Adenium plant seedlings grow from seeds is not a challenging process. One of the best ways to obtain adenium plants is either acquire seedlings or grow them plants from seeds. Growing from seed is an added expense if you do not live in a tropical or warm desert climate. You will sterilized soil, growing flats and a water system unless you want to slave over the growing by doing everything by hand everyday when growing adeniums. the seedling image on this article is an adenium approximately 5 months old in a 2.5″ x 2.5″ container. It was transplanted to this container from a community adenium growing tray when it was 3 months old. it will stay in this pot until we do the first clipping in spring to create multiple branches on the adenium desert rose plant.
When growing adenium plants from seed expect about a 80% germination rate and 70% survival rate to 5 months old. Also, when received seeds of a certain adenium flower type do not expect all the seeds to look like the parent adenium plants flower. In fact, sometimes only 50% look like the parents if the seeds are from hybrid plants. If you have a limited growing season we recommend obtaining seedlings or 3yr old plants for you collection. In the tropics (Miami, where AdeniumRose company is located) is a tropical climate. Our growing season is 8 to 10 months. Our winters are very mild with an average daytime temperature of 74 degrees.
If you live in a cool climate you will need to set up a special growing room to grow adenium plants by seeds.
Interesting post, thanks for sharing. Keep updating the good stuff.
You said that you do the first clipping in spring to create multiple branches, but I wanted to know how old the seedling should be before you do the first clipping?
And how much do you take off the top?
Also, I know this article focuses on seedlings, but is there anything I should do, at this stage, to encourage those nice fat twisty roots?
The age of the adenium seedling is not the determining factor. I live in south Florida where the adeniums grow outside year round and since we are in the tropics they grow fast. I do not crop the adenium seedlings until the caudex is approximately 3/4 to 1″ wide and just about out growing a 2.5″ pot. The ones we grow from seeds starting last August/October were cropped in Early April and May. The desert rose plants caudex will grow big if you constrict the adenium plants roots. Do not be in a big hurry to re-pot them into a larger size pot.
I plan to do a more detailed article on how to grow the desert rose roots and to arrange them when you re-pot your adenium plant. Many times adenium roots will naturally grow in strange ways and shapes. However, you can help it along by arranging the roots in the pot. When you move the plant to its first 2.5″ pot spread out the roots so they are not deep but expand out form the trunk of the adenium. Crop the roots at that time to 3..5 main roots to force the grow to concentrate in a few roots instead of many. Depending upon how often you water your desert rose plant and your climate will determine how fast the caudex grows.
Thanks a lot for the info. Your articles are a life-saver, and the details are great for a beginner.
Just to know how much can u sell a five mounth old plant for.
what type of plant? adenium desert rose plant? We do not offer adenium seedlings less than 8 months old.