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bronxfigs

Few Sources In USA for Adenium....Why ???

Not only am I frustrated...but more than a little disgusted by the lack or sources, for purchasing NAMED Adenium within the US. The few places that actually stock named plants have been less than acceptable, if not lousy sources.

Top Trop's...

Named plants...maybe you'll get what you pay for...I didn't $45.00 out the window!

Lucky Sumo...

Shipping was as expensive as the plants.

Durham Botanicals...

Never answered my e-mails for ordering.

Loresco Tropical Plants, Puerto Rico...

Named plants...shipping costs as much as plants.

Cactus King...

Cuttings...who wants to try to grow roots?

Living Stones Nursery...

Named plants from rooted cuttings...no caudex, small selection.

Miles2go...Arid Lands....Tropiflora...

Un-flowered seedlings....poor selections...etc.

mgonline....

Deceptive...Beware!

I will not try growing from seeds, or, rooting some cuttings, nor will I go through the aggravation to import a plant, or, buy off eBay.

So...where do I go to buy a plant??

Frank

Comments (52)

  • karyn1
    11 years ago

    Wow, you got that at Home Depot! I never see any except for pinks and sometimes whites at the HD here. I'd snap that color up in a sec if I saw it. If Frank isn't interested I have a variety of plants, mainly tropicals available.

  • Marie Tran
    11 years ago

    GreenThumb, I am interest in trading. Please email me with pix.
    Marie

  • RainforestGuy
    11 years ago

    The reason why there are very few growers is many. Mostly because to grow adeniums, one must be in the breeding of them. Most growers just want grow and turn around and sell it. this is why there are so many grafted plants on the market. These plants are imported and or are regrafted from purchased stock onto rootstocks grown by them.
    It is very difficult to find a grower that sells seed originals. The best plants are those from plants growing on their own root stocks. I urge everyone to grow and support growers that sell plants on original roots.
    These nurseries listed usually purchase plants from larger growers selling liners that need some additional growth before reselling, this is why so many growers sell almost the same thing at the same time. Coincidence? Not!
    The growing of adeniums is like an orchid grower. One must be in the continual breeding programs to keep their line up to date. Whether growing the next best new color or even a new shape or form, there will be many seedlings and very few with guaranteed results.
    I purchased a common pink that when it was crossed to anything always produced solid black red flowered babies. These kinds of surprises are not common in adenium breeding.

  • bronxfigs: New York City/7b
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    RainforestGuy....

    The background information was very interesting to read, but...we're still left seeking sources for plants.

    Unlike orchids...the best Adenium plants are grown from seeds, but where do I find these nurseries that grow selected plants on their own roots, from seed? I've been searching for months, and have found none. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places.

    So, until this plant supply problem changes, we will be lucky to find any nursery who sells a limited variety of grafted plants.

    I like Adenium...but not enough to embark on some eternal quest for the latest, greatest Adenium du Jour. Some may find the "hunting" to be fun...I don't. But hey, that's just me.

    Frank

  • irun5k
    11 years ago

    Not to rub it in but we have a local grower here in the Tampa Bay area. They usually sell every week at the St. Petersburg Saturday Morning Market. I think they sell on eBay at times also. Ken Wall/Green Mind Growers and usually his lovely wife runs the booth at the market. From the few interactions I've had with them, they've both been really nice.

  • ken_ny
    11 years ago

    Chris At Durham Botanicals has always been very cooperative and usually has an excellent selection, IMO

    Here is a link that might be useful: Durham Botanicals

  • whip1 Zone 5 NE Ohio
    11 years ago

    Frank,
    Have you looked into Glass house works? They have a few listed, but I'm not sure about the named varieties.

    Rob

  • BrrianTX
    11 years ago

    Am new in DR collection. Can anyone share the link to reliable websites where they bought their DR plants/seeds? How much did you pay for yours? I would prefer to buy triple and quad varieties.

    Thanks Brian

  • durch
    11 years ago

    Excuse the late reply. I figure better late than never though.

    I am Chris Durham of Durham Botanicals.

    I maintain a large inventory of Adeniums for sale year round at my nursery in Florida and I assure you that I am happy to sell them.

    Unfortunately I am not nearly as adept with all of this internet technology as I am with Adeniums. Accordingly I've been through a dozen websites, twice as many webmasters, and more money than I'll admit to trying to build and maintain a well oiled web presence.

    Long of the short of it is that I'm working on one more strategy for this spring. With any luck we'll have a site in place that offers you a smooth shopping experience soon.

    In the meantime you're always welcome to email me directly on Greenemann@earthlink.net
    I answer mail quickly. That means that it's likely I didn't get your message if you don't hear back in a day, or two, or three max. Try again.

    Chris

  • haworthia
    11 years ago

    Hi all,
    I've ordered from Durharm Botanicals and I rate them A+. I've purchased 3 plants so far from their ebay store and I got my emails answered ASAP. My most recent purchase was in November for a Adenium Quad Layer Black Picotee grafted . Their Plants are well packaged and healthy. No surprises. Chris and his team are awesome!

  • haworthia
    11 years ago

    I'm not sure if the photo that "greenthumb' has posted is the plant that is being offered to be swapped. Please google adenium "kinnalee" and you will see exact photo.

  • maark23 TX/8a
    11 years ago

    You can try corona cactus he grows his plants from. He is a very reliable seller . I've gotten many plants from him.

  • rcharles_gw (Canada)
    11 years ago

    I am not sure of the protocol and procedure for ordering Adeniums within the U.S. from one state to another? CITIES may be involved?
    For those of you in the U.S., there are many growers and very knowledgeable people that sell Adeniums. Durham Botanicals, Living Stones, Lucky Sumo Nursery (Florida), I think even Loresco from Puerto Rico
    (I believe PR is under the U.S.) and I have seen many more.
    I am envious that they are not as readily available in Canada with importing them.
    Rick

  • durch
    11 years ago

    Adeniums are not regulated under CITES.

  • Clint.Waters
    9 years ago

    I agree sources are very limited. I purchased seed from Thailand and have grown them from seed. I did have good luck with germination. I purchased a very nice plant from Lowe's a few years ago. I recognized what it was as it was shipped in march and had gotten to cold. It had no leaves. I paid $8 for it as a mature plant. Flowers are amazing but not. I will try to post a picture as it starts to bloom. I has huge flowers and turns into a plant equal to an azalea. It also blooms from mid summer until late fall.

  • jjbadenium
    9 years ago

    BronxFigs:

    I purchased a number of grafted Adeniums from AdeniumRose.com. They are located in Miami, FL. The plants I bought were reasonably priced, good size and were a combination of flat grafts and cleft grafts. I purchased doubles and triples. So far, the plants have done well.

    jjbadenium

  • Pagan
    9 years ago

    I get my adult plants from adeniumrose.com as well, JJ. I can not recommend them enough. They import a lot of their grafted plants from Thailand. When you go to their site, you will notice that some plants are labeled NP (not proven). This means they have not verified that the plant will bloom as pictured. This means, further, that you have the option of buying one anyway or getting plants that have been proven to bloom as pictured.

    I like that kind of up-front business ethics. I hope they do not change.

    The down side is that a lot of growers will buy their unproven stock anyway so they don't stay at the nursery long enough for them to verify that the plants do bloom as advertised. You'll just have to keep checking if they have anything left that are proven varieties.

    And that is the story of my Hassadee Red which turned out to be Hassadee Pffhiiiink.

    Pagan

  • abrahamx
    5 years ago

    Old thread I know but I have to vent about how I cant stand when they just show a pic of the flower. I for one really dont care all that much what the flower looks like. Its nice to know but is the plant 5 ft tall or just 5 inches. I like to see the plant form and size. Another thing is I dont want any plant that is grafted specially an adenium. Im currently looking for a very large mature adenium and doubt I'll find one. Some good links here also so good for reference.

  • Shang FL09
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Not sure if they sale at your local stores (i.e. walmart, lowes, Home Depot). Walmart has a few nice matured size plants for 13 dollar. One layer pink/white color. Home Depot has some for 9 and seedling for 8.

  • eeyore94sooregon
    5 years ago

    I have bought 4 or 5 from logees.com

    They have a few to pick from

  • Candice (Houston)
    5 years ago

    Abrahamx, I have personally seen two HUGE Adenium for sale at nursery in Southern Houston (Maas). They are the biggest Adenium I've seen so far. Lots of branching too. I'd say it would take a couple of people to lift them. They are still there as of today.

  • Candice (Houston)
    5 years ago

    Shang, Wow! I've never seen a color other than pink at lowes or Home Depot! Amazing!

  • Shang FL09
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I think this year Lowes has new supplier. You are right, normally they have pink and sometimes red. I like this color because it look like black; however the dark color quickly faded and turn red in a few hours.

  • abrahamx
    5 years ago

    I got this big guy and one 27 year older that is shorter but wider. I am looking for huge like 2 foot wide caudex minimum.


  • bronxfigs: New York City/7b
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    Hello, again:

    Barely remember that I started this thread, back in 2012. Now, it's 2018.....

    Nothing has changed. Same sellers, some new plants, but still there's a short supply of named, grafted, and EASILY AVAILABLE plants... unless purchased from foreign sources or from wholesalers on eBay. It's still a crap-shoot when looking through all the poorly maintained plants at local Home Depot. You better show up when plants are blooming. Markets flooded with mainly cheap plants having garish, loud, picotee-pinks, and little else. USA sources (usually located in Florida) sell mostly doubles and very few singles, and one top tropical grower rarely have the desired plants in stock....the rest of the suppliers, sell at very high prices when shipping is factored in. I don't want to be on a waiting list. Let me ask: If I just had to have! or wanted to order a plant with a single, peach-colored flower, or, buy a plant with an orange-salmon flower....good luck finding a source. I can only buy what's available, and that ain't much. Not much one can do about this situation.

    Adeniums, I think, will remain a specialty item. Too difficult to grow under less-than-ideal conditions, they can rot too easily, are not true from seeds, grow slowly, colors are fugitive and fade too quickly, get attacked by insects, spider mites, aphids....delicate flowers collapse and have poor substance/lasting qualities, with poor form... doubles/triples look sloppy, bunched up and may not open fully.

    But, grow we must, and take all the triumphs with pride.

    Frank

    NYC/7b

  • PRO
    AdeniumRose Company LLC
    5 years ago

    We at AdeniumRose Company located in Miami, Florida will continue to label the plants as NP until we see the flower bloom on several of the plants. Many times we do sell out before they bloom and ask clients to send in images once they see the blooms. We not force bloom like box stores (Homedepot. Lowes, Walmart, etc.) the adeniums which weakens them by making the plant work on flower production



    instead of growth. The above images are of two types of grafted adenium hybrid flowers that bloomed earlier this year. Based on the images received from Thailand before they shipped the plants to our nursery the actual flower (above) were about 90% like the flowers they indicated we would get. The first image the flower starts mostly yellow (whihc looks like the Thailand image) and then develops reddish coloration after a couple days. The 2nd image the Thailand image was a bit more orange then the actual flower shown here. Both the images above were taken at our nursery in Miami.

  • Candice (Houston)
    5 years ago

    Shang, I just realized I got the same plant from Home Depot recently (that I commented how I liked yours)! It didn't click until this thread popped back up, lol.

  • bronxfigs: New York City/7b
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    Back in 2012, six years ago, I posted this question. Nothing, or very little, has really changed.


    You want named, grafted plants....import them from Mr. Ko or Rinoa, buy them off of eBay, or take what's ever offered by the few growers/retailers in the USA that specialize in selling these plants. Keep your fingers crossed that your selected plants are not sold out. Oh....you can still grow out a batch of seeds, but that's time consuming, takes a lot of space, and it's still a big a crap-shoot as to what you'll get, even from the good seed sources. If you like pink....grow seeds. Twiddle your thumbs while waiting for a flower that resembles the parent plant. Some find it fun. If you want buy plants with single flowers.... like I prefer, to the sloppy doubles....you're almost out of luck. The vast majority of grafted, named plants, are usually all the newest "doubles-du-jour", from China or Thailand. Slim pickins' for single-blossom lovers. (If I wanted double roses or messy Impatiens-type flowers I'd grow them). Most of the inventory sold by the main USA growers, all fit into those last few sentences. Little choice.... is the bottom line.


    Surprisingly...I can only wonder why desirable Adenium plants aren't yet mass produced by tissue culture? Then, you'd have a great flower growing on top of a plant that's grown on its own roots, and not on top of some scrawny plant with a hideous, obvious, graft. Bet the technology exists that would/could make this possible. Years ago if you wanted a Phalaenopsis (moth orchid) having a rack of big wide blossoms, you'd have to search hard and then pay hundreds of dollars for such a plant. Now, Home Depot sells cheapo Phals by the millions. Those once expensive Phals are now so common, and cheap, that after blooms are done...the plants can get tossed and you start over. Why? Tissue-culture. T-C Phals are now everywhere.


    Adeniums should also be everywhere that you look, on every back porch, growing in every sunny kitchen window, like African Violets..... but they are not. Poor marketing strategy and poor availability make Adeniums a "niche" plant for specialized, growers and dedicated hobbyists.


    Just some of my thoughts, suppositions, and my $0.02.



    Frank

    NYC/7b

  • bronxfigs: New York City/7b
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    I asked these questions, and also noted some observations back in 2012 re: availability of desirable, named-grafted plants, etc. Six years went by ..... and very little has changed.


    Growers/retailers, especially those in the USA, specialize in plants having mostly double flowers, and availability is a crap-shoot. For instance, if I wanted to order and grow a nice specimen of "Noble Concubine" where do I order such a plant? See....no availability. Growers and retailers move on, and stock only the latest, and newest varieties, and in limited numbers. None want to get stuck with old inventory that no one wants. Getting any of the plants that you want can quickly turn into a frustrating quest, especially if the plant you seek was on the market more than a few years ago, and/or is an older variety. I really prefer single blossoms. 99% of the plants sold currently, are rosy doubles/triples. Very few singles are even being offered for sale. Not good, for me.


    It is, what it is.


    Frank

    NYC/7b

  • katiedolittle
    5 years ago

    Hi Frank I try to keep a few singles around but nobody wants them last time I kept some they got to be around 4 years old I grafted to doubles and they sold just can't get rid of singles unless they are odd colors I think Marica likes singles but she likes the odd colors to I will keep you in mind and send you photos of my odd color singles if you want

    roger


  • dirtygardener
    5 years ago

    I'll pipe in here with what my nursery owner friends says. Adeniums take too long to grow out to a decent blooming size from seed, to ensure that your plant comes true to seed. Most nurserymen want plants they can turn over quickly. They don't have room to dedicate to a plant that has to grow for years before they can sell it. Collectors don't want cutting-grown plants, which is why they sell them at big box stores. They also don't want to pay what the time and effort to grow these plants would be worth. If I had put 5 years into growing a plant for sale, I'd charge around $100 for it. The one I have that is 18 years old would be several hundred, if I took my time and expense into account. Few people to play that much for an adenium, no matter what the flower looks like.


    Plus, they can only be grown in warmer areas of the US, because nobody wants to keep a greenhouse heated all winter in a northern climate for years to get a decent-sized plant, because it would make the cost/profit ratio too small. Even in FL, taking up valuable greenhouse or nursery space is a waste if you can't turn the plant over in no more than a year's time.


    Plus, Adeniums are too picky. Here in FL, they rot with our summer rains, and even if they live through that, our winters aren't guaranteed to be warm enough at all times, so what does a nurseryman do with hundreds of Adeniums grown outdoors if a cold snap hits?


    They simply are not profitable plants to grow for commercial sale.

  • katiedolittle
    5 years ago

    you are very right dirtygardener I do adeniums as a hobby and try to sell enough to help with cost but it still cost me ever year but it's worth it

    roger

  • dirtygardener
    5 years ago

    Roger, I know what you mean. My garden costs me much more than it's worth to grow, but it's a passion. I couldn't live if I couldn't garden.

  • bronxfigs: New York City/7b
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    Dirty and Roger....


    Thanks for the insight into the Adenium problems concerning availability, distribution, etc. I once started to try and grow Clivia....talk about paying hundreds of dollars for special plants! Clivia, orchids, Adenium all have a following, and the common demerit is quick turnover and profit, if you do it commercially. For the hobbyist, we just have to be happy with what's available.


    Additionally, they are a PITA to grow. They can be really bitchy if you don't have a warm, hot, dry desert climate, or a greenhouse that's set up for growing succulents. Special plants need special culture.


    So, I'll struggle along like most growers, and try duplicate the growing conditions found in the deserts of Namibia. Not so easy to do.


    Thanks for all the comments.


    Frank

    NYC/7b

  • HU-939560569
    5 years ago

    Some of these posts are quite old, but I'll throw in my 2 cents: I've had great expereiences with Durham Botanicals-Chris specilaizes in Arabicums.Please check out Maria's garden in Punta gorda Florida as well-and tropiflora in sarasota florida......as for root rot here in florida-the rains can be a bit overwhelming, I do move mine in from time to time in the heavisest of rains-but generally I love the rain water for them.I do however use a very quick draining soil mix so my adeniums never sit in wet conditions.In winter, I water sparingly.I keep mine outside all year here in Florida, moving them in to my garage if the nights are going to go below 50.As for freezing-they will not like it but if you prune, they will grow right back.I had one that was badly damaged in last winter's cold snap-I pruned off the dead material and it grew well, flowered profusely and gave me seed pods so I now have babies.All in all I find them pretty easy to care for, at least in the florida climate.

  • Hyn Patty
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Try Facebook. There are a number of American based adenium groups and some sales pages where adenium collectors congregate. While they also get a lot of posts from overseas members, a place like https://www.facebook.com/groups/adeniumswapmeet/ still has a lot of posts of plants for sale (or cuttings/seeds) by growers in the USA. When I have a few plants to spare or cuttings for grafting, that's where I will post.

    Also, Logees is carrying a number of nice adenium these days.

  • Hyn Patty
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    A lot of people won't grow them because they are poisonous. Who wants their small children sticking parts of the plant in their mouths, or their cats chewing on them in the window? They are great for an indoor sunny window if you don't have to worry about pets or children mauling them.

  • abrahamx
    5 years ago

    alot of plants and houseplants are poisonous, animals wont eat the plant cuz they know better. they are a very easy plant to grow. Just dont water alot. They hate water and love sun. Water once a month if indoors and not at all if outside. Must have a sunny location though. I bought my oldest 2 plants from https://baobabs.com/Adeniums_generalities.htm 27 years ago back in 1991. The bigger one was 70euros or pounds back then. Last time I checked the prices had more than doubled but that was years ago also. The site is still around though. And yea, the double blooms and non red/pink blooms suck. I agree. I have a 6 foot tall one I grew from seed. Took about 5 years to get that big, so not really that long.

  • dbarron
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Oh my, they don't hate water, in fact when in active growth they like quite a bit of water, just as long as media is well drained. I realized last year that I was starving my cacti for water, both they and Adeniums flourished in the wet year, when I was fretting about rotting.

    Of course my avg rainfall (42 inches) is less than Florida's I'm sure.


  • Hyn Patty
    5 years ago

    Oh, if only that were true, Abrahamx! I know of more than one cat that's tried to eat adeniums and nearly died from it!

  • PRO
    AdeniumRose Company LLC
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Spring release is near. Currently growing arabicums (4" to 7" caudex), rosy adeniums in 4 sizes from 2" caudex to over 11" caudex and other desert roses. Seedlings in five colors will be released late next month. Image below are some of the seedling flower types.








    r of seedling types.

  • abrahamx
    5 years ago

    my animals avoid it while not avoiding other plants. I once watched a squirrel take or try to take a bite of one of my plants. He just bit into it a tiny bit and ran away instantly. Left a little mark in there but I figured he knew better.

  • Hyn Patty
    5 years ago

    I think most animals know better. There's just a few (like people) who are dumber than others.

  • abrahamx
    5 years ago

    I know they dont "hate" water. I just say that cuz most folks water them to much. Mine get a ton of water when outside in the summer but they sure dont need it. After growing these for almost 30 years now I have a fairly good grip on what they like. My oldest one is 27 years old now. Hell, you can pull them out of soil and wash off all the dirt and let them sit there for a month or more and they are still fine. Hate water love sun is just a little saying I have developed over the years. Just a figurative thing, not literal.

  • abrahamx
    5 years ago

    and yes, with most animals it is ingrained in their dna and "instinct" even if it is not a native plant to the area. Animals have developed all over the world for a long time. but as stated above some may still do it I guess. Weeding out the dumb ones.

  • dbarron
    5 years ago

    I understand you there, most people love their plants too much (overwatering).

  • abrahamx
    5 years ago

    Right. You get antsy sometime and just want to do something with your plants. Fertilizing, watering, pruning. Sometime you just have to sit and watch them.