How to grow adenium at home?

Succulents can be not just plain "fat men" - inhabitants of rocky gardens. Some of them are plants of stunning beauty with bright expressive flowers. Settle on your windowsill a fabulous tree covered with many small pink flowers - adenium. Adenium is also called the Rose of the Desert or the Star of Sabinia, the Impala Lily.

Little known until recently, adenium has gained wide popularity among flower growers due to its exotic look and ease of care. Delicate, delightful flowers that cover the crown of a tree can arouse admiration in anyone.

About 50 species of Adenium are known, in nature there are specimens up to several meters in height! In indoor floriculture, one species is widespread - obese adenium, very similar to bonsai. However, you don't have to fiddle with adenium much: the tree itself takes bizarre shapes, so attractive to the eye, requiring only a little pruning and pinching.

How to care for adenium at home

Adenium home content photo

Caring for adenium is as simple as possible, so you don't need to memorize any tricks. A novice florist or amateur "experienced", everyone will appreciate the unpretentiousness of the flower. The main features of agricultural technology are easy to remember, we will tell you more about them in the article.

Lighting

Adenium loves a lot of light, so the southern windows are the best place to house an exotic succulent plant.Only at the onset of a hot summer, when the rays of the sun become especially burning, the plant is transferred to the eastern or western windowsills so that burns do not appear on the trunk and leaves.

Temperature

On warm summer days, when the air temperature reaches 25-30 ° C, adenium feels great. With the onset of autumn, when the air temperature decreases, and the day is shortened, the plant slowly enters a dormant period. Therefore, with the arrival of winter, it is advisable to maintain this state by defining adenium in a cool room, where there will be about 12-15 ° C of heat, but not lower than + 10 ° C.

How to water adenium

Given that adenium is a succulent, you should not be zealous with watering. The plant tends to accumulate moisture in its fleshy tissues. Therefore, let's dry out the top layer of earth a little so that the adenium feels comfortable. Especially this watering regime will appeal to lazy flower growers who remember the existence of domestic green pets only on weekends.

In the summer, when the plant is actively increasing its green mass, watering can be done more often, but little by little, so as not to overmoisten the ground. During the dormant period, watering is minimized, only occasionally moistening, in order to prevent the soil in the pot from drying out.

Air humidity

The air humidity in the apartment is sufficient for the active development of adenium. In the spring, before flowering, responds well to spraying from a spray bottle. When peduncles appear, spraying must be stopped: this can provoke the appearance of rot, therefore it is better not to risk it.

How to fertilize adeniums for better growth

Formation of adenium at home photo

The flower shop sells a complex fertilizer for succulents. It is advisable to purchase it and fertilize the plant in the spring, during the period of active growth. The main elements that a plant needs for growth and development, for the establishment of flower buds, are phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen. The main thing is not to overdo it and follow the recommendations indicated by the manufacturer of the drugs.

Remember, "overfed" succulents are able to increase the mass of the trunk, reducing the volume and duration of flowering. Therefore, feed no more than twice a month, and strictly according to the instructions.

Soil for adenium

In order not to arrange tests for yourself and the plant, it is best to purchase ready-made soil for succulents that has the necessary characteristics in terms of physical and chemical parameters. The soil should be loose, well-drained and nutritious.

Why do the leaves of adenium turn yellow?

If the lower leaves turn yellow in autumn or winter, you should not be afraid: this is a sign that the succulent has entered a dormant period and sheds excess leaves in order to more easily endure "hibernation".

If the problem is noticed in spring-summer, when the plant is in the active phase, pay attention to the conditions of its maintenance. This could be a sign of hypothermia, exposure to a draft, or insufficient watering.

Adenium transplant

Young adeniums grow actively, quickly exhaust the supply of nutrients in the soil, occupy the entire area allotted to them, so that the roots become cramped. Therefore, in the spring, from March to May, succulents are transplanted into a more spacious pot, trying to carefully partially replace the soil.

By the way, do not forget that succulents should not be watered after transplantation. Wait a couple of days, let the damaged roots dry out and tighten the wounds, then gently, little by little, resume watering.

Pinching, trimming and shaping the caudex of adenium video

If you want to get a unique branchy crown of a mini-tree, do not be too lazy to do it by pinching and pruning. Pruning aims at shaping the crown and stimulating branching. Pinching pursues the same goals; it is carried out on seedlings obtained from seeds.

How to form roots in adenium

Keep in mind that the roots of adenium grow strongly, which is why the plant is gradually displaced above the surface of the earth.If the roots have risen more than 1-2 cm above the ground, they need to be cut urgently. To do this, the plant is freed from the pot, the lateral roots are cut off, and transplanted into a deeper pot.

The video will tell you about pinching seedlings and pruning the roots of adenium:

Reproduction of adenium at home

Adenium can be propagated by seeds and cuttings.

Adenium from seeds

Growing adenium from seeds photo

The seeds can be planted one at a time in peat cups, or even soaked on gauze until they germinate, and then carefully planted in a nutritious soil mixture.

Seedlings of adenium photo

Young seedlings grow actively and respond well to watering and adequate lighting. The air temperature should not fall below 14 ° С or rise above 30 ° С.

When the plants become crowded in temporary cups, they are carefully transplanted along with a clod of earth to a permanent place, shortening the central root to stimulate the development of lateral roots.

How to grow adenium from seeds video:

The advantage of growing adenium from seed is that mature plants will have caudex, a characteristic thickening at the bottom of the central trunk of the tree. Saplings obtained by cuttings do not have such thickening.

Propagation of adenium by cuttings

The fastest and easiest way to propagate adenium is to root 10-15 cm long apical cuttings cut off during tree pruning.

Before planting, the cuttings should be sprinkled with crushed charcoal (or activated charcoal) at the cut site and allowed to dry until a dry, dry skin is formed. After that, they are planted in slightly damp soil, but not watered. Only after two or three days it will be possible to carefully occasionally moisten the ground with a spray gun and resume watering only after noticing the growth of new shoots.

Why do they love adenium? This is an exotic and promising flower: each plant is individual. Only your adenium will have exactly this caudex shape and the uniquely interwoven lateral root bases underneath. Unusual adenium becomes more beautiful during flowering, thus rewarding the efforts of its owner. Adenium at home is responsive and predictable, although not very simple in content: if you follow certain rules, it will grow and develop, delighting you. You may even want to further improve the plant's appearance and stimulate flowering. It's interesting to do it. Moreover, it is easy to "get sick" with adenium. “Sick” people seem to be happy. They unite in numerous Internet communities, where they share information and photos, joys and worries, receiving advice and encouragement from like-minded people. Are you ready to fall in love with adenium or at least just grow an exotic decoration for your windowsill?

Where does the plant come from?

Adenium, or "desert rose", is a succulent. It grows wild in the Arabian Peninsula, in African rainforests, in the tropics of Southeast Asia. The conditions of its growth left an imprint on the appearance.

Where infrequent rain showers are regularly replaced by prolonged droughts, plants are forced to adapt to unfavorable conditions. Wild adenium stores moisture in a thick, fleshy stem called the caudex. Its leaves, hard and glossy (or slightly pubescent), evaporate moisture minimally.

Adult adenium in its natural habitat

Choosing a flower

Breeders, merchants and just enthusiasts have developed more than a hundred adenium hybrids based on natural varieties. From its "wild" base with five-petal pink flowers, terry varieties of various shades are obtained - from purple to snow-white. The leaves of some varieties have become variegated - white-green.

Photo gallery: which plant to choose

Despite all the efforts of breeders, new varieties are unstable. This means that not all seeds will grow adeniums that fully correspond to the description of the hybrid.Don't be discouraged if your pet looks slightly different from the images in the brochure.

The most popular types grown by flower growers:

1. Fat adenium (Adenium obesum). The easiest adenium to grow. It grows slowly, lives for a long time. Differs in a wide variety of varieties and hybrids. Able to reach 0.5 m in room conditions. The leaf plates are very dense to the touch, smooth or pubescent. Fat adenium can rest in winter, shedding leaves, but it is also able to skip the dormant period, continuing to grow (especially young plants). This factor - reduced requirements for maintenance in winter - favorably distinguishes the variety from other "relatives" and serves as an additional argument in its favor for novice florists. It blooms from May to September in large (6 to 12 cm) tubular flowers with red-pink petals.
2. Adenium multiflorum (Adenium multiflorum). It blooms from 4–5 years of age. Differs in obligatory for the plant an annual 4-month dormant period with cold content. Leaves do not shed or vegetate. It blooms very profusely, with simple five-petal flowers with a red border, from the end of the dormant period to the appearance of a new green mass. The seeds are decorated with a noticeable tuft of hairs. The leaves are arranged in bunches, strongly expanding along the outer edge. Under optimal conditions and in nature, multiflorous adenium is a short (0.5–0.8 m) tree.
3. Adenium arabic (Adenium arabicum). Differs in the widest leaves and the most voluminous caudex. Squat and stocky. In indoor maintenance, he needs a mandatory dormant period, during which the plant sheds its leaves. It blooms with five-petalled tubular flowers of various shades of red and pink. This species has the largest seeds among all adeniums. In nature, this tree is about 4 m high.
4. Somali adenium (Adenium somalense). The tallest adenium with the longest leaves (up to 15 cm). He also has the smallest of all adenium pink bell-shaped flowers with a red border - 3-4 cm in diameter. It blooms in late spring and, if optimal conditions are maintained, at the end of summer. Forms many interesting hybrids with other types of adeniums.
5. Adenium Mini Size. The smallest among adeniums, hybrids are bushes up to 30 cm tall. There are 4 varieties with different shades of flowers and leaf shapes. They grow slowly. Willingly branch. Like obese adenium, they can grow during dormancy. This species is rapidly gaining popularity.

Photo gallery: home-grown adeniums

Reproduction: seeds or cuttings?

Each breeding method has its own advantages. When germinating seeds, you have the opportunity to trace all the phases of development of this most interesting plant. Such adeniums usually form a beautiful, voluminous caudex. If you decide to root the cuttings, then be prepared for the fact that they will not develop a noticeable trunk in the first years. But all the properties of the mother plant, in particular the shade of the petals and the size of the flowers, will be fully reproduced (which, unfortunately, cannot be said about all adenium grown from seeds).

How to prepare and root cuttings of adenium?

Adeniums are cut both in the warm season and in winter. In the second case, additional lighting is required.

1. Cuttings for propagation are separated from the plant with a very sharp knife (preferably with a blade);
2. The juice that appears on the cut is soaked with a napkin.
3. Planting material is dried from 20 minutes (young cuttings) to 2 days (mature and thick).
4. The lower leaves are removed.

The cutting can be rooted both in water and in a mixture of perlite and vermiculite (in a ratio of 7: 3). Experts who have tried both methods in practice note the insignificant advantage of the second: fewer failures.

The cruciform incision helps the root stimulator penetrate deeper into the tissues

Rooters for spilling the substrate can not be used: many experimenters note the ineffectiveness, and sometimes even harm, of the use of biostimulants. However, there are also opposite opinions.

In the substrate, the cutting will develop a root system only if the ratio of temperature and humidity is favorable. The moisture-retaining properties of perlite and vermiculite will prevent water from stagnating and the substrate from drying out. Both scanty and excessively abundant watering are equally harmful. The soil should always be slightly moist, but just slightly. If the temperature does not drop below 25-30 ° C, there is every chance of success. The roots may appear in two weeks.

Adenium cuttings develop a root system both in water and in a special perlite-vermiculite substrate

Table: rooting cuttings of adenium: step by step instructions

Germinating seeds

You can also order seeds on the Internet in winter: they are frost-resistant.

There is an opinion that the germination of the obtained seeds directly depends on their freshness. The sooner the seeds were planted after harvesting, the more harmoniously they will sprout. However, as practice shows, it is almost always possible to reproduce adenium in this way, if you do not make gross mistakes.

There will definitely not be any difficulties with the acquisition of adenium seeds.

Here is one of the germination options:

1. Wrap the seeds in a damp cloth soaked in a growth stimulant solution and leave for 2-4 hours.
2. Spread them horizontally at a distance of 4–5 cm from each other on the surface of the moisture-permeable substrate.
3. Lightly press each seed with your finger and sprinkle 1–2 mm of soil over it. The edge can be seen on the surface.
4. For sowing, you can use a ready-made substrate for succulents or mix it yourself from perlite, vermiculite, coarse sand and tree bark.
5. The container with seeds should be kept at a temperature of 26–33 ° C. A suitable place is a not too hot radiator.
   

   To prevent the substrate from drying out, regularly spray its surface with water warmed to room temperature. A greenhouse is not needed: the seeds must breathe. But many growers are of the opposite opinion. If you cover the plantings, do not forget to ventilate them so that the seeds do not rot.

6. Wait, observe and believe for about 10 days (in some cases, from 3 to 30 days). During this time, 50–70% of the sown seeds should germinate, which is considered a good indicator of germination for adeniums.

Risk factors that can ruin the whole venture:

• too high or too low temperature;
• overflow.

Video: growing adenium from seeds

Open questions

Germination of adenium seeds is characterized by many open questions. Happy owners often describe the exact opposite experience. This turns the procedure into an exciting experience, in which there is room for important independent decisions.

Table: Frequently Asked Questions by Novice Florists

Adenium sprout care

But above the surface of the substrate, at first, pale sprouts of adeniums appear. Now they need light, a lot of light! Seedlings are taught to bright light gradually, over several weeks. After their passage, young adeniums can simply be kept on the southern window in the warm season, or supplemented so that they do not stretch out (when the sun is not enough). And remember about the watering mode and temperature. You can gradually, within the framework of hardening the seedlings, reduce it from 35 ° C to 25 ° C. The absolute minimum for seedlings is 20 ° C.

The bulk of young shoots easily sheds unnecessary seed coat from the top. But sometimes it remains, crowning the plant with an unnecessary "crown". Should we remove the remnants of the seed coat or hope that it will fall off on its own? In the first case, there is a real risk, along with it, to cut off the growth point and rudimentary leaves. Then the seedling can be thrown away. On the other hand, if the plant itself does not cope with this problem, it will die too! The question is open. The only thing that is known for sure: regular and careful soaking will help the seedling to cope with the dry shell. It will become softer, and the young adenium will be able to part with it more easily.

Most adenium seedlings shed the remnants of the seed coat on their own; if this does not happen, the flower can be helped, but only very carefully

Seedlings, unlike adult plants, grow quickly. Young adeniums are picked when they acquire a second or third pair of true leaves. But if circumstances force you to do it earlier - it's okay! The seedling has every chance to take root. Plant your adeniums in separate small pots or in one wide container, always with good drainage!

Video: the first pick of adenium seedlings

Adenium care at different times of the year

Professionals advise: take care of adenium in summer like a tropical plant and in winter like a succulent plant. Then the plants will develop harmoniously.

Spring

At the beginning of the period of active growth, adeniums are transplanted. Young plants - annually, or even twice a year. Mature - once every two to three years. The soil (substrate for succulents) is replaced during transplantation. It is necessary to monitor the quality drainage of the soil. For adenium, it is preferable to grow on a south window and receive direct sunlight in abundance... In this case, choose a light pot for it: it heats up less. Adenium with a pinched tap root feels good in a low, wide pot. After transplanting, the plant is not watered for a week.

Video: adenium transplant with soil replacement

Summer

In spring and summer, special attention is paid to moistening the soil and feeding adenium. Plants are watered generously with warm water, but not too often. The substrate between procedures should completely dry out in the spring, and in the summer - only on top. It is better to pour out the water from the pan after watering.

If you reproduce as closely as possible the conditions in which adenium lives in the wild, the plant will reward with active growth. This means following this tendency: higher temperatures mean more watering.

Adenium in the phase of active growth responds well to feeding (in winter, during periods of illness, as well as at rest, they are not needed). An adult flower is fed once every two weeks with a solution of complex mineral fertilizer for succulents. It is better to dilute it by taking only 1/2 or even 1/4 of the dose indicated on the package. Young adeniums - once a week. If the plant is transplanted into fresh soil in the spring, feeding can begin in early summer.

Fertilizers for succulents in a reduced concentration are quite suitable for adeniums.

Completely organic dressings are acceptable and beneficial. They are carried out in a different mode: once every three to four weeks for adult adeniums, and once every two weeks for young ones.

Autumn

With a general decrease in air temperature, the volume of irrigation and dressing of adenium is reduced. A plant that gradually stops its rapid growth is not able to assimilate these benefits. Over the summer, it managed to master the entire earthen lump, the risk of root rot in the substrate decreased. However, overfilling in combination with a low temperature is still dangerous for adeniums.

Winter

It is also better to make the winter content of adeniums close to natural conditions:

1. Reduce temperature to 15 ° C. Below 10 ° C - and the plant may die.
2. Reduce watering greatly.
3. Stop feeding.

What if there is no way to provide such conditions? Young specimens, especially those belonging to the "obese adenium" species, can continue to grow, ignoring the dormant period, especially since it is not always possible to find a place for them with a temperature of 15 ° C in an apartment. Reduce watering, do it regularly. Adult adenium in winter is watered about once a month and not fed.

There are types of adeniums, for which coolness and dryness during the rest period are required: adenium Arabic, multi-flowered. Plants that “fell asleep” soundly under these conditions need a particularly gentle way out of the dormant period. It is necessary to start watering them in small portions, after a week or two of his stay in the bright spring sun, at the first hints of bud opening.

Video: the nuances of plant care

We increase decorativeness

The value of adenium as a pet also lies in the fact that its owner can independently form an individual, different from other plants, appearance of a flower.

Pruning the central shoot

Not everyone is happy to grow a long green "hose" into which adenium will certainly turn without pruning. Its apical kidney is the most powerful. She pulls all the forces of the plant onto herself, and the lateral shoots risk never waking up.

Pruning is done to stimulate their development. The desired result is the uniform formation of several side branches instead of one central one.

Pruning the central shoot contributes to the harmonious development of several lateral branches of adenium at once

Pruning of the main shoot of adenium is done a few weeks after the spring transplant. Before the procedure, the flower should grow a fairly thick caudex (at 12-18 months). Then, predicting the appearance of future new branches, you can adjust the appearance.

Experienced growers warn against pruning the central shoot too low: then the lateral branches will develop weak.

Pruning is done with a sharp knife (blade) in the spring, with the onset of active growth of adenium. The cut site can be sprinkled with ash or crushed activated carbon. After 40-50 days, the plant will give new branches from the axillary buds.

A pruning option is pinching: when about 2 cm still remains from the shoot.

Video: transplant and pruning of adenium

Wake up sleeping kidneys

It is possible to wake up the dormant axillary buds of adenium not only by pruning the central shoot. What if the procedure has already been carried out, and you want to further stimulate branching? Or, along with the central shoot, "wake up" and the side ones? Or does the plant need to be rescued? In this case, a cytokinin paste is used.

The result of using cytokinin paste for the development of axillary kidneys of adenium

At the end of the match, a small portion of the drug is applied to the kidney, which they want to "wake up". Will she wake up? There is no absolute guarantee. Such stimulation accelerates the development of the kidneys, which were already ready to bloom, but for some reason were delayed in development. Perhaps the cytokinin paste will never have any effect on some of them. However, with the help of treatment with the drug, in some cases it is possible to radically change the appearance of adenium for the better.

Should the taproot be pinched?

The adenium taproot is pinched at an early age, usually during the first transplant. This is done so that during the growth process it does not reach the bottom of the pot. If this happens, the plant can, resting against it, noticeably lean to one side.

Without a taproot, the plant develops an extensive fibrous root system and grows well in low, flat pots.

Pinching is done 0.5-1 cm below the lateral roots. Without a taproot, they begin to develop vigorously and get fat. At the next transplant, they can be beautifully intertwined, and the plant itself can be raised in a pot. Saline stains on the caudex with such a transplant are washed off with plain water using an old toothbrush.

Intertwined and raised lateral roots ensure the uniqueness of the adenium

Video: the formation of the root system of a plant

Bloom

It is great if the grown adenium pleases with flowers without additional efforts on your part. However, sometimes the plant needs a little help.

One of the earliest flowering of adenium on a windowsill in the middle lane was recorded in a 4-month-old plant. But usually in adenium this happens at 2-3 years of age.

Thai flower growers advise: adenium with caudex with a diameter of 18 cm or more can be made to bloom by arranging a "cold period" for two weeks after spring pruning and fertilization. After that, it is necessary for three days to gradually water the flower with fertilizer for orchids, diluted according to the instructions. And repeat the cold period. Several alternations of such stages for three weeks - and the buds will appear. After that, watering must be made complete.

Adenium bloom rewards all efforts to grow it

The main rule of watering and spraying adenium at this time: water should not get on the petals. If this happens regularly, the flowers will rot.

Diseases and pests: diagnose and treat

Fortunately, adeniums rarely get fatal. If you follow the rules of care and take appropriate measures in time, the affected plant most often returns to normal.

Table: common problems when growing a flower

Caudex Rot: Treacherous Enemy

In indoor growing conditions on our windowsills, adenium is not at risk of contracting tropical viruses and parasites. This is possible in Thailand and Indonesia, where there are entire "plantations" in greenhouses and in the open air, and from where their seeds come to us. The main enemy of our adeniums is rot.

Caudex rot is one of the most insidious diseases of adenium

Caudex rot occurs when the temperature-humidity balance is not observed. At a relatively low temperature of the earthen coma (up to 20 ° C), the roots and caudex of adenium can rot even with a single overflow. This is the main difficulty in keeping a plant at home.

Experienced breeders distinguish between dry and wet adenium rot. The plant can sometimes cope with the first by itself, isolating the affected area of ​​the caudex. From the second, the owners of adeniums enter into an unequal battle with only one goal: to preserve the cutting of a valuable plant for subsequent rooting.

Caudex rot until a certain point does not manifest itself in any way outwardly. And only when by the look of the plant you are ready to suspect that something was wrong - characterized by rapid yellowing and falling of the lower leaves and a soft darkened caudex - it turns out that the disease has gone too far.

If you find root rot is developing, proceed as follows:

1. Provide the plant with the ability to cope with the disease on its own. To do this, give him a dry and warm two-week period. Lower heating is needed. Place the pot on a non-hot radiator, shoe dryer.
2. Observe: the plant will show whether it is getting better or worse. With a general deterioration in the condition, adenium may even fall to one side.
3. If the plant shows no signs of deterioration, leave the plant warm for another week. After that, return the pot to its permanent place, but do not rush to water. Watering can be resumed little by little only after the first hints of growth (only with warm water). Has the plant started to form new leaves? Congratulations: your adenium has beaten the disease.
4. If the flower is clearly worse, remove it from the pot. Use a sharp knife to trim all dead roots and caudex to healthy tissue. The part that is not damaged by the fungus can become a shank, which is quite realistic to root in a mixture of perlite with vermiculite or in water.

Growing reviews

BruXsa

Vladimir

SVONIK

For all the manipulations with the adenium - pinching, pruning the crown, grafting - do not forget that this plant is very poisonous. Wash your hands thoroughly after working with adenium, do not let its juice get on the mucous membranes. Keep adenium away from small children and pets. And may your plants always delight you!

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Growing adenium at home will delight households and guests with wonderful flowers of various shapes and colors. But perhaps the most remarkable thing about this compact tree is the trunk. Thick at the base, fleshy, with curly branches. From a distance it looks like a ceramic bottle made by a skilled potter.

Native to the desert

Adenium spread around the world with the help of travelers who discovered a curiosity in the vicinity of the Arabian Peninsula, and then the countries of Africa. Experts attributed it to succulents (shrubby or woody), and the growers called it "The Rose of the Desert". Bonsai lovers call adenium the "bottle tree."

New varieties appear every year: enterprising Thais, as well as Indians, experiment with the species of this plant. On store shelves, you can find trees of an unusual type: with red leaves or purple flowers. At home, the branches of the bush can reach a height of several meters, and the length of the leaf plate exceeds tens of centimeters. On the windowsill, adenium will not grow more than half a meter.

Advice

You should not buy a plant with outlandish colors of flowers without experience in breeding adeniums. They are capricious and sensitive to temperature extremes, changes in the irrigation regime, and the lack of a large amount of sunlight.

Botanists have about fifty plant varieties, it is often difficult to believe that these are representatives of one species. Coloring of buds and flowers can be:

• pink or burgundy;
• snow-white;
• lilac or scarlet.

The pattern of each petal is unique: various blotches of strokes or dots, veins of all kinds of shades. The leaves of each variety have their own distinctive features, can be bright, shiny or cast with a soft gloss; slightly pubescent or smooth; green, red, yellowish.

The trunk of the tree has a constant light gray color. The shape of the caudex (thickening at the bottom of the trunk) varies in different types of adenium. The plant is deservedly popular due to the fact that it reproduces at home in almost all known ways. A flower grower will be able to choose the right one, because sometimes it is not possible to purchase adenium in a pot.

Method one: growing from seeds

Growing adenium from a tiny seed is a fun process. In this way, you can get plants of various varieties. The trees that have grown from the seeds immediately grow caudex and begin to branch. The best time for sowing is in the spring.

Immediately about the soil. The manuals and the Internet often offer the following soil components for adeniums: coconut fiber, rice husk and something from fern. You can hardly get it, and this, of course, but Russian flower lovers successfully use improvised materials. You need to buy an inexpensive ready-made mixture (for succulents) and add:

• crushed charcoal;
• perlite;
• expanded clay or crushed brick.

Advice

At home, it is better to sow seeds collected no earlier than a year. If the shelf life of several years is indicated on the sachet, you should pay attention to the packaging date - germination will depend on this.

First, you need to prepare a suspension from settled water and crushed coal (the proportion is insignificant), place the seeds there and leave in a warm place for a couple of hours. Only a specialist will figure out where the top of the seed is, for the rest it is better to lay it horizontally, slightly burying it in wet soil. Now you need to cover the box with glass and monitor the temperature.

The optimal indicator of the thermometer is 30 ° C, with a decrease to 18 ° C, there is a high probability that the adenium will die. Drafts and direct sunlight are also dangerous for seedlings. If all the conditions for growth are met, young adenums can ascend on the fifth day. In not the most favorable conditions, cultivation is delayed up to two weeks.

Method two: cuttings

This is a more effective way to preserve the species characteristics of the original adult adenium than growing from seeds. But it is necessary to take several cuttings - their decay is possible. Many growers have noticed an unpleasant feature during cuttings - the resulting adult plant sometimes lacks a basal thickening. This does not affect flowering, the tree produces many buds.

Advice

The components for the soil must be crushed. The soil should be loose (breathable), with a neutral or slightly acidic PH value.

It is worth adding a little of any fungicide for the prevention of diseases. It will protect the stalk from decay if the temperature drops or excess moisture accumulates in the containers. The length of the cutting should not exceed ten centimeters. Before planting, it should be dried and sprinkled with abundant chopped charcoal.

Method three: reproduction by layering

The flower growers are taken to work in the spring - an active sap flow begins at the tree, it is full of strength, it is actively growing.

The algorithm of actions is as follows:

1. make a circular incision, dry the shoot well;
2. sprinkle the place of the cut with any stimulant;
3. burrow the shoot into wet sphagnum;
4. wrap the cut with a waterproof material.

Advice

Results will be good when using strong shoots (2 or 3 cm in diameter).

It remains to remember to wet the moss and wait for the formation of roots. We'll have to be patient, the adenium will grow roots only after five weeks. Everything is ready for planting. With this method of reproduction, the risk of decay is minimized.

Features of the content

There will always be little sunlight for adenium. At home, he does not lack lighting, so it grows to impressive sizes. When arranging a place for a tree, it is necessary to focus on a high level of penetration of sunlight. Exceptions exist for store plants and young seedlings. A recently purchased plant requires adaptation - it should be taught to bright light gradually. And fragile sprouts can burn in direct sunlight. The pots with them should be rotated regularly.

Advice

Experts recommend turning even adult adeniums on windowsills. The fact is that the top of the plant tilts to the brightest side. As a result, the tree grows with a curved trunk.

Like any plant, with excessively abundant watering, adenium rots. It is able to accumulate moisture in the thick part of the trunk, therefore, even in dry soil, it does not suffer from its lack. Watering is carried out in different ways depending on the season.

• Late autumn - winter.

The tree is dormant. Sap flow is slowed down, flowering is absent, foliage does not accumulate. It is enough to water the adenium once a month, making sure that the earth is dry.

• Spring Summer.

The plant begins an active growth phase, it begins to grow new leaves, and blooms. At this stage, the tree needs constant watering. Do not moisten the soil if it is not dry yet.

The water should be soft, without excess impurities. Rain or standing would be a great option. After a few hours, it is necessary to drain the water accumulated in the trays. It is important to follow the rule: it is better to underfill water for adeniums than to overflow.

Adeniums are fed at home only during the period of bud formation, with each watering. The applied dose of fertilizer is reduced by three times compared to that indicated on the package. In addition to mineral additives, a good complex fertilizer should contain equal parts of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.

With the onset of autumn, the frequency of fertilizing needs to be reduced. And when the tree is at rest, fertilization is stopped altogether.

Advice

Fertilizers in granules are well suited for plants. When watering, part of the granule will gradually dissolve and release the necessary substances.

What should be the new pot?

The seedlings have grown, grown stronger, and now they will be grown in separate pots. It is better to choose pots deeper, so that over the summer the root system of young adeniums has completely mastered the earthen lump. This will provide them with a comfortable wintering at home. If there are not enough drainage holes at the bottom of the pot, you need to make a few more.

Adult plants should be transplanted in early spring, when new shoots begin to grow. They don't require a deep pot, but they should be three or four centimeters wider in diameter, with plenty of drainage holes. Adenium bought in the fall does not need a larger pot, only the replacement of the store soil will be required. After transplanting, watering begins a few days later.

Advice

Do not buy dark-colored pots - they will heat up unnecessarily in the sun, the irrigation regime will be disrupted due to increased evaporation. For the same reason, growing in ceramic pots is inconvenient.

When transplanting, special attention should be paid to the root system. Too long and rotten roots need pruning. This will only benefit the plant, it will quickly grow new ones. Places of cuts must be dried and sprinkled with charcoal. When transplanting, the trunk is slightly raised above the ground so that the roots are slightly bare.

Unusual tree shapes

You can let the adenium grow and develop without outside interference. But regular crown pruning will only be beneficial. It is not worth shortening the branches too much - the tree will knock out many thin ugly shoots. The best time to carry out the procedure at home is at the end of winter, before the plant leaves the hibernation state.

Advice

Flower growers pinch seedlings before transplanting into separate pots. Usually a few pairs of strong leaves are left and the rest are removed.

Adenium is made for experimenting with bonsai techniques. Plants can be lifted off the ground by exposing and intertwining roots in whimsical compositions. Growing two identical young seedlings as a result can give completely different adult trees. And when there are many seedlings, the possibilities for creativity become endless.

The enemy does not sleep: diseases and pests

For any plant, putrefactive processes occurring in the stems, trunks or roots are dangerous. Such a specimen becomes infectious to neighboring plants. Rot is not amenable to treatment - their carriers are subject to immediate destruction.

Exotic adeniums are affected by rot in the following cases:

• with a sharp drop in temperature (below 18 ° C);
• with too much watering.

It is important to drain water from the pallets on time, do not spare the expanded clay and correctly form the soil. Having spent so much time on growing, it is a shame to lose a plant due to a banal oversight. Adult trees require more loosening ingredients when preparing the potting mix. Do not forget about this when transplanting.

Despite the fact that most parts of adenium are poisonous, they are attacked by pests. On close inspection, you can see on a sad plant:

• shield;
• spider mite;
• mealybugs.

Pest control is time consuming. The use of insecticidal preparations will get rid of insects in 2-4 weeks. It is necessary to thoroughly spray all parts of the plant and the soil with a solution once a week. Fitoverm and Neoron proved to be excellent.

If there are children or animals in the house, it is worth taking care of the place of residence of the adenium with special attention. The tree is poisonous and dangerous. Babies or pets should not have access to it. Florists should work with the plant with gloves, and then wash or take a shower.

You can look at adenium endlessly and constantly discover something new in it. The beauty of the flowers is mesmerizing, and the funny shape of the trunk is uplifting.By purchasing a bag of seeds, the florist brings a piece of colored plasticine into the house. And now he can only sculpt his own extraordinary tree.

Adenium, or desert rose, is the name of this beautiful flower, which appeared relatively recently on the Russian flower market and instantly became popular with most indoor plant lovers. The flower was brought from Africa and is one of the most extraordinary and most beautiful flowering plants.

Description of the plant

Adeniums are succulents with simple leaves that are located on small cuttings. The flower stores nutrients and water at the bottom of the trunk, in a special thickening. The adenium plant has funnel-shaped flowers that are collected in inflorescences. They can be red, white or pink in color. And you can also find two-color, double and tricolor flowers. In the wild, the succulent will grow up to ten meters in height. At home, the height of adenium is 35 cm. The flowering period depends on the variety and species. May bloom in spring, summer or early fall. Adeniums are common in Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and Socotra Island.

It is no coincidence that the flower is very popular among flower growers. This plant combines exoticism with unpretentiousness. In the warmer months, blooming adeniums with luscious green leaves will decorate your room, and in the winter there will be an original bonsai with thick, strong roots that resemble intertwined snakes.

Plant varieties

The appearance of adenium depends on its variety:

1. Obesum is quite popular in floriculture and is considered the most unpretentious of all adeniums. This species has a large stem, which is wide at the base and tapers towards the top. The leaves are green in color with a glossy sheen, with a rounded or pointed tip.
2. Multiflorum is a shrub, but under suitable conditions it can grow to a small three-meter tree. It grows pretty quickly. The stems are brown in color, the flowers are light, along the edge of their dark red edging.
3. Arabicum has a wide stem base, and the leaves reach 20 cm in length and 12 cm in width. The flowers are pink.
4. Socotranum can have a stem base up to 2.5 m in diameter. This is the slowest growing variety of adeniums. The branches grow exclusively at the top of the plant. The leaves are green, in the middle there is a white vein. The pink flowers can be up to 14 cm in diameter.
5. Somalense is a small tree five meters high. The leaves are narrow and long, with a white vein in the middle. The flowers are five centimeters in size with various colors from pink to burgundy.
6. Boehmianum is a shrub up to three meters in height with long and thick stems. Heart-shaped leaves of grayish-green color. The pink flowers resemble a circle.
7. Oliefolium has green leaves with a bluish tint. Pink flowers with a yellow or snow-white center.
8. Swazicum is no more than one meter high. Light green leaves are often twisted along the longitudinal axis. Flowers are up to 7 cm in diameter from pink to purple in color.
9. Variegated adeniums are represented by a large number of different specimens. For example, a plant may have golden or multi-colored variegated leaves, possibly a dark red streak in the center of the leaf.

Propagation of adenium by cuttings

Typically, the plant is propagated by cuttings or seeds. The process of propagation by cuttings is considered more complicated. To begin with, choose the upper shoots of adenium, a little more than ten centimeters long. Then they are dried using charcoal. Then the cuttings are planted in a mixture of sand and coal. For root formation, it is necessary that the room temperature is twenty-five degrees and bright lighting. Basically, roots appear thirty days after planting.

Growing adenium from seeds

Even a novice florist can grow adenium. The seeds are purchased from flower shops that sell exotic plants. In fresh seeds, the germination rate reaches one hundred percent, but the more time has passed, the worse they germinate, so it is better to plant immediately after purchasing the seeds. If it did not work out to sow the seeds, then they are placed in an airtight package and put into the refrigerator for better germination. The seeds look like small sticks.

When choosing varieties of adenium, it must be remembered that there is a greater or lesser likelihood of a new plant deviating from the selected variety. The percentage of match depends on the characteristics of the flower. White and pink varieties are the most stable in the manifestation of parental properties. The exact repetition of the color and shape of the mother plant is achieved only with vegetative reproduction. Growing adenium from seeds is best done in the spring or summer. Before planting seeds, growers are advised to process them for accelerated germination. The seeds can be placed in warm water or in a damp cloth and placed in a warm place for two to four hours. During soaking, it is possible to use various growth stimulants, as well as fungicides.

In practice, most growers do not soak the seeds and at the same time get excellent shoots. There is no definite answer to this question, so everyone decides for himself whether to soak the seeds or not. If you are growing adenium for the first time, then you can soak some of the seeds, and plant the other without soaking. Growing adenium from seeds allows you to get a beautiful thickened root and a compact crown.

Soil for seeds

The soil for sowing must be loose and breathable. You can make the substrate yourself, for this you need sand, peat, vermiculite and perlite. All components must be thoroughly mixed and slightly moistened. Ready-made potting mix for orchids or succulents is perfect. A drain is required to be installed in the container. Before planting seeds, the soil is treated with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Landing rules

It is advisable to place the seeds horizontally and sprinkle with earth about half a centimeter. The distance between the seeds should be three centimeters. Next, the seeds are watered with warm water and the container with adenium is covered with plastic wrap. A couple of times a day, you need to open the film for thirty minutes for airing. The soil during seed germination should be moist, but not wet. In order to grow adenium, you should observe the temperature regime in the range of 24-35 degrees. To heat the container with the plant, you can use a 40 W lamp. When growing adenium from seeds, sprouts appear after ten days, but there are times when after twenty days. About four days after germination, the sprouts take on a bottle shape. Young plants are best placed on the southern windowsill. As soon as four true leaves have appeared, the succulent dives. The grown plant is transplanted into a large container. Adenium grown from seed blooms in the second year.

Adenium: home care

Taking care of the plant at home is quite specific, but not difficult. Adenium belongs to succulents, so it needs warmth and light. In spring and summer, the succulent needs five hours of sunshine every day, the temperature should be 23-28 degrees. A sill on the south side is ideal for him, but the flower grows well even in bright diffused light. In the autumn and winter periods, adenium (photo below) is in a dormant stage and is gaining strength for flowering. In October, it is necessary to rearrange the adenium pot in a bright, cool place with an air temperature of 13-15 degrees. During the dormant period, the shoots of the plant cease to grow, the foliage partially or completely falls off.At this time, the flower does not need watering and feeding. It is necessary to ensure that there are no drafts. Subject to the above conditions, adenium will wake up in March. If the plant is watered and kept warm, then the dormant period will last a couple more weeks.

Soil and plant nutrition

For adenium, land without peat will be preferable, and the presence of coarse sand in the mixture should be negligible. Florists recommend ordinary leafy soil for adenium. For an adult plant, 50% of fine expanded clay or brick chips must be added to the soil. During the growing season, the plant should be fed once or twice every thirty days. To do this, you can apply fertilizer for cacti, after diluting it with water. In addition, regular mineral supplements will work, but should be low in concentration. Otherwise, excess minerals can harm the flower.

Plant transplant

The young plant is transplanted in the spring every year. An adult adenium transplant is required as needed, when the roots will not fit in the old container, approximately every three years. The container for an adult plant should be shallow, but wide. Water the transplanted adenium when the damaged roots dry out. Plant transplant rules:

• carefully remove the plant from the container;
• gently clean the root system from the ground;
• cut long roots, and remove the diseased;
• dry the places of the cuts and treat with a fungicide;
• plant the plant in another container with a new substrate.

Watering the succulent

Adenium, the care of which during the summer period consists in constant moisture, is watered when the earth dries out. Excess water negatively affects the adenium, for this reason it is better to skip watering than to excessively moisten the soil. During the winter period, when the plant is dormant, it is not required to water the adenium. When coming out of hibernation, minimal moisture is required. The first serious watering of adenium should be done only fourteen days after the appearance of the buds. Adenium does not require spraying.

Plant pruning and appearance

The plant can be shaped to suit every taste. Florists recommend carrying out all operations during active growth. First you need to decide and decide which plant you want, since the pruning depth depends on this. Cauterization of the growth center makes it possible to obtain branching in the upper part of the trunk. Pruning a plant in the middle of a branch will result in branching around the cut. Deep pruning will make it possible to get a lot of branching from the caudex (the lower wide part of the trunk). It must be remembered that pruning should be done below the cotyledon leaves. In addition, pruning the adenium will delay the flowering period. The roots and branches of the plant must not be cut during the winter. There are several ways to trim to obtain a unique adenium:

• Cutting off any parts of the succulent.
• Splicing of several adeniums.
• Weaving roots and branches.
• Guiding branches with soft wire.

When working with a flower, special care must be taken, since its juice is poisonous, so the use of gloves is mandatory. At the end of pruning, it is advisable to wash your hands with soap and water. The appearance of adenium (photo above) completely depends on your desires. You can make a plant with a thin trunk or in the form of a ball with a lot of branches, or vice versa. It all depends on imagination and courage. Some species do not require crown formation and branch out on their own.

Diseases and pests

Diseases in plants in most cases occur due to improper watering. Basically, the root system is sick, as it is very sensitive to wet and cold substrate. To eliminate these troubles, a drained, instantly drying soil mixture is used. Excess fertilizer may be the cause of the disease.A significant proportion of adenium varieties grow well, so top dressing should only be used to replenish nutrients that are quickly absorbed into the soil.

Worms and spider mites are considered the main pests. Ticks in most cases affect the upper parts of the adenium, such as buds, tops of young shoots and leaves. If you notice a change in the appearance of a flower or a new leaf, then most likely spider mites have appeared in them. In order to avoid these troubles, it is necessary to carry out seasonal preventive treatments against pests.

Possible problems when growing a plant

Adenium may not bloom at home. This is most likely due to improper soil selection, lack of pruning and dormancy in winter. The leaves turn yellow and fall off with drafts, hypothermia, diseases of the root system, when the dormant period approaches. Finding adenium close to moisture-loving plants leads to fungal infections. With excess moisture in the plant, the stem may begin to rot.

Adeniums have won the hearts of most flower growers around the world. Despite the exotic appearance, the flower perfectly adapts to home conditions, not very whimsical to care for. Compliance with the rules for keeping a succulent during the dormant period will reward with beautiful flowers.