Month: May 2013

This will be a short post of adenium plants we received late last week. The plants are going through the final sort and planting in to desert rose pots this week.  We did not receive many that we were expecting. However, we did receive over 240 desert rose plants that required 10″ to 12″ pots. These larger adenium plants have caudexes (circumference) of  16″ to 24″. Some are of know adenium flower types (phatuma pink. pink panter,  hasadee red, amazing, valentine, and others). However, we did get over 31 types that we do not know what the desert rose flower looks like nor did we receive images from Thailand. We are requesting images and we will post them once/if we receive the images. Some of the adenium plant types are single plants (only one of a particular desert rose plant name).

Also, received were standard size adenium plants of dang tealwada, ora bright, jareangtong and others new desert rose plants including yellow crazy which is one we tried to get in January but they were not ready.

New adenium plants in standard size are C. America, Wanda, Bella, and yellow crazy.  if you signed up to our website you will receive a special coupon soon to save on these desert roses and others.  Go to Epic Grower company’s website for new postings starting this weekend (if it stops raining) and if you have any questions please let us know.

This has been a busy week. AdeniumRose Company has received a shipment of adeniums (still being sorted by name).  What was supposed to be an order to 14 different types of adeniums (flower types) turned into an order with over 38 different types.  The growers in Thailand is not like American growers who you can trust to get what you ordered. Thailand adenium plant growers are not the most trust worthy bunch.

AdeniumRose Company has ordered from 4 different major growers in Thailand and they are all the same – order what you see based on images they send and hope what you get is 60% correct in the number of adenium obesum plants received and the flower types.  Anyway. expect several new varieties of flowers and some old favorites to be added to the AdeniumRose Company desert rose plant website. What is great about this order is that among the 600 plants received about 200 to 250 are larger plants with caudex circumferences of 18″ to 26″ in diameter (7″ to 10″ across).

This is were the many varieties come into play.  Instead of sending the ones ordered the growers sent a email saying that (after receiving the money) they can not send the larger adenium plants selected because they made a mistake in the adenium plants available for shipping. We only received a few of the desert rose plants ordered and then the Thailand desert rose growers selected plants random base on size and what they have in stock. Look for Adeniumrose website updates in the near future,

Questions:  I received my 3 pack adeniums desert rose plants and arrived in wonderful shape. I’m so pleased at how large they are already, with healthy leaves. I do have some questions about planting adenium plants:

1) Soil for desert soil plants; I;m mixing my own soil fro he adeniums. I plant to put rocks in the bottom. Do I layer the perlite & other soil, or mix it together first?

2) What’s the biggest size pot you would recommend for the desert rose plants? They are now 12″, 14″, 16″.

3) Is it better to water the desert rose plant from the top or bottom (ie; water tray)??

PS: I live in Michigan, so would I wait at least 1 week before putting outside?

I have had a previous adenium from another shop, but made the mistake of overwatering it. I plan to be more careful with them this time around, as I read your watering tips.

Answer:

I’m glad you like the adenium plants you received.  We do not recommend to use a water retention tray under the adenium pot. It will create humidity and possibly mildew which will cause root rot.  In our adenium plant nursery, we use overhead sprinklers because 1) it’s almost impossible to handle the number of plants any other way 2) South Florida is a tropical climate which means tons of rain and humidity during the summer so the desert rose plants are always getting wet. Over the past 48  day s our are received 4.9″ of rain already which is normal for the summer time – daily thunderstorms. We usually have to empty water out of our pool 1..2 times a week because of rain over flowing it (in ground pool).  However, it’s always better to try to keep the leaves dry to prevent standing water accumulate on the adenium leaves if possible.

Adenium plant pot size:  No more than 2″ beyond the adenium caudex size on each side. Shallow pots are bets fro desert roses . Use a bonsai pot.  Example: 8″ adenium caudex 10..12″ pot no more than 5..6″ deep.  As the caudex gets bigger (it takes time) replant it into a large pot.  No plastic.  All pots must have good drainage holes.

Soil for adeniums:  Perlite and soil mixed together. 70 to 80 percent perlite.  there are several articles on this blog about soil mixtures. Mixtures need to be adjusted bast on climate and rain/watering schedule.