Complete newb to growing adeniums so forgive my ignorance, but what's a crest?

Your seedlings are beautiful btw! Where did you get the planters?

Nice seedlings Mike.

NeonCactus, if you speak of "crest" as for a "crested Adenium"? They are an Adenium that's growth point forms multiple growths at same point eventually forming a fan shape. I believe it is called "forma cristata'.
Quite odd looking, to me.
Rick

Rick is correct and I should have referred to it as a "crested adenium" rather than just a "crest". Crested versions of plants are usually slower growing than the normal plant--they're fairly common among cacti for that matter. Mr. Ko in Taiwan has a crested adenium that he sells seeds of called "Red Flabellate" but I don't know if they come true from seed.

Related to crested plants are "monstrose" versions where the growing points are just randomly distributed all over the plant--again, mostrose versions are fairly common among cacti. I've never heard of a "monstrose adenium" however, though that doesn't mean that they don't exist.

Mike in MN

Oh wow those plants are gorgeous! I never even knew they could take that shape. Is it just years of pollination with wide based adeniums that give the trunk that fan look, or is it crossed with something?

I need one of these in my life lol

Great seedlings! Healthy looking. Grats!

Kirk

JV44: Hi Mike. Beautiful plants, all so plump and healthy looking. I'm new to this group and apologize in advance if I asked basic questions.
When you clump 10 seeds in one pot to germinate, how long are you going to keep them together like that? I just bought several DR seed packages (10 seeds each) and what you did is great. I was thinking to sow them in single tiny pots or maybe a germinating tray which will be more cumbersome. Any problems with tangling roots come the time to re-pot to singles?

This post was edited by otis11 on Mon, Jul 29, 13 at 9:55

That group of ten Yemen arabicums have been in that container since they were sown May 28, so roughly 2 months now--this photo was taken just last night. I've seen some people let their seedlings grow for a year sometimes....grouped together in community trays or pots. So far I haven't had any problems with separating the roots...I'm using 100% coir for a seed germinating media and if I let it go almost completely dry it's much easier to work with. Plus adeniums respond well to root pruning so an occasional piece of root broken off now and then isn't going to hurt anything.

Mike in MN

Did you drill holes in the bottom of the container?

Mike, wow your seedlings are great looking ones.
Marie

Thanks Marie! Otis, yep, i poked numerous holes in the bottom of that container using my usual tool, an Exacto knife. No drainage holes=death to plants.....I keep trying to get my mom to understand this but she insists on buying more pots without drainage holes. I guess I gotta look into getting a masonry drill bit....

Mike in MN

Thanks Mike.
"" I guess I gotta look into getting a masonry drill bit...."" the nice pots w. no holes might not take kindly to drilling. You might want to use it as ... I don't know the word for it but use another pot with holes inside it.

Hi Mike
Could you till me what Coir is as I am only new to DR's
Cheers Maria

Coir is coconut fiber....it comes in various consistencies from almost a powder to big chunks 1/2" or more. Frequently it comes in dried, compressed bricks that you simply add warm water to and they expand. A few years ago coir was tough to find--now it much more commonly available--look on Ebay. A couple of brands to look for are CocoGro and Cocotek (I think that's how it's spelled)...and make sure you get 100% coir with NO added ingredients for adenium seed germination.