Which adenium has the largest flower? Adenium: types and varieties, cultivation features. Types and varieties of adenium, photos and names
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Adenium (lat. adenium) is a plant of the genus of succulents. These are small trees or shrubs native to Africa. The plant has to adapt to changing and often dry weather conditions, as its appearance tells. The flower accumulates a large amount of moisture in its barrel-shaped trunk. The popular name of adenium - “desert rose” - was not obtained by chance. Indeed, in some African languages this is a literal translation.
Adenium is poisonous. When working with it, you must wear rubber gloves.
In addition to the unusual thickened stem, adenium attracts the attention of gardeners with its bright large flowers. The flowers reach seven centimeters in diameter and are five-petalled buds that form inflorescences on the branches.
The most popular varieties and types: description and photo
There is still no consensus among botanists about the number of existing species of adamium. There are about a dozen main types of adenium, which are distinguished by leaf shape, habitat or trunk shape. Despite the fact that adenium has been known in Russia only recently, flower growers fell in love with it and widely popularized the cultivation of this flower.
More detailed information about popular varieties of adenium can be found in.
Obese "Obesum" (adenium obesum)
The most widespread variety among flower growers is Adenium Obessum, also known as Adenium obese or thick.
The flower fully justifies its name, being the largest representative of the species. This flower variety blooms quickly (already in the second year) and is very easy to grow.
Obesum is a deciduous and evergreen plant, reaching a meter in diameter and three meters in height. The flowers of the obssum are pink and white, and the leaves, depending on environmental conditions, can be dull, glossy or variegated.
Arabic (adenium arabicum)
The Arabian variety is distinguished by dark brown bark and very large leaves.. The trunk of the flower is pronounced and has several peaks, from which elongated glossy leaves grow. The flowers of this species are small and red-pink in color. Over time, adenium leaves expand and can reach up to 20 cm in length and 12 cm in width.
Mini
Mini adenium is the fruit of breeders from Taiwan. These small plants are a wonderful interior decoration and are very similar to Japanese bonsai.
This variety of flower differs from the others in its rather slow growth - in five years it will not grow higher than 20 centimeters in height.
Flowering of this plant continues throughout the year and begins at the age of two. Mini adenium flowers range from snow-white to bright red.
Caring for the main varieties of “desert rose”
Ademium is of great value to gardeners because it does not require any special care, such as replacing the pot as it grows, special watering or expensive soil.
About caring for adenium is described in.
Diseases and pests
Being succulents, adeniums suffer from many diseases to which they have no immunity. The main enemies are fungal and bacterial diseases that we encounter when growing these plants at home.
Despite the fact that the flower is poisonous, it is still susceptible to some diseases characteristic of plants.
Diseases and pests of adenium:
- Mealybugs and rootbugs.
- Spider mite.
- Caudex rot.
- Viral diseases.
With proper care and timely treatment, no problems will arise.
Reproduction methods at home
- Seeds– You can purchase the seeds of this flower in a special store. Soak the seeds for half an hour in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and then soak for several hours in a zircon solution. Place the seeds on a mixture of sand and charcoal. Pots with seedlings need warmth (30-35 degrees) and additional lighting. Seedlings require daily ventilation and compliance with humidity and temperature conditions. As soon as the second leaves appear, the plant is transplanted into a pot with a dive.
- Cuttings– for this type of propagation, twigs obtained during pruning in the spring are used. Cuttings 10-15 cm long are ideal. The cuttings take root for at least a month and during this time you need to carefully monitor the humidity, avoiding its excess.
The water of rooted cuttings must be changed daily to avoid rotting.
Despite the fact that adenium is an exotic plant, it is not a capricious flower at all. Adenium is an ideal decoration for a window sill in an apartment, if we consider together its flowering speed, size and incredible beauty of flowers. If you follow absolutely simple rules, adenium will be an excellent decoration for your home.
Adenium species are not as diverse as varieties and cultivars, but among them there are simply magnificent plants! (Adenium) is a fairly small genus of the Apocynaceae family, which includes only 8 species. Some of the Adenium species are now considered subspecies. Adenium species differ from each other in the size and color of flowers, the size and shape of leaves, the presence of pubescence on the leaves, as well as the type and speed of growth.
All types of Adenium grow in arid places, where periods of rain and drought are pronounced. During the rainy season, the desert rose blooms, and during drought, it sheds its leaves and enters a dormant state. Due to such seasonality of growth in their homeland, almost all Adenium species retain this habit in culture. This frequency is especially important to consider when growing capricious and rare species of Adenium.
And now I want to move on to a brief overview of the species of Adenium, note the characteristic distinctive features of each species and outline the main points of their cultivation.
Adenium belongs to the genus of shrubby and woody plants, like plumeria, its homeland is Africa. This plant is given the most romantic names, for example, desert rose, impala lily, for its beauty, endurance and ability to decorate any landscape.
In its natural habitat, the growth rate of adenium is measured in meters. Do you already want to plant such an exotic beauty? We will teach you how to do this at home.
As a potted plant, adenium has become popular in the last few years. The reason for this is simple - an exotic look, especially when the plant is already mature. Imagine a thick trunk, a caudex thickened at the bottom to store water and nutrients, covered with a dense carpet of small flowers.
Modern breeders are developing the newest varieties of adenium, the flowers of which range in color from white to black; there are also variegated and monochromatic species. The yellow color of adenium is rare in nature. By the way, thanks to the caudex, adeniums received the name home bonsai.
Adenium: its juice is poisonous, or is it a myth?
But adenium obese takes root best at home. It is the most unpretentious of all types of adeniums and is characterized by early flowering. But be careful, any adenium, when pruned, releases a large amount of milky, poisonous juice. Therefore, gardeners recommend working with it wearing thick gloves, and after all manipulations you should wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
The juice from adenium penetrates through the pores, and 12–30 hours after direct contact with it, severe intoxication is observed, accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Headache.
- Nausea, feeling of an unpleasant odor in the air.
- Vomiting, weakness.
If you feel unwell after cutting adenium, consult a doctor immediately!
But these plants are also useful, especially in the Taoist practice of Feng Shui. The fact is that it attracts money and absorbs negative energy.
The most famous types of adenium
The following varieties and varietal sets are also bred at home: Emma, Socotranum, Octopus, which is distinguished by its most luxurious aerial roots, Hybrid, small-leaved cristate, Arabicum and Anouk (Anouk).
How to plant adenium from seeds: rules for a houseplant
So we have chosen a variety, now we will plant the seeds; they can be purchased at a flower shop or online.
The sowing process consists of 12 mandatory steps. We plant seeds in the ground, although it is possible to germinate seedlings hydroponically. Hydroponics is growing without soil in water, and this setup can be made from a simple bottle.
Step one
To grow adenium, take the seeds and soak them in warm water for 4 hours. But soaking is a controversial issue; some Russian gardeners claim that the procedure provokes rotting. It is better to soak the seeds in a fungicide solution, which is considered the best germination stimulator.
The main point is maintaining the same water temperature throughout the entire procedure, this is of great importance. You can add a little warm water every 30 minutes, or place the container with the seeds closer to the heating device.
Step two
While the seeds are soaking, we are preparing the soil for growing adenium. For soil you need to take 50% cactus soil or coconut mixture. Pure peat is not recommended; acidic soil is not suitable for all types of adenium.
The rest is baking powder. You can use vermiculite, smallest expanded clay, brick chips, foam balls or sand other than construction sand. If you add vermiculite or charcoal to the soil, it is better to mix them in a 1:1 ratio with another type of baking powder.
Step three
Now it’s time to prepare the container in which the flower will be planted. For these purposes, anything that resembles pots and containers in which drainage holes can be made is suitable. For example, plastic cups, multi-cell containers for storing food, and even plastic containers with lids that can be considered mini-greenhouses.
Step four
Using a heated nail or scissors, make 4 to 6 holes in the bottom of the planting container through which the adenium root system and small seeds will be ventilated. After the holes, lay a drainage layer; it can be the same expanded clay, small pebbles, charcoal or brick chips.
Step five
Pour soil over the drainage, but do not compact it tightly, otherwise the seeds simply will not hatch through the thickness of the soil. The layer should be soft and loose.
Step six
Remove the seeds from the water and carefully lay them flat on top of the poured soil. After laying, cover them with 0.5 cm of soil. You don’t have to fall asleep, but use your finger to deepen the seeds into the already laid soil.
Step seven
Now let's make a greenhouse. Cover the seed container or cups with cling film, a plastic bag, or the top of a plastic bottle. All materials must be transparent so that the first shoots can receive enough sunlight.
Step eight
Watering adenium seeds is done from a spray bottle; you can also use a teaspoon or a simple pipette. If the soil is not water-retentive, then watering can be done through a tray.
Step nine
If you plant different types of adenium, be sure to label the pots or cups. Apply a sticker or mark it with a marker.
Step ten
The improvised greenhouse needs to be placed in a warm place. If this happens in summer or early autumn, then it may be a warm windowsill. And if wintering is ahead, give preference to a place near a heating device or heated towel rail, next to it the seeds will germinate faster.
Step eleven
Remove the film once a day for 30 minutes to allow your seeds to breathe. During this time, water them as needed. If you overfill the water, simply keep the greenhouse open to force the water to evaporate.
Step twelve
After several weeks of waiting, you will see the first shoots, and seed germination can be considered complete. When the seedlings hatch, the adenium seedlings are transplanted into larger pots. Until all the seeds are planted in one container until they all hatch, the greenhouse cannot be removed from the warm place.
You may want to do a little digging to look at each of the seeds - they may be rotten or old. Don’t be surprised if, among the general mass of cheerful green sprouts, an albino (white sprout) appears, because this is normal for adenium, and the albino will grow into a full-fledged indoor flower.
You can learn more about the rules for planting seeds and caring for them from the recommendations of Zhamyan Nimaev.
Picking, adenium care and germination percentage
Unfortunately, not all seeds of this exotic plant germinate. On one of the forums we found information that out of 50 seeds planted, only 30% sprouted.
Opinions differ regarding diving. It is known for sure that seedlings planted in different pots may not be replanted for about 6 months, but the common greenhouse will have to be resettled.
Transplantation and further care depend on the time of year in which the plant was planted in the ground.
The fact is that at the end of spring, summer, and early autumn, seedlings absolutely do not need lighting and heating, being content with sunlight. If the seedlings appeared in early spring, then by winter they will not need lighting. For later sprouts, additional care will have to be provided during the cold season.
At the end of the first month of autumn and subsequent winter, the seedlings are illuminated and provided with additional heating.
Care and maintenance of plants at home
Lighting
Good lighting is everything for adenium, so try to provide the small and adult plant with at least 2 hours of daylight per day. Without sufficient light, the plant becomes capricious, stops growing, sometimes turns yellow and even refuses to bloom.
Humidity
Soil and air humidity do not play a role in the development of adenium. Its native climate is very hot and dry, so its hardiness is similar to that of a cactus.
Watering
Watering is carried out when the top part of the soil dries out. And when it comes to watering techniques, they also adhere to the “cactus rules”: warm water 2-3 times a week in the summer and just a little bit of water in the winter. By the way, often by winter the leaves of the plant fall off.
Fertilizer and feeding
Caring for this exotic plant is not at all difficult; fertilizers and fertilizing are applied 2 times a month. It is recommended to feed the plant once a month, and during the dormant period it is not recommended to feed and fertilize it.
Rest period
During the dormant period, the plant's leaves partially fall off, and it is necessary to reduce watering, dim the light and leave it alone until spring.
Diseases and pests
The plant suffers from improper care and some pests, such as:
- Root rot. Formed at air temperatures from 18 to 22 °C and excessive watering.
- Mealyworm.
- Ticks and spider mites.
From an overabundance of complementary foods, the leaves of the plant become covered with spots; you may notice that the leaf is deformed or wrinkled. You can save the plant by “cutting its diet,” and if the time for replanting is not far off, then you can do it prematurely.
With a lack of nitrogen, the leaves from the central longitudinal seam become yellow, and then this yellow color of adenium spreads throughout the entire crown. And brown tips are a signal that there is a lack of potassium in the soil.
How to correctly form the crown and trunk?
Often a young plant begins to actively branch, but to form a crown it is worth pinching the top. They pinch it at the end of winter, when the plant has not yet entered the active growth phase. Remember that pinching slows down development a little and the adenium will grow more slowly.
And for mature plants, pruning is recommended. Remove old branches, and the crown, as happens in nature, will form on its own. Also, to form a caudex, the method of merging the trunks of 2 to 4 plants is used - this is an alternative grafting.
Plants are planted in one pot and secured with thick adhesive paper. And after 3 months of grinding into each other, their caudex is trimmed with a knife (0.5–1.5 mm) to speed up fusion. After trimming, they are again secured with a bandage, which can be removed after 3 weeks. There should be no free space, land, etc. between them.
Reproduction and pollination
Adenium propagates by seeds (we have already talked about this), cuttings and root layering.
To propagate adenium using cuttings, you just need to select suitable shoots. In order to form the correct growth of a flower, it is constantly pruned, and at this time you can choose a worthy cutting. Its length starts from 10 cm, and then everything is standard: we cut it, root it, and don’t forget to water the rooted cuttings. And after 1-3 weeks we see if they have taken root.
Is pollination possible at home?
You can pollinate the plant, but it is advisable to have 2 flowers of the same variety. The procedure is carried out as follows: on the 3rd–4th day of flowering, pollen from one plant is applied to the pistil of the second. This is done to obtain your own seeds. And for greater probability, take a thin brush or toothpick. The best time for pollination is in the morning before 9 o'clock and in the evening from 4 to 6.
As you can see, there is nothing complicated in growing this plant. Care, timely pruning and replanting - and your adenium is the most beautiful of all!
Adenium grows in the form of a shrub and belongs to the Kutrov family. The plant has a thick trunk that expands towards the base. There are many short shoots on the trunk. This exotic flower is native to East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
In its homeland, this flower grows to a height of 10 m. And when grown at home, it will not grow more than 50 cm. The leaf blades have a variety of colors depending on the plant variety. But almost all adeniums have green leaf plates with a rounded shape and pointed tips. But recently, hybrids with colored leaf plates or with a leaf shape of a long elongated and at the same time narrow oval have been bred. Read about it here.
Adenium - description and types
Growing adenium is now considered a fashionable activity, and many gardeners have begun to cultivate it, because it has beautiful flowers and an unusual trunk shape. Also, some flower lovers mistake these shrubs for bonsai. After all, when growing a plant, an unusual trunk can be given completely irregular shapes.
But with all this, we must not forget that this is a poisonous plant, and if there are small children or animals in the house who taste the plants, then it is better not to acquire such a bush yet. Since it is quite toxic and can cause severe poisoning.
Adenium flowers begin to appear on the plant in early summer and continue to bloom until the end of September. The flowering is very diverse; the most beautiful flowers differ both in shape and in the color of the buds. The size also differs depending on the type of adenium. They are 3 cm in diameter, and sometimes reach 13 cm. Their flowers are of different colors:
- Yellow;
- White;
- Pink;
- Reds
- Red and black.
Actually, this is a fairly unpretentious plant, with slow growth and abundant flowering, which occurs at a fairly young age.
Types of adenium
Among the many varieties, there are several particularly beautiful ones:
- Abesum is the most common variety, since flowering begins in May, and the flowers have a large flower diameter - 7 cm. The buds are pink or red;
- Arabian - this variety begins flowering in March and lasts throughout the warm season. The shape of its crown is very reminiscent of wild adeniums, flowers of bright pink color. This variety has a pronounced hibernation, which is expressed in the loss of leaf mass for the entire dormant period;
- Socotrans is a dwarf plant with gray leaf blades and delicate pink inflorescences;
- Somali - this variety grows the largest in indoor conditions and flowering already begins when the seedling reaches two years of age, when the plant has barely reached 15 cm in height. The flowers are small in diameter, but the variety blooms throughout the year. And this also has its own charm.
Growing adenium from seeds and care at home
Many people grow this exotic from seeds; it is difficult, but quite achievable.
Planting seeds
This interesting process has its own characteristics. Before planting the seeds in nutrient soil, the seeds should be soaked in warm water for a couple of hours. Not all flower growers do this, some are against such treatment of planting material, but it’s up to the one who plants to soak it or not.
If you decide to soak, then add any stimulating solution for root formation to warm water half an hour before completion of the soaking process.
But before planting the seed, you need to mix the soil properly. To do this, take soil from any brand for cacti and mix it with perlite or any other baking powder one to one.
Containers for planting plants should be small in size with holes for draining water. Plastic transparent cups with a volume of 100 g are well suited for this purpose. We put drainage made of expanded clay or polystyrene at the bottom, and then fill it to the top with prepared soil.
Then we place the plant seeds on the surface and lightly press them into the soil. After all the manipulations, we put all the cups in one box to simplify their care and cover the box with a transparent lid or put the entire box in a transparent plastic bag.
The lid must be removed once a day and the future seedlings ventilated. If you need to moisten the soil, do this carefully using a spray bottle with warm water. If the soil was very moist when planting the seeds, then the next watering time will be no earlier than two weeks later. If the seeds are planted of different varieties, then the cups must be marked which variety is planted in it.
Seeds require sustained heat for germination, so the box with the planted seeds should be placed in a fairly warm place. When the seeds are pecked from the ground, the film or glass is removed.
During further care, it is necessary to ensure that the lump of earth in which the adenium seedlings are planted does not dry out, but there should not be a flood, so as not to cause rotting of the seedling.
In order for the grown seedlings to grow well, they are transferred to a warm, bright place, but without direct sunlight. If necessary, the seedlings are turned towards the light so that the trunk grows evenly.
Seed germination may take three days, or it may take a month, it all depends on the characteristics of the adenium variety.
Adenium Photos Caring for adenium seedlings
After the seedlings grow up and produce two or three leaves on the tops of their heads, they begin to be transplanted into a new container. Moreover, if the old one fits, you don’t have to increase the capacity; it all depends on the size of the root system. The flower must undergo such a transplant three times a year.
This plant blooms two years after the seeds were sown.
Since this is a fairly drought-resistant plant, it tolerates direct sunlight well. However, this tropical plant loves frequent watering, which should be moderate. Summer watering can be done using sprinkling, but in winter watering is limited, since the rooms are quite cool and can cause rotting of the trunk and roots. In addition, in winter the plant goes into hibernation.
Plant nutrition
During the growth process, adenium, like all living plants, needs feeding. Fertilizers are used for succulents, because if you overdo it with nitrogen fertilizers at a rapid growth rate, the skin of the trunk may burst. And then an infection gets into the wound and the trunk looks ugly even if it is cured of rot diseases.
Therefore, fertilizers should be applied no more than once a month. At the time of flowering, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied so that flowering lasts longer and is more intense.
Lighting
Since Africa is its homeland, the plant tolerates direct sunlight well. In the summer he prefers to spend his time outside, but he must be gradually accustomed to the sun at the end of April. Because in winter there is little lighting and in spring the sun begins to burn very intensely and can burn the foliage after a long winter hibernation.
The southern orientation of the windows suits him very well because he needs as much sunlight as possible all year round. When growing a plant, it must be turned in relation to the sun so that its trunk does not fall to one side.
Temperature and humidity
In the warm season, the plant prefers hot air temperatures up to 35 degrees Celsius. It is indifferent to humidity, but sometimes in hot weather you can spray it to get rid of dust lying on the flower. When spraying, you must avoid getting it on the flowers so as not to spoil their appearance.
In autumn, when daylight hours decrease, spraying is stopped. Some varieties of adenium may begin to lose leaves. During dormancy, you should absolutely not spray, otherwise the plant may be affected by root rot or sooty fungus.
Bloom
Flowering of all varieties lasts throughout the summer and ends by September. Each individual flower lasts seven days during flowering, and then a new bud appears in its place. Since buds appear only at the ends of the branches, adenium is pruned in the spring for greater bushiness. And consequently the number of flowers on the bush increases.
Transfer
Indoors, the plant grows quite slowly and if it has outgrown the container in which it was planted, then it can be safely transplanted into a new container. For adult adeniums, a container like a bowl is selected, since at the age of three the root system begins to grow in width and only the container restrains the growth of the root system. Therefore, if you do not need to increase the size of the plant, then you should not transplant it into a large container.
Reproduction using cuttings and grafting
In addition to seed propagation, there is also propagation by cuttings. To do this, take apical shoots at least two centimeters thick and make an incision at the base of the stem with a knife. After drying for a couple of hours, the root is treated, wrapped in a plastic bag, and after about a month, a small root system will begin to form at the site of the cut.
Adenium is also grafted onto oleander. After it, the flowering is lush and long, but the place where the grafting was made must be protected from direct sunlight. Grafted plants, like plants, cannot tolerate cold weather and the optimal temperature for them is 35 degrees Celsius.
In order to graft onto the rootstock and scion, oblique cuts are made and two different plants are combined. The joint is secured with any elastic material. After about a couple of months, if the top begins to grow, it means the grafting was a success.
The best time to propagate adenium using any of the described methods is spring, when all the buds wake up after winter hibernation.
Diseases associated with the growth of adenium
This plant is practically not susceptible to diseases. The first signs of pests can only be seen if the plant is not properly cared for. Scale insects, spider mites or mealybugs can be found on this exotic plant. But to prevent this from happening, for the sake of prevention, once every six months, you can spray or spill the soil with a solution made on the basis of Actillic.
Since this is a succulent plant, periodic flooding with water can cause root rot. To prevent it from appearing, a soil for adeniums is selected that is light and nutritious with good air penetration. And in winter, do not forget to reduce watering.
To avoid the appearance of various rot, you can add a certain amount of charcoal to the soil.
If adenium begins to actively lose leaves, not in the autumn, most likely it is in a draft and therefore the plant needs to find a new place.
Sometimes adenium stops blooming or never bloomed at all. In many respects, everything depends on the correct pruning of the plant in the spring and mandatory dormancy during the winter.
If fertilizing is applied more often than once a month, the plant will initially grow rapidly, and then it may not be able to cope with so much fertilizing and begin to rot inside the trunk.
Growing adenium and care at home video
Read about it here.
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 the bonsai technique. The plant seems to have been created to be molded 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 woody 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 their 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, work with 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 from the pan is poured out 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.
They are used by grafting valuable ornamental varieties with double flowers onto seedlings of natural species. However, when propagating adenium by vegetative means, 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; with good care, seedlings can 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 - the delicate bell-shaped corollas of a peach hue look defenseless and fragile.
Adenium boehmianum (A. boehmiaum) is a succulent with the largest 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.
