I have something similar Karyn and they are very interesting. The way they use bamboo stakes to support and place the roots where they want them.
I know the adeniumsindia nursery do alot of manipulation if you want to call it that. They lift the plants and hang them in a shady spot for up to a month.
The roots them become quite maliable and can place where they like. They cut off all of the fine/small feeder roots and leave the haddock roots only.
I am guessing that they must be using most Thai Soco/Arabicums or Arabicums for this unless they have the true Socotranums there.
I had communicated with the fella at adeniumsindia to see about there giant Obesum's and Arabicums. He let me know the cost of ones with a 12"-18" diameter caudex. Not bad considering, but could not do on my own.
Rick

I think you're talking about these.

VERY cool. I hope to play around with my adeniums when I receive and grow them!

Here is a link that might be useful: Adenium on

Thanks for the link to the pics. They look like they are about to stomp off down the nursery in search of something....or somebody! Dead creepy, lol!
Gill from the Uk.

Thanks for linking the photo. That's them. I just thought they were so cool looking. I'd love to figure out how it's done. I might try Rick's suggestion using bamboo supports to train them but I wonder when you start? Would you start with a young plant or use one with an already well developed caudex?

Gill they do look a bit creepy when you put it that way. lol

This post was edited by karyn1 on Thu, Feb 14, 13 at 9:09

If you look closely, you can see that they're supported by a few sticks. Look at this picture; it looks like siam attached them to a sort of ladder for support.

Here is a link that might be useful: Additional Photos

Well I've been on that Siamadenium site for a while now as there's some really good reading on it. They give lots of detailed info on how to create the various styles they sell.

I am sure some of the tips will be of use to those of you who are able to grow their plants strongly and quickly and in greater quantities than I do. On saying that, I have just received some seeds today (thank you Rick) and hope to try my hand at something different than just letting them do their own thing.
Gill from the UK.

Here is a link that might be useful: check out the 'fun with forms' articles

Karyn, I don't use Facebook any more but I clicked on their Facebook icon on a page I was reading and up came the came page I've linked below. The adenium on stilts is therethat you mentioned along with some more absolutely fantastic pics of their plants. Enjoy!
Gill from the UK.

Here is a link that might be useful: check this out

These are kind of interesting. I might have to experiment with a couple of my seedlings. The tall lanky ones look like they raise the frame every so often to expose more of the root to get it to looked stretched like that. Some of them also look grafted, perhaps. The one's on "stilts" remind me of a lot of trees on river banks and around the lake at Toledo Bend & Sam Rayburn here in Texas.

Kirk

They are so cool looking old and young adenium.

Learn new thing see new thing each day.

Siamadenium.com site has so good info to read.

Marie