Frank, I also have the same question as you, but I think because there are 4 kinds of adenium out there.
1- obesum which is most of us have.
2- arabicum, this is harder to bloom.
3- Thai Socotranum
4- Thai Somalenses
The last 2 kinds are more expensive and need experience to train.
Marie

Hello Frank, you have a good question there, unfortunately I don't have the experience to answer! I have seen an Adenium on Gweb (who it belonged to I can't recall) that had been planted over an upturned saucer. I think this was following a severe root prune when the plant was much younger and when the thicker main roots were chopped off. It went on to produce a ring of roots that sprung from the base of the caudex that sounds like what you mention. It was later planted so that the roots were 'on show' so to speak. Someone may recognise my vague description and help more. As this new forum progresses, we may well get the answers you seek.
Gill from the UK

Gill....Marie....

I had a feeling some specialized root training would be used to develop such a evenly spaced roots. Sooner or later I will find out the rest of the story behind these stylized plants. Can't believe there are no step-by-step books published! Even if they are in a foreign language the pictures should tell the story.

Thanks for the insight.

I wonder if certain Adenium species are genetically programed to look like a bonsai? So, then training the wrong species would mean a constant fight with the plant material.

Frank

Hi Frank,
I've been wondering the same thing. Wether its right or wrong, I dont know, but a couple of weeks ago I took a 6" seedling and cut the tap root off --then I arranged the other roots in an even pattern around the caudex. I'll let you know by the end of summer if it seems to have worked.
Mike

I would love to know how this is done as well. I have a seedling that I've been playing around with for several years. I've been able to keep it small (4.5") with multiple branches but I can't get the caudex to enlarge much and no flowers yet. It just came out of dormancy and I need to prune away a few branches but want to wait until the temps warm up. I tried it in a bonsai pot last year but it started dying so I repotted it and am going to try a bonsai pot again. This time I'm going to place it over a rock and allow the roots to grow down over it. I think I crimped the roots trying to spread them out the last time. If the caudex would enlarge and become gnarled I'd be thrilled. As of now it's just short with no interesting shape : (
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karyn1....

Looking at you photos, you seem to be on the right path to a "bonsai" Adenium,...but I have a feeling that this whole process will take many years of intense training and pruning...probably even wiring branches into different positions....and a lot of praying.

You-Tube shows many prize-winning Adenium, but I think we are looking at the final products, the results of years of special techniques of growing, and we aren't seeing all the hidden, tricks-of-the-trade. There has to be more to this story! It probably starts with selecting the correct plant material.

Maybe, this forum will reveal the secrets.

Happy growing.

Frank

Frank,

Do a search on the C&S Forum (now we can say 'Back before there was an Adenium Forum...') and look for a poster named Randy. His posts contain the information you need. I don't know how far back the archives go, but with him first being a bonsai guy, he had good training for his entrance into Adeniums.

Yes Jeff, where is Randy these days, I have not seen a post of his for ages and have been wondering about him, does anyone know if all is OK? His user name was rjj1 if my memory serves me correctly.
Gill from the UK.

cactus/Gill....

Thanks for that information. I will track down Randy's postings.

Frank

U P D A T E .....

Durham Botanicals sells Adenium arabicum "bonsai" styled plants for very reasonable prices, as well as grafted hybrids, specimen plants, Plumerias, etc.

Check-out: "Lucky Sumo Adenium"....first-rate plants.

Happy hunting.

Frank

There are few articles on YouTube which show a method of using a sm. Plastic disc under roots to train them to grow wide so they can be raised later on.
If you check out either adeniumindia site or Webshots.- nrsundaram, they are very knowledgeable on Adeniums, but also on manipulating roots.
very informative.
There is a nursery in Florida called Lucky Sumo Nursery and they specialize in bonsai Adeniums.
Hope some of this helps

Just got these. Will let it settle before rearranging the roots.

Amazing plants! Pity the pics came through sideways, now got a crick in my neck, never can understand this perishin' Houzz set up, still having issues with it.

Perhaps best to do a separate post about your purchases so we can follow your own particular thread, especially as this one is 3 years since the last comment was added. Where are you situated please?

Gill UK

I think that many of the people posting sideways pictures are using iPhones/iPads. It somehow has trouble telling the correct orientation of the image.

Here is a video clip of how they train the bonsai looking adenium.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_ukin-0354

Hope you can do it

The fat multibranced Thai Adenium specimens are grown using:

1) a seedling genetically dispositioned to produce compact growth and multible branches, presumably some sort of socotranum-arabicum hybrid (for instance, "Adenium Thai socotranum").

2) light of course, but A LOT of light from all directions, to produce really compact growth and initiate branching.

3) high temperatures, say +77 F degrees (25 C) on average, and plenty of water, some fertilizer (they often use chicken manure) to accelerate growth.

4) branch- and root pruning and wiring techniques. The famous Thai Adeniums are bonsai trained, without any doubt.

Gill, yeah, Adeniums are not that easy to wire without damaging them - and it is even harder, when they are plumped up with water and full of leaves. It is probably best to do the wiring and pruning in the Spring (at least in the UK and Denmark) just before they begin to grow.

You can form the shape of your Adeniums by other means, for instance by using strings attached to the branches.

ok. Let me answer your querie more adequately. Socotranum is not a species. Rather it is a mutation of an adenium arabicum/ adenium somalenese Such plants are bred. Not only is it a mutation, but not all of those mutated seedlings fit said standards to fit the "thai socotranum" description. Example: the specific traits are those you seek. Short, thick, unbelievable branching, short trunk, etc. The genetics are required to produce said seedlings.

By the way, sorry im nit showing the radial roots mentioned, i repotted that specific one of my adenium arabicum "thai socotranum" recently, and the soil level hasnt had the time to drop with the tree exposing its lovely radial roots. I actually became enamored with adeniums for the same reason. However it took lots of work to find all the differences in species and cultivars of each species to find out exactly what it was that i was looking for.

Just to clarify: Adenium socotranum is a species but Adenium "Thai socotranum" is a hybrid...