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americangolden

Adenium Obesum -- Help

americangolden
11 years ago

Hello everyone in the Adenium forum,

I had purchased this Desert Rose plant from a plant nursery December 2011. I repotted it last year, and had it outside all summer. I now have brought it inside as temperatures are getting cold outside.

My problem is it looks like the plant is getting tall and skinny. I almost feel like the caudex/trunk has shrunk even though it has grown taller. It didn't flower at all for me yet either. I am wondering if I am doing something wrong with this plant or if I should be pruning this plant? If I should be pruning it, do I cut off right above the caudex, and do I do it now before winter or in spring?

My last concern is you can see when I first bought the plant it had leaves all along the trunk which fell off after I repotted it when I bought it over winter. This summer none of those leaves grew back, only on the top. Is this normal?

I'm hoping someone in this forum will be able to help me, thanks!

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Plant purchased & repotted December 2011

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December 2011

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December 2011

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October 2012

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October 2012

Comments (12)

  • Marie Tran
    11 years ago

    I see you in zone 5. If I was you I wait until March or April to prune. The plant is getting leggy without prune. It will get full with more branches after prune.

    Marie

  • americangolden
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Can I prune in winter if the plant goes dormant (full leaf loss)? Also do I prune right above caudex for best results?

  • sbrow156
    11 years ago

    It may just be me but the plant looks like it has been grafted a couple of cm's above the caudex. I have no experience or knowledge with pruning grafted plants but it would make sense that you shouldn't prune below the graft (if thats what it is) and u should (when you do prune, depending on your weather and seasons) prune a few cm's above the graft. Maybe some more experienced DR growers can help me out here and let me know if my assumption is correct? :)

    Sarah

  • rcharles_gw (Canada)
    11 years ago

    I believe as Itran mentioned to prune in spring when starting back into full grow. If you look at her plants you will see some remarkable specimens.
    Your plant looks very healthy.
    Have you repotted it between the photo's of 2011 & 2012?
    Almost looks as though the caudex is a bit lower in soil than previous.
    Just curious.

  • americangolden
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Sbrow156,
    This plant is not grafted.

    Rcharles,
    Ok thanks, and I think the pot was knocked over once and repotted maybe a bit lower than previous 2011 pic.

  • sbrow156
    11 years ago

    oh ok...i just thought it may have been seeing there is a change in the stem and bump looking bit a few cm's above the caudex?

    Sarah

  • americangolden
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    No problem :-). I see where your looking. Im not sure what happened lol.

  • karyn1
    11 years ago

    I agree with Marie, wait until spring to prune. I'd cut it a little more then halfway back, not as far as the caudex. Leave a few inches of the main stem. I would also raise it back up when you prune it in the spring.

  • americangolden
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Karyn1,

    Sounds good, and thank you for your reply.

    Can anyone answer my question regarding the leaves??

  • rcharles_gw (Canada)
    11 years ago

    The leaves that you are speaking about that where growing off the stem?
    These leaves will not and do not grow back from those nodes.
    It will continue to produce new leaves from the terminal bud at top.
    When you prune it in spring, they usually will produce 2-4 lateral branches off stem. These will begin to grow.
    The leaves will fall off, but will retain them in situations such as Itran's having lots of natural sunshine most of the year.
    If the plant becomes etiolated the space between the leaves (internodes) increases and become further apart as they grow.
    Many unprimed Adeniums have a open branched habit.

  • americangolden
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Rcharles,

    Thank you. This is what I was looking for.

  • MyLan153
    11 years ago

    My Adenium had the same size of Americangolden's adenium and it has 2 branches. I'm planning to prune both branches in the next spring as Marie's suggestion, then I want to plant the branch in a pot to grow them, but I don't know how to.

    Marie, please if you can give me some advices on how to plant the branch of adenium, I saw your photos that had a couple adeniums growing from the branch.

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