Not a particularly uncommon houseplant.....are you attempting to grow them outdoors year round? Like many succulents, not at its best in our wet winters even though it does appreciate an evenly moist soil. And not particularly hardy......10C is usually listed as the lower tolerance.

You are aware there is new GW forum devoted to this genus?

Here is a link that might be useful: Adenium forum

Yes, I was aware, thought it might catch someone that was not frequenting the Adenium section or may have had them.
They would not survive outside anywhere in Canada outside all year round. They are not all that common and many believe them to be hard to grow. Different culture here, but can adapt if given the conditions needed.
Thanks for responding.

Rcharles, I grow them - love them. I followed the adenium group for quite a few years...It's a tricky time of year now because of the cool nights and very soon they will have to go inside for the winter. Do you have a lot of them?

Hi Linda,
I am just north of Nanaimo.
I have a few more mature grafted obesums, Somalense and a Thai Soco. I have many seedlings that I started last fall and some this past spring.
I became interested in these and thought I would like to start some seed.
Did some inquiry and got some seed. To my surprise most of them germinated. More than I could use, but can decide when they become older and keep what I feel is what I want in them.
I posted in the Canadian forum as I wanted to converse with others growing these in my climate or similar.
I have yet to use grow lights on them and would rather not unless absolutely necessary.
Thank you for your reply,

I grew two of them for many years, up until recently. Gave one away and lost the other to poor care (grrr), both last fall.
How are you overwintering them, windowsills?
- Tom

Tom, I over winter the older in a space that receives full sun (south). Last fall I started some seed and kept them under a grow lights to extend number of hrs. of light. I would not start them again in fall. Early spring.
Hoping to keep the juvenilles in same space for this winter.
I am enjoying watching them grow and the many differences in characteristics of seed grown Adeniums.
Not too concerned about flower color when they do get old enough to bloom.

Rcharles and Tom, I've found them easy from seeds too, although I must confess I've lost a lot of smaller plants over the years. I'm down to one obesum, which I bought, and an arabicum and somalense, both of which I grew from seed. I keep mine in a similar position as rcharles. Except for the arabicum, they are too large now for the windowsill. With the exception of seedlings, I've never used lights in the winter - just let them go dormant and water sparingly. The best advice I ever came across and have followed closely was written by Mark Dimmitt:

1) Grow adeniums as wetland tropicals, not desert plants. 2) Reject rule #1 when the plants are dormant.

One I wouldn't mind getting seeds of is A. swazicum because of its cold tolerance relative to the others.

My arabicum has flower buds on it now and will flower for the first time and I've had it for years. It's the smallest but nicest looking one I have.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mark Dimmitt article

Linda,
I am relatively new to Adeniums, only a couple years now. Enjoying them very much.
I bought Mark Dimmitt's book. Definitely one worth having.
Post some photo's here, when your Arabicum flowers. Would love to see it.
I have some Swazicums growing now which I started from seed. Wish I had got the seed a bit earlier, but they are healthy and looking good so far.
I have a few started from what they call Mini-size Sunup star and it is supposed to be somewhat dwarfish. Tiny little stout plants right now. Will be interested to see how they do.
They say if you can get a swazicum/obesum cross that it is a good selection to have. Best of both in one.

Rcharles, it's great that you have his book. I will always have a soft spot for adeniums because it was adeniums that really started my passion for plants and gardening and they are also both beautiful and unusual looking.

I will definitely post a pic if the flowers don't drop on the arabicum. I'm a bit concerned about the temperature changes that will be coming. It has been fairly mild at night lately, but it won't be long before I need to bring them indoors, at least for the nights to start. The other two have some flowers on them now, but the leaves can't decide what they want to do (drop or not). Do you have any flowering ones now and are yours indoors or outside?

If you don't mind me asking, where did you get the swazicum seed? It was difficult to find several years back when I was really looking for it. Interesting what you say about the swazicum/obesum cross...

I have some a few older ones inside and a couple outside. My seedlings have been outside since this spring and will bring in soon.
I kept a few inside because they where coming out in leaf and showing flower buds, so they stayed inside (full sun, south facing) as I was concerned that they might shed their leaves with the change to outdoors.
Was not willing to risk it with buds showing.
I have had my one flower this summer and two others with buds on now.
Who nows whether they will mature to open up.
I posted a photo of the one in bloom on the Adenium section under
"should I let it go dormant" a few days ago.
I got the seeds for the Swazicum from a gentleman that was on a seed swap group. He collected seeds and offered me a few. I had been looking also and they where not easy to find. If I can get more, you are more than welcome to try some. Actually, if these seedlings make it through the winter. I will have a few to find homes for.
I am no expert, but from what I read. The Swazicums generally have a more relaxed, spiraling habit and pruning generally does not change it.
Irises seems to be a lot of 'obesum x swazicum' , whether this is to get the best of the two, I am not sure.

I worry about the effect of changing temperatures on the buds too. Except for the arabicum having flower buds for the first time, the last two summers have been the worst for me as far as flowers go on them because they have taken most of the summer to throw out a few blooms. Other years they have flowered for most of the summer. I'm not sure if I set them back too much by bringing them outside too early during the cooler spring weather or not. Thanks for the offer of seeds or possibly a seedling if it works out that you have extra of either. Based on what I just read, 'obesum x swazicum' does seem like a choice hybrid.

Here is a link that might be useful: 'obesum x swazicum' hybrids