Randy,

How long did it take to go from seed to flower? That's a very nice flower, the shape and color are spectacular. Did you name it after someone named Amber?

beautiful! good job!

Thanks. I sowed the seed Oct. 2002. It bloomed that next summer 2003.

My daughter is named Amber.

randy

Randy,

That makes sense. :0) Very nice job and a great way to imortalize your daughter. I want to play around with crossing plants to hopefully come up with something that I can name after someone too. Whether or not it turns out to be a viable commercial venture, it's already a success.

What a fabulous plant, you did well!

Really nice. Intense color. Gorgeous.

I lost my first adenium recently. I got it last summer, kept it outside until early November, stopped watering and brought it inside where it prompty shed all of its leaves. I did not water it until mid-February, thinking four months without water was long enough and it was time to wake up. It rather prompty rotted down after my spring 'wake-up call'. I guess the mistake was not waiting for signs of growth before watering. Or?

I thought I wasn't going to try to grow another one for some time, but seeing your plant makes me think its worth the potential trauma to my pride. I'll get another and see if I can't keep it alive for more than half a year ;[

paracelsus

Thanks!

IMHO it is a mistake to not water an Adenium in winter that you keep above 60 degrees give or take a few. When I keep Adenium in the house over the winter, I water just enough to keep foliage on them, maybe once every three weeks or so.

If you choose to not water indoors, do wait until you see them getting ready to push leaves. The tip of the branch will suddenly turn a bright red and then in a few days have leaves starting to grow.

I prefer to winter them over in a cold greenhouse completely defoliated. Super low maintenance. No watering or pest problems all winter. They received the first water last week. A few vigorous ones kept leavers all winter and are blooming. Most are pushing leaves now.

randy

Don't feel bad, Para. I've killed more of them than I care to admit to. I've kept my current one (though it hasn't bloomed for me...) for 3 winters now. I finally figured out to ignore the "don't water in winter" rule. Mine does lose all it's leaves, though, even with the occasional watering. I have to figure out how to get it to bloom this year, though, or I'm giving up. My mom has one she treats like every other houseplant (waters every week, year round...) and it blooms every summer. Maybe I'll take my cue from her!

BTW, Randy, that's a beauty!

Denise in Omaha

Randy,
Beautiful flower, I bet your daughter is proud.

Denise,
Mine blooms here every winter and summer, blooming now. During the summer, push the water and fertilizer. Do you know if it is A. obesum or one of the other species or hybrids? Some of the other species need to be older/larger to bloom, A. obesum should bloom within 3 years from seed. Have you tried starting seed? Very easy and mine almost always bloom within 2 years. I'm also one of those that usually doesn't water the larger ones all winter (but that's me), seedlings to 2 years get water every 2-3 weeks during the winter.
Dan
Lincoln, NE USDA 5

Thanks, Dan. What about your pot size? I know I've read they grow pretty fast, but mine hasn't grown much to speak of at all. Do you give them lots of room for the roots to grow? I've always been a proponent of keeping plants in somewhat tight quarters to minimize the chances of overwatering.

And, no, I can't grow anything from seed to save my life. When I try, seedlings get to a certain point and then **poof** they die. I just leave it to those who know what they're doing!

Denise in Omaha

Hey Denise,
I keep many of my plants under potted or at least in the smallest pot I can, but with some of my Adenium, I have over potted in the spring and the plants easily catch up by fall. I have a tendency to starve (soil wise) many of my plants and found out last summer that many succulents really reward me if I give them all I can for the summer. I'm making more growing beds for my plants this year.
Dan
Lincoln, NE USDA 5

Denise

I only underpot when I want the plant to slow down as far as growth is concerned.

Adeniums will bulk up quickly if overpotted in a very fast draining mix and fertilized on a regular basis here in my climate during the growing season.

randy

AO seeds are easy. I have a few seedlings growing now. I soaked the seeds for a couple of hours and surface sowed them under a plastic sandwhich bag and in a couple of days had sprouts. I just have them warmth and light and they're now setting out their set of true leaves. The seedlings really like their water and I see a little push of growth when I water them.

So right MBT,
Most of my Adenium are from seed and now have arabicum, multiflorum and multiflorum v mombassa as well as some white flowered and plain A.o. all from seed, really easy :-) This spring will have some A. swazicum from my own seed as well.
Dan
Lincoln, NE USDA 5