In my experience it is genetic. You can help them along, of course, by raising them once they are a year old or so.... but in the end they are going to do what they're going to do :)

I've treated various seedlings the same exact way and some end up being nicer than others. Hardiness will vary as well, at least in my experience.

Good luck!

Hi, welcome to the forum!

The caudex is genetic--adeniums evolved in dry climates so they store water in their trunk and roots. As you've probably read somewhere else, you can grow them from cuttings but they do not develop the characteristic caudex. However, if you grow a cutting long enough, it will continue to develop larger and larger roots. Lifting just exposes the roots gradually but the growth happens under the soil. When the skin on the root hardens from exposure, growth probably slows down--I hope someone with more experience picks up this thread because I'm curious about this too.

My sister has this adenium, grown from a cutting. She lifted it a few days ago and exposed two big roots that were significantly larger than the trunk (which has no caudex).

{{gwi:345055}}

I have been trying to grow from seedlings as well and to increase caudex size, I have been growing them hard. That means less water than they would get if I wanted to grow them tall and fast. I also have not been fertilizing them.

Check out the link below. Dr. Dimmit also wrote a book called "Adenium - Sculptural Elegance, Floral Extravagance". It's so loved by adenium enthusiasts that the people who own one never resell theirs--I can't find a used copy anywhere!

Pagan

Here is a link that might be useful: My favorite starting point

This post was edited by fakechuchi on Sat, May 11, 13 at 7:26

Cool thanks Pagan and Irun5k, that's really interesting that the cutting has those large of roots underneath. That's the reason I chose to start from seeds rather than get a cutting. Thanks for the link to.

Genetics was my first guess to because I've been treating my little guys the same way and some are noticeably wider than the others. However, than I read about watering techniques and low nitrogen or phosphorous fertilizer and pinching and the list goes on. I just didn't know what actually held up or not.

I'm on the Al's gritty mix bandwagon and have started using the foliage pro 9-3-6 as the fertilizer and they have started to take off length wise I just wanted to make sure I wasn't giving up length for girth.

Hi there, glad to see you have come out of hiding!
Some good advice especially the bit about genetics as I guess its the same with anything, humans included, as we are all different shapes and sizes!! You have also got a link to the pages I would have also advised you to read.
Caudex growth 'mainly' takes place in the early years, older plants do not tend to increase their girth that much really so best to get your plants off to a really good start. Plenty of water, food and enough room to grow will ensure it takes place. Obviously all in the growing season as you no doubt know that cold and wet plus gross overpotting especially when dormant are a death knell for any DR. Hope to see you here again soon with pics of your seedlings etc.
Gill UK

pagan: how old is that plant on the picture?