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rcharles_gw

Leaving unraised for longer

I have an acquaintance that has been growing Adeniums for many years and in recent conversation we discussed caudex development.
They leave there plants unraised as they feel that the root system becomes much larger and develops wider subcutaneously. This is a trial that they are still working with.
When we speak of caudex. It is the widest part above the soil which is characteristic of one particular plant. Whether one plant shows a naturally produced, wide girth and another more slender, this is it's true caudex. Which of course becomes wider with age.
We raise exposing the root system (which would naturally be beneath the soil), then calling this the 'caudex'.
Sundaram grows his Arabicums in the ground (we cannot) as it has proven to improve a more rapid widening of the caudex and wide root zone. More so than containerized plants.

I am going to do some experimenting with some of my seedlings and keep in same pot and when I do transplant. Will pot up without raising.

I realize that this is a known fact with many, but information that is quite relevant in Adenium growth.
Rick

This post was edited by rcharles on Sun, Nov 24, 13 at 17:54

Comments (9)

  • jayeff71
    10 years ago

    Interesting question but I personally would not do that as the caudex would be prone to rot, in there natural habitat in Africa and Asia the caudex is exposed to all the elements and produces an abundance of roots and flowers ,which is what we are all aiming for.
    I have been growing Adenium for 10 years and have been very successful , also as you mentioned the shape of the caudex, to me it is part of the plants character so why bury it ?
    Anyway give it a try and up date us with your results.
    John, Thailand.

  • rcharles_gw (Canada)
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    John,
    They do not bury the plants. They are grown and kept at the same level as which they grow. Raising happens afterwards when a bit older.
    In the case of rot with the caudex. It would be true if lifted and barried lower. Also if growing or planted in a non porous soil.
    The root development happens under the soil, the caudex is the widest part of trunk/stem (above soil) and is a genetic trait, different with each individual plant. I agree that a good caudex is what we like.
    What we call the caudex in time with raising is actually exposed root system.

    Possibly, my explanation previous was not understood or clear.
    Rick

  • tolip
    10 years ago

    Arabicums as I understand grows best unraised. They have a tendency to grow sideways more than vertical.

  • greenclaws UK, Zone 8a
    10 years ago

    I was actually considering burying one of my big guys slightly lower when I re-pot in spring as it is rather unstable at present. Due to the fact that I use the gritty mix, I'm hoping to get away with it, plus I try to water round the very rim of the pot. I was only going to drop it down by 1cm in the hope it will help reduce it's wobble factor. Do you think I'm I dicing with death?
    Gill UK

  • rcharles_gw (Canada)
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Hi Gill,
    How are things in the UK.
    You hear that repotting a Adenium lower than where it was originally potted would create a rot issue.
    One of the plants I received from the gentleman here in town. I repotted it and I realized a short time afterwards that it seemed a bit soft. Now whether
    this was a watering or rot issue, I do not know. I removed some of the top layer of soil, as I thought that maybe I had placed it too low in the pot.
    It is doing well now.

    I would think that with a free draining mix as the 'Gritty mix' that no water would remain to help create an environment for rot.
    I wonder if using rocks/pebbles as you see Marie using around the top of her plants might work better, Gill. Maybe safer.
    Rick

  • greenclaws UK, Zone 8a
    10 years ago

    Hi Rick, all is well here in the UK thanks. Been a great day again, cold but sunny so a good day for tidying the garden before the busy work season for me starting this Friday.
    My plants are all still green, leafy and definitely not dormant, as I'm trying to keep them as warm and sunny as poss.
    Do you think that the fact that I would actually be re-burying a root section as opposed to part of the caudex, would make any difference?
    Gill UK

  • rooftopbklyn (zone 7a)
    10 years ago

    Gill,

    Don't have much Adenium repotting experience yet, but I have buried the lower trunks of a few succulents under a little gritty mix for the same reason - stability. None have rotted so far.

    Another option to increase stability might be to wire it into the pot, bonsai-style. Can be challenging with only a single hole at the bottom of the container, but still doable.

    Daniel

  • greenclaws UK, Zone 8a
    10 years ago

    Hi Daniel, thanks for another suggestion, glad your succs coped OK too.

    I think I was over eager when I did the exposure thing last spring and bared a bit too much, lol!

    Hopefully when its time to do the spring re-pot I will be able to spread the roots out a bit wider, that should help, combined with a very slight lowering it should do the trick.

    Gill UK

  • johnsonm08
    10 years ago

    I planted this one deeper this past spring as an experiment. I left only a couple of inches of the caudex exposed. You can see the planting depth by where the green color ends. No rot, it seemed to really thrive. It's in an 8" pot. I'm curious now to see the rest, but I don't think it would be good to bare root it now.