Adenium Plant – Flowering plants

Adenium (Adenium obesum) is an evergreen, succulent shrub or small tree and can grow to 1–3 m in height. Adenium plant is also frequently used as a bonsai plant as it can be easily grown in containers. It has a thick stem and fleshy branches. The leaves are spirally arranged, clustered toward the tips of the shoots, simple entire, leathery in texture, 2 – 6 inches long and 1 – 8 cm broad. The blooms are 2 – 5 cm long, funnel-shaped, 5-lobed and clustered at the ends of branches, white, pink or red in color often pale with a darker edge. All parts of the plant are toxic. keep it away from children and pets.

Scientific Name: Adenium obesum
Synonyms: Adenium coetaneum, Adenium honghel, Nerium obesum.
Common Names: Sabi star, kudu, mock azalea, impala lily and
desert rose.

 

 

 

 

How to grow and maintain Adenium obesum:

Light:
It thrives best bright light to direct sunlight.

Soil:
It grows well in a well-drained succulent blend, with a perfect pH around 6.0 (slightly acidic). Or use a mix of equal parts peat moss and sharp sand.

Water:
Water during the growing season (summer and spring) and always keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. You can allow the topsoil to become slightly dry between each watering. During the winter months, reduce watering.

Temperature:
It prefers an average room temperature of 60 – 75 °F / 16 – 24 °C. If you put your plant outside for the summer, don’t worry it can take the heat. Bring it back indoors when nighttime temperatures drop in autumn, it will endure a low of 50 °F / 10 °C.

Fertilizer:
Feed monthly during spring and summer with a balanced liquid
fertilizer diluted by half.

Pruning:
You can prune an Adenium any time during the year. Flowers
develop on the new growth so pruning well before the plant
blooms encourages more branching and more blooms.

Propagation:
Adenium obesum can be easily propagated by seeds and also by stem cuttings but the new plants often lack the trunks with fat bases that make a desert rose Plant.

Pests and Diseases:
There is no serious pest or disease problems. Watch for aphids, spider mites, and mealybug.