of experience with them, maybe I should start with seeds... :)

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  5. CassyJuly 30, 2011 at 6:42 AM

    Looking forward for them to bear flowers.

    Cassy from Best Online Guitar Lessons

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  6. UnknownJuly 30, 2011 at 2:16 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  7. UnknownAugust 9, 2011 at 2:08 PM

    @CollegeGardener, I can't remember the supplier. The best ones seem to come from Thailand and are reasonably priced. I want mine to flower and go to seed! Then I could just mail you some.

    @Cassy, Same.

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  8. UnknownSeptember 4, 2011 at 9:22 AM

    yay finally an update about your Adenium. I've been waiting a while for it now. I don't know if you remember it. But I was the guy who once emailed you about a previous update of the lithops and Adenium seedlings.

    My lithops all died in the winter. To little sun I guess. But my Adeniums are doing wel. I have 14 seedlings ranging from 15 cm - 40 cm tall. But I'm trying to keep them small with more branches and thus more flowers. I still have to wait for the first flowers though.

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  9. UnknownSeptember 7, 2011 at 11:11 AM

    I remember. My Adenium are still doing well, it's already starting to get a bit cool here though and I should probably bring them in for the winter. I lost about half my lithops in the move but have 6 or 7 left that are doing well.

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