What does albino mean in an adenium flower? Adenium: we grow one of the most exotic indoor plants. Possible problems in growing, diseases and pests
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The Adenium plant is a representative of the Kutrovaceae family. His homeland is Saudi Arabia. Translated from some languages, it is called adenium desert rose.
Adenium flower is a compact tree with a fleshy trunk, grows rather slowly, the main half of the thickened trunk is above the ground. The shoots of adenium are branched, and the leaves are elongated with a glossy appearance and a slightly pointed and rounded end.
Adenium inflorescences are distinguished by their individuality and beautiful appearance; they are large in size and have an interesting shade ranging from light to rich crimson. Interior The flower has a lighter shade.
It should be noted that when pruning adenium releases poisonous substance, after working with a flower, you must wash your hands well.
Adenium types and varieties
The adenium family represents approximately five species, and all the rest are subspecies.
or another name adenium obese . The plant develops slowly, its trunk is woody, and significant branching begins in the upper part. The height of the plant is approximately 1.5 meters, and the diameter of the trunk exceeds the mark more than a meter. Grayish shoots with a thick fleshy base. On upper shoots light green leaves with a long base grow, reaching a length of about 10 cm.
IN summer period a plant with a diameter of about 5 cm with bright pink, red or light petals. Growing this plant at home, its height can reach about 70 cm, it all depends on the conditions of care and the abundance of moisture. Some tribes used its poison to create poisonous arrowheads.
natural place habitat is the south of the Arabian Peninsula. It is worth noting interesting fact, if the plant does not have enough water, then the adenium remains in the form of a bush with a large root system. And if there is enough water, the plant develops and becomes a tree.
The leaves of this plant are outwardly shiny and larger in size than those of the obsessum, and with age they become up to 20 cm long and about 11 cm wide. The trunk reaches up to one meter in diameter. Adenium arabicum grows well at home and is a fairly unpretentious plant.
Flowering begins in the third year after planting. The first inflorescences begin to appear in the second half of winter. The most striking feature of Adenium arabicum is its caudex, which is its appearance and expanded base.
This is the most bright representative among other species. It is an actively branching bush, which blooms unusually and very actively from the moment of planting. Its growth is slow, like all species. The peculiarity that the plant has is its inconsistent varietal characteristics after breeding work, difference in color and shape.
his homeland is the coast of Mozambique. This species forms various interesting hybrids with Adenium obsumum. This plant is a shrub, its identity is its rhizome, but by the fifth year of growth it disappears. Flowering in this species occurs in cold and dry time, V winter period. The inflorescences are white with a red edge. There are also red, burgundy and pink shades with inflorescences up to 7 cm in diameter.
Adenium care at home
Caring for adenium does not take much time and effort, so the plant is quite popular among gardeners.
Adenium heat-loving plant, which develops well even when exposed to sunlight. Sufficient lighting is a necessity for adenium in care and maintenance, so the south side is what it needs. The plant on the windowsill must be constantly turned around so that it grows evenly and does not “crook the top.”
For adenium at home, it is necessary to maintain a temperature of 24 to 35 degrees; this is necessary during active development from autumn to spring. Moisturizing does not play a big role; you can sometimes spray it in the summer and only the leaves, do not touch the flowers.
IN autumn time, when the sunny day shortens for adenium, a state of rest begins. In some varieties, some of the leaves fall off, and sometimes all of them. IN winter time adenium can withstand temperature drops of up to 10 degrees, but it is important not to overwater the plant during this period, otherwise you risk losing the plant due to a fungal infection.
Adenium watering
Watering in spring and summer, when active development takes place, needs to be moistened regularly and abundantly. In winter, watering is reduced and moistened as necessary when the soil cover dries out. Water for irrigation needs soft, room temperature and slightly sour.
Adenium blooms from spring to autumn. The inflorescences are large and bloom in large numbers. Bouquets of flowers are located at the ends of the branches.
Adenium transplant
For adenium, transplantation is carried out as needed, but in good conditions adenium can develop quite quickly. The first transplant is required at about three months of age.
The thickness of the shoots usually reaches one centimeter. Adenium is transplanted in the evening or in cloudy weather and is not moistened for several days. If it turns out that the transplant happened during daylight hours, then after transplanting the plant must be moistened.
How to transplant adenium
The plant is taken out of the container and inspected for the presence of putrefactive formations. Drainage is poured into the bottom of the new container and not a large number of soil and place the seedling there, sprinkle the soil and make sure that it replaces the void between the roots. After transplantation, the plant is placed in dark place for a few days. Young plants prefer moderate watering.
Soil for adenium
For adenium, the soil for replanting has special meaning. Ideal soil for adenium is light and moisture-permeable, with a sufficient amount of fertilizer and a neutral or sour reaction.
You can purchase ready-made soil and add perlite or vermiculite to it, but ensure that its amount does not exceed 20%. You can buy ready soil for terrestrial orchids. You can also prepare the soil yourself. The composition of such soil for adenium should include coconut fiber or peat, deciduous soil or humus, coarse sand, perlite, and the ratio (5: 2: 1: 2).
Why does adenium not bloom?
Due to improper maintenance conditions, sometimes adenium stops flowering. The reason may be a large amount of fertilizer, because of this the flower goes well into the foliage, but does not bloom. Also, there may be a disadvantage sunlight, rotting of the root system and abundant watering in the cold season and improper observance of a state of rest for adenium.
Therefore, in order to make the plant bloom at home, you must follow these care rules.
The process of growing adenium from seeds takes place in stages:
Before sowing, the seeds are soaked for several hours in warm water, adding a growth stimulator to it. To successfully grow adenium from seeds at home, you need to properly prepare the soil. The composition of the soil is peat for succulents with a soil loosener, one to one. Coarse sand or perlite, fine charcoal or expanded clay can serve as a ripper. If there is no peat, take coconut fiber.
Before planting adenium seeds in the ground, you need to choose a container; it is better to give preference to small pots with holes or disposable cups. We arrange drainage at the bottom from brick chips, small pieces of foam or charcoal, at the end the soil.
We plant the seeds on top of the ground and press them gently into the ground. Cover them with cling film or you can use a cut plastic bottle to cover them. Moistening of adenium seeds must be done moderately from a spray bottle.
The temperature must be maintained at about 25 degrees, periodically ventilating your seeds. After the adenium seedlings have germinated, they are placed in a fairly well-lit warm room so that they begin to actively develop. The timing of germination may vary depending on the variety, but in about a few weeks.
Caring for adenium seedlings
When the seedlings grow several leaves, they should be replanted. In adenium, seedlings need to be transplanted after germination about three times during the year, as they grow. Adenium planted from seeds begins to bloom after a couple of years. Caring for seedlings, like all plants.
When to feed adenium seedlings
It is necessary to feed once a month with mineral and organic liquid fertilizers. This must be done during active growth and during flowering. To achieve lush leaves, you need to apply fertilizer with nitrogen at the beginning of spring. Flowering time can be extended by adding phosphorus or potassium.
Trimming adenium at home
To form the roots of the adenium, the so-called caudex, you need to lift it a little with each replanting. But not too high above the ground, as this can stop its development.
You can form adenium at home. In adenium, crown formation is not always the final result that you expected. To do this, you need to be patient. Young individuals are simply pinched, and a trunk is formed from adult adeniums using pruning.
How to prune adenium correctly
Pruning of adenium means that the larger the diameter of the shoots, the larger the cutting area needs to be, and this promises many new stems at the cut site. Form the crown pruning of adenium as you would like to see your plant in your interior.
It should also be taken into account that if adenium is cut too low, the plant will grow irregular thin stems. Best period for pruning, this is the beginning of active growth. New branches appear at the cutting site within a month and a half.
For adenium, root pruning is a real art. Correct formation roots will give your plant an exotic look. Root pruning must be done on mature plants.
There are many interesting formations. One of these is when adenium is planted on a round plate, thanks to which, root system spreads out to the sides like an octopus.
The roots need to be fixed in required position using chopsticks or toothpicks.
Diseases and pests of adenium
Adeniums are rarely susceptible to diseases; this may be caused by failure to comply with the conditions for caring for the plant.
Adenium sheds leaves what to do - most likely the reason is insufficient lighting. Due to lack of sunlight, adenium leaves turn yellow and fall off. If this happens in winter, try to ensure artificial lighting. Also, the cause may be a lack of nitrogen; you should feed it with fertilizer containing nitrogen.
Adenium leaves curl or leaves do not grow , the reason is a lack of phosphorus fertilizer.
Pests of adenium are mealyworms and spider mites . An insecticidal solution is used as treatment.
By following all the instructions, your plant will delight you with its growth and flowering!
Caring for adenium seedlings. Caring for seedlings depends on the time of sowing the seeds. It is possible to distinguish between autumn-winter and spring-summer sowings. Spring-summer sowing. The good thing is that seedlings do not need additional lighting in the first months of life. It may be needed later in the fall-winter, because... Seedlings, as a rule, are not sent to winter dormancy - they are too small. Although, if the crops were done in early spring and the fat ones managed to grow well before winter, you can try to do without additional lighting. Young plants, approximately one year old, already have a sufficient caudex to survive a long absence of watering without consequences, and this is exactly what (reducing watering to a minimum) needs to be done in winter due to lack of light and temperature. Don’t worry if suddenly, for some reason, you can’t provide additional lighting to the plants. If unaesthetic thin and elongated shoots appear, it’s okay. All the same, sooner or later it will be necessary to form a crown. So it’s easy to get rid of unnecessary winter growth by pruning. Autumn-winter sowing. Initially, it is clear that during autumn-winter sowing the seedlings will need additional lighting, but since... In the first months, if the substrate allows, the seedlings grow well in the “dormitory”, then they take up little space. This means you can get by with one compact fluorescent lamp at 24-36W, screw-in standard cartridge E27. The amount of light from such a lamp is not enough to grow adeniums on an ongoing basis, but it is quite enough to overwinter. Ideally, it is better to light the seedlings directly on the windowsill, but if it is cold or you simply do not have such an opportunity, organize additional lighting where it is convenient for you. The distance from the lamp to the seedlings should be 5-10 cm with a shift to the side of 5. That is. start from 10 and gradually reduce the distance, focusing on the condition of the sprouts. In good lighting, the stem of the seedling may begin to turn red. Don't be alarmed, this is completely normal. With the arrival of spring, additional lighting can be stopped, the adeniums can be moved to the windowsill (if they were not on it) and gradually accustomed to the sun. During the growing season, the seedlings will gain enough weight to retire the following fall-winter without additional lighting. General information and recommendations: Caring for seedlings means maintaining the temperature within + 25-28°C during the day and at least 18°C at night, as well as providing sufficient lighting. The greenhouse must be ventilated daily. Preferably 30 minutes. in the morning and in the evening. You can finally remove the lid/film in about a month, when all the expected seeds have sprouted. Moistening of the substrate with sowing is carried out as needed. Try to keep the seed mixture moist but not wet. If you accidentally watered more than necessary, the greenhouse should be ventilated until the excess moisture evaporates. After the germination of all the expected seeds and removal of the cover/film, the seedlings begin to be watered when dry upper layer substrate. It is important not to dry out or flood the soil. It is better not to let it dry out completely, because... At first, the seedlings have almost no caudex where they could store moisture. If the seedlings are standing directly under the phytolamps, you can spray them to eliminate dry air. Plants need to be acclimated to the sun gradually. This also applies to adult plants, but especially to seedlings. At first, use shading, for example, a sheet of white paper on glass (2-3 days). Then for another 2-3 days you can use something more transparent tracing paper, tulle or a bag. Periodically, a couple of times a day, you can remove the shading for a short time (about half an hour to an hour, depending on the plant’s reaction). In general, a week is enough time to get used to it. When can you pick adenium seedlings? Standard recommendation: after the second or third pair of true leaves appear. In fact, if there is a need, it can be done much earlier, but in order to avoid developmental delays and possible injuries when picking, you need to wait until the second or third pair of true leaves. If necessary, you can dive at the stage of opening of the cotyledon leaves at the age of a couple of weeks, but it is better not to risk it. When picking, it is not at all necessary to plant seedlings in individual pots. To save space, you can transplant them into one bowl and grow them together until the age of a young plant. Pots. When choosing pots, you need to take small ones that correspond to the root system, for example, pots with a diameter of 5-6 cm are suitable for 2-3 month old adeniums. But adeniums need to be replanted as necessary, taking into account all the conditions of their maintenance. Priming. You can take ready-made soil for cacti as a basis and add leavening agents - vermiculite or perlite. The soil composition should contain disintegrant from 20% to 50%. In this case, the soil will be light but nutritious, so the seedlings will not need feeding at first. Fertilizers. Feeding can begin at a fairly tender age, as early as 2 months, only, of course, if necessary. But as a rule, at this age, seedlings either dive into a new substrate, or dived relatively recently, so there are still enough nutrients in the substrate. The standard recommendation is this: fertilizing begins no earlier than 2 months after transplantation, with weak concentrations of complex fertilizers. Fertilizers are used for flowering plants, with low nitrogen content, because Excess nitrogen leads to the formation of plants that are too large, weak, loose, and prone to rot. Formation of seedlings. At the very first transplantation of adeniums, you can begin to shape its future appearance. To prevent the seedling from growing like a carrot, you can pinch the central root; it is cut 0.5 - 1 cm below the existing lateral roots. The cut area is powdered with sulfur and can be covered with RanNet. At the age of 1-3 months, you can already pinch the main stem to stimulate side shoots. It is advisable to carry out all pinching and pruning at the end of March-May, when adeniums have active sap flow, then the results of the pruning will be better. If time is lost, it is better to wait until next spring. Peculiarities. It is very rare that so-called “bald” seedlings grow, in which there is no growing point between the cotyledon leaves. Such a seedling neither grows nor dies for a long time. What happens to them in the distant future is not known, because, as a rule, adenium growers do not have enough patience to wait for this very future. Sometimes a seed may produce a light yellow, white, pink or even purple seedling. This is a manifestation of variegation. If the seedling is light yellow, then the probability of survival is high. But chlorophyll-free sprouts have much less chance (they most often die). Although there are cases that over time they also turn green. You can help such a seedling with a drop of fertilizer with a high nitrogen content.
Adenium is increasingly found in the apartments of amateur flower growers. The popularity of the flower is due to its exotic appearance - the plant resembles a miniature baobab, literally dotted with flowers on top. However, growing this mini-tree at home is not difficult, because adenium is not capricious in care - in its historical homeland the flower is accustomed to extreme conditions.
Adenium is an amazing creation of nature
Adenium is a genus of succulent plants belonging to the Apocynaceae family. Their sizes are very diverse - from compact shrubs to tree-like giants. In nature, adenium is found in the equatorial regions of Africa (Senegal, Zambia, Kenya, Sudan, Chad) and on the Arabian Peninsula.
The name of the flower was given by the city of Aden (modern Yemen) - European travelers first saw it near it. unusual plant.
Adeniums are extremely hardy. They survive under the scorching sun, in a “soil” consisting almost entirely of rocks and sand. But maximum size(about 3 m in height and 1.5 m in trunk girth) the plant reaches in humid equatorial forests.
Adenium was discovered more than 150 years ago. But regarding the systematization of plants included in this genus, botanists have still not come to an agreement. Most of them distinguish 5–7 species of adenium and several dozen subspecies, which have significant differences depending on the area of growth, but there are also those who consider the genus to be monotypic.
Translated from Latin, “adenium” means “adenian”. But the beauty of the flower led to the presence of several poetic nicknames. In many European languages, the name adenium is literally translated as “desert rose.” It is also known as the “star of Sabinia”, “impala lily”.
The appearance of adenium is peculiar. About 75% of the time it consists exclusively of a thick and elastic trunk. In it, like any succulent, it stores water and nutrients, gradually disappearing during the dry season. The shape of the trunk (called caudex by botanists) most often resembles a bottle, but there are also specimens in which it is curved in the most bizarre way. By the way, the caudex can also be formed artificially. This makes adenium popular among bonsai lovers.
In the roots and caudex, adenium contains its “emergency reserve”
The caudex, thick at the base, gradually narrows. More than half of it is underground. Young adeniums quickly grow in height, while adults, on the contrary, grow rather slowly. Closer to the top, the stem branches intensively. On each branch, with the onset of the rainy season, small lanceolate leaves open, glossy or slightly fleecy to the touch.
But still, despite all the exoticism, mostly amateur florists value adenium for its fantastically beautiful and long flowering. During the summer, the branches are literally strewn with large bright flowers. All shades of pink are common in nature - from almost white to deep crimson and burgundy. The base of the petals is noticeably lighter than the main tone. Breeders managed to obtain terry, variegated, yellow, purple, almost black and other hybrids of adeniums.
Blooming adenium guaranteed not to go unnoticed
After flowering in natural conditions small thick pods form on the plant cylindrical. Each ripen with 2–4 shiny brown seeds with a “tail” of long silky threads. Thanks to this device, they fly apart at the slightest gust of wind.
Adenium juice, released even with minimal damage to the caudex and branches, is extremely poisonous.
African aborigines prepare poison from adenium juice, smearing it on arrowheads and spear tips for hunting large animals. At the same time, in the correct dosage, adenium juice is an effective medicine against fever, heat, and stomach colic.
When starting to trim or form adenium, be sure to wear thick rubber gloves; when finished, wash your hands thoroughly. Plant the plant in a fairly massive and stable pot, which must be placed high enough to protect it from “encroachment” by small children and pets.
The flower is very popular among adherents of Feng Shui. It is believed that the plant helps improve the financial situation of its owner, and also normalizes tense relationships between family members, “pulling out” all the negativity.
Adenium is not only a beautiful, but also a useful plant
Types grown at home
Mostly in home floriculture there are adenium hybrids bred through selection. Authentic views are quite a rarity due to their dimensions, which do not always fit into modern apartments. Where space allows, grow:
Photo gallery: natural types of adenium
Adenium Arabian is formed by adapting to the environment. The leaves of Adenium Nova look like needles. Adenium Crispum is a close relative of Somalia, but they are not very similar. Adenium Somalia is still little known to amateur gardeners. The bark of Adenium oleaginosa is completely devoid of roughness. Adenium Swaziland has unusually thin shoots. Adenium multiflorum fully justifies its claim. name Adenium obese - the basis of most breeding hybrids
Progress does not stand still, and the ranks of adeniums are replenished.
Selectively bred varieties in the photo
Adenium Mini is an ideal material for bonsai lovers Adenium Yellow Love has a rather rare color of petals Adenium Anaconda is extremely reminiscent of a tree strewn with flowers of all shades of pink - from almost white to crimson The leaves of Dorset Horn adenium look like ram's horns, you cannot pinch the plant - the specific shape of the leaves is lost , the branches stretch out unattractively Adenium Santa Claus is very beautiful, but, unfortunately, has no aroma at all. Variegated adeniums have many options for coloring the leaf blade - a solid pale golden color, dark emerald with scarlet spots repeating the outlines of the veins, a light salad border, and so on Further
Optimal growing conditions - table
Features of planting and transplanting
Adeniums are transplanted exclusively in early spring. Young - every year, adults - when the roots begin to protrude from the drainage hole in the pot (every 3-5 years).
The new pot should be 2–3 cm in diameter larger than the previous one. For adult adeniums, it is better to choose massive, low and stable containers, similar to a bowl; for young ones, taller ones are also suitable. A light color is desirable - such pots heat up less in the sun.
The roots of young adeniums grow in depth, adults - in breadth, based on this, you should select a suitable pot
The soil needs to be neutral in acidity, light, permeable to air and not allowing stagnation of moisture. Possible options:
You can transplant adenium correctly by proceeding as follows:
Subtleties of flower transplantation - video
Proper plant care
Adenium is by no means as whimsical as one might think when looking at this exotic beauty.
Watering
Water the adenium exclusively with water heated to 25–28 ºС. In summer - once every 3-4 days, in winter - every 3-3.5 weeks. Water is poured along the edges of the pot, and not at the root. Focus on the speed of soil drying. Don't let him move away from the walls of the pot.
Some gardeners do not water an adult flower at all during the dormant period or limit themselves to spraying the soil. In this case, in the spring, adenium is watered for the first time 15–20 days after it is returned to normal conditions. During this time, the growth buds “come out of hibernation.” Compared to conventional irrigation, they use approximately half as much water.
Only leaves can be sprayed. When drops fall on flowers, they suddenly lose their decorative effect and the petals “shed.”
Top dressing
For adenium, complex fertilizers for cacti and succulents, for example, Agricola, are suitable
In principle, adeniums do not need feeding. But if you really want to, you can water the flower monthly during the active growing season with fertilizers for succulents or universal remedy for indoor plants, low concentration (1–2% solution). Phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen in the fertilizer should be approximately equal. In winter, fertilizing is completely excluded.
At the beginning of spring, newly transplanted plants can be fed with root formation stimulants (Epin, Kornevin, Heteroauxin, Atlet).
Rest period
Adenium “rests” from late October to early March. Some varieties completely shed their foliage at this time.
The flower is transferred to a cool (+13…+16 ºС) place, protected from direct sunlight. Light partial shade is acceptable. Watering adult plants at this time is very moderate or completely eliminated. If you decide to stick with the first option, wait for a warm (as possible) sunny day.
Flowering and formation
In most types of adenium, the appearance of flowers occurs in the summer. Nitrogen fertilizer applied once at this time will force the adenium to intensively increase its green mass, but will increase the risk of not waiting for flowering, severely depleting the caudex.
When watering or spraying the plant, make sure that moisture does not get on the flowers.
Decorative properties adnium are caused not only by flowers, but also by an unusual caudex and lush crown. Their formation is carried out a little later than transplantation, when the adenium actively begins to grow. Specific actions depend on the desired appearance:
Proper training can work wonders
Some gardeners advise covering the sections and buds of adenium with cytokinin paste to stimulate growth and branching. However, the use of this remedy is rather doubtful.
Important nuances of flower care - video
How does adenium signal the grower's mistakes?
Basically, adeniums at home suffer from too much watering. It’s hard to think of another way to destroy a plant. But small errors in care have a negative impact on appearance. It is important to know why this or that problem appeared in order to eliminate it in a timely manner.
Typical errors and ways to correct them - table
What diseases and pests can you encounter?
The very poisonous juice of adenium repels most common pests of indoor plants. But not everyone. Root rot caused by waterlogged soil is also extremely common.
Control of diseases and pests of adenium - table
Thick soap foam is applied to the adenium leaves, being careful not to get on the caudex. The pot, tray, and the place where it was located are wiped with ethyl alcohol. After 3-4 hours, the soap is washed off with a cotton pad soaked in the same alcohol, the adenium is sprayed, placed together with the pot in a large plastic bag and, if possible, sealed tightly. The plant is removed after three days. If time is lost, acaricides are used - Fitoverm, Vermitek, Omite, Apollo, Neoron. When planting, you can add Temik or Aldicarb in granules to the soil for prevention. Folk remedy- infusion of onion or garlic (the middle head is cleaned, crushed into pulp, poured with a liter of water for 6–8 hours).Diseases and pests in the photo
Generative method
Adenium seeds can be purchased without problems in online stores
Most often, adenium is propagated by seeds. At home, they ripen quite rarely, but they can be purchased without any problems. This is a certain “lottery”. Varietal characteristics are not preserved in all cases. In addition, the seeds quickly lose their viability. It is advisable to use last year's harvest. Plant seeds in spring.
Adenium seedlings quickly grow in size
Growing adenium from seeds - video
Rooting apical cuttings
Adeniums grown from cuttings do not have a pronounced caudex. The rooting procedure is not always successful, “ planting material"It often rots.
Graft
Another adenium or oleander is used as a “mother” plant. Last option allows you to obtain more hardy and profusely flowering specimens.
Adenium grafting gives good results
At the beginning of January 2014, I sowed 3 seeds of White mini-adenium, succumbing to the general desire to grow a new product for 2013 - white mini. Seed producers demonstrated amazing seedlings - “helicopters”, “cabbage” with wide flat leaves. The seeds sprouted, the seedlings grew, but they were not going to bloom. Not waiting for them to bloom after 2 years, I ordered and sowed 3 more in February 2016. 100% germination - all conditions for successful germination were provided.
Adenium White Mini from seeds
In the summer of 2016, this is what my white mini-adenium seedlings looked like at the age of 2.5 years and 6 months: 
The second crop was more lumpy and larger. Seedlings in both 2014 and 2016 sat in pots of the same diameter:
And so, on October 1, 2016, I noticed the beginnings of buds on seedling No. 2. He was 2 years and 9 months old at that time. The buds grew for almost two months - only on November 25 did they begin to open:
A thin pink border is visible only on the buds; when opened, the flower looks pure white:
Unfortunately, it was not possible for all the buds to open at the same time; the first two fell off fresh on the 5th–6th day. I pulled the plant at a photo shoot, moved it to a prominent place... Getting white mini-adenium from seeds on the first try is a great joy!
Adenium pleased with its flowering for almost a month.
The seeds of white mini-adenium are larger than the seeds of ordinary adenium obese:
And the cotyledons are large and take a long time to unfold:
In the photo above, the bonus mix is on the left, and the fat bellies are rising on the right.
In general, I'm waiting for the remaining five to bloom - these three boys and two three-year-olds.
In winter, most indoor plants go dormant. Adenium at home is attractive because it blooms just in the very first or pre-New Year frosts and delights with the bright colors of the flowers not only its owners, but also all passers-by who look at the windows with a beautiful plant.
Adeniums are native to tropical regions of Africa, from Senegal to Kenya and Sudan. The name of this beautifully flowering succulent is translated from many languages of the world as “desert rose”, and it is very popular in indoor floriculture, grown using bonsai technique. The plant seems to have been created to be shaped into bizarre shapes in the form of extraordinary sculptures, which are obtained from the thickening of the stem at the base - the caudex.
Most representatives of the genus Adenium in the Kutrovye family are low shrubs or lignified succulents with a strongly branching trunk, growing up to one and a half to two meters. At home, the succulent develops slowly and does not grow above 50–60 cm.
On numerous branches there are small lanceolate leaves, rounded or pointed at the top. In natural species they have a rich emerald color, but there are also variegated forms that surprise with unusual red-black or yellow-white foliage.
The flowers are very showy and decorative; flaming scarlet is more common, but there are also soft crimson, snow-white, lemon yellow, velvety red-black with a simple or lush terry corolla. The throat of many is lighter than the main background of the petals.
Attention! If the plant is damaged, therefore, during replanting work, you should be especially careful, wear gloves or immediately after getting the juice on your skin, wash your hands with soap and running water.
Adenium transplant
Young succulents are replanted up to twice a year because they need more space to develop a strong root system. When the adenium flower reaches the expected size, it is produced as needed at the beginning of the growing season, around April. The normal frequency of transplants for adult adenium is once every 5–6 years.
The plant needs a spacious container so that the roots and caudex can develop freely. The preferred choice of gardeners usually falls on light-colored cup-shaped pots or containers in which the root system suffers less from overheating in the sun.
A significant layer of pebble or expanded clay drainage must be laid at the bottom. The substrate is breathable and loose. Main components taken in identical parts:
- leaf soil;
- turf soil;
- coarse sand;
- some charcoal.
Conditions of detention
The best place to place adenium at home is south-eastern or southern exposure. The lighting for the succulent should be as bright as possible; the plant is not afraid of direct sunlight and does not need shading. In summer, the container with the flower is taken out into the garden, but placed under a canopy to avoid waterlogging of the soil during rain, which can destroy the flower.
It is important! Adenium at home cannot withstand hypothermia of the root system.
Adenium has high temperature requirements; the succulent does not like cold air, drafts and sudden drops in temperature. In summer, the most comfortable thermometer readings for him in the room where he is located are from 20 to 35 degrees Celsius; in winter, the temperature in the room should not be less than 12 degrees above zero.
Caring for adenium at home
The main measures for caring for a succulent are to ensure the necessary soil moisture and ambient air, as well as pruning - a mandatory measure in growing adenium.
How to water and fertilize adenium
In summer, the plant is watered regularly and abundantly, but the frequency of watering is regulated, focusing on complete drying of the earthen clod - to the very bottom. Excess water pour out of the pan immediately. The succulent responds gratefully to spraying in hot weather.
Winter watering is limited and directly depends on the ambient temperature. Complete drying of the substrate is also necessary. If the room temperature is cool, hydration of the adenium should be extremely poor and rare or absent altogether.
The first watering after a break in moistening should in no case be abundant, but very careful and small in volume of liquid. Seedlings and young specimens are watered with a small amount of water and infrequently.
Fertilizing is carried out only from May to September, using mineral fertilizers for succulents and cacti. Young plants benefit from organic extracts. The rest of the year, adeniums are not fertilized.
Adenium pruning
At the very beginning of the growing season, in spring or at the end of winter, adenium is trimmed if desired. If you plan to form the plant into one trunk, shorten the main stem and branches by a third. In the event that you decide to grow a succulent in the form of a shrub with several stems, as low as possible.
In young specimens, the tops of the pagons are pinched. During the next transplant, the roots of the plant are slightly exposed, and all the thin surface roots are plucked out. Adenium is ideal for forming Neagari style bonsai.
Reproduction of adenium
The succulent is propagated by sowing seeds in spring and vegetatively by grafting and.
Used by grafting valuable decorative varieties With double flowers on seedlings of natural species. However, when propagating adenium vegetative way It should be remembered that the caudex is formed only in plants obtained from seeds.
Soak for several hours in a warm solution of a growth stimulator, for example, zircon or another. In the meantime, prepare the substrate, making it up of coco soil, charcoal and vermiculite.
The seeds are placed in shallow holes and moistened with a spray bottle.
Sprinkle a thin layer of substrate on top and place the container with sowing in a very warm place with a temperature of more than 30 degrees above zero. The seedlings will appear in a week, but if the temperature is lower, for example, from 20 to 25 degrees Celsius, the seeds will take longer to hatch, and there is a risk of the seedlings rotting.
When the first pair of true leaves is formed, young succulents are accustomed to the growing conditions of adult adeniums, and with the appearance of the third and fourth leaves, the seedlings dive into small independent pots.
Possible problems in growing, diseases and pests
In winter, the plant's foliage may turn yellow and fall off. Nothing terrible happens, this phenomenon is normal, in the spring the adenium crown will be restored to its former decorativeness. A small amount at the same time is considered acceptable. With the beginning of sap flow during the growing season, it will return to its former elasticity.
Sometimes seedlings lack branching, which is considered unsightly. In this case, at the end of winter, the top of the plant can be pinched to ensure the formation of a branched shrub.
Among the diseases, the most common are root rot as a result of waterlogging. Pests that attack adenium are: mealybugs And spider mites. Depending on the size of the colony found on the plant, folk or chemical means of protection are used.
Types of adeniums
There are 5–6 species in the genus, but some of them in different sources are called forms or varieties of the named main ones.
Or obese adenium (A. obesum), synonym - adenium arabicum (A. arabicum) - the most common species in temperate latitude apartments, growing up to one and a half meters in height.
Forms a powerful caudex about 30–40 cm in circumference. The crown is dark green, shiny, with white veining. The flowers are pale pink, in seedlings good care may appear as early as six months of age.
Adenium oleifolium (A. oleifolium) – the plant is short in stature, with elongated olive-colored leaves. The shrub forms a weak caudex, which is usually found in the soil rather than on its surface. The flowering is very beautiful - delicate bell-shaped corollas peach shade look defenseless and fragile.
Adenium boehmianum (A. boehmiaum) is a succulent with the most large flowers in the genus of a rich crimson hue, reaching 7–8 cm in circumference. The foliage of the plant is also larger than that of other species; in addition, it is densely pubescent and feels velvety to the touch.
