Month: June 2016

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Bonsai adenium plants and cropping branches

Wow! It’s hot and humid out there working with the adenium, Hoyas, Plumerias and other plants.  AdeniumRose Company just finished the 2nd line of a drip water system for the hoyas (300 more plants). Drip irrigation conserves water and provides the hoya plants with more consistent watering to keep them moist during growing season and control liquid fertilizing.

Anyway, I potted another adenium plant that had problems last Fall in a bonsai pot with added accent pieces to make it more like a true bonsai scene.

desert rose plant bonsai
Upright bonsai adenium plant

Next month I will start training this one (cropping and wiring)  to develop a canopy and maybe add a small fishing man (mudman).  The adenium plants caudex is approximately  4″ wide and 3 inches wide. The pot is a 8″ x 6″ x 2.5″ made of ceramic with three holes in the bottom for drainage. The small white thing that looks like a “white seal lion” is actual an agate (semi-precious rock).  The green back ground rock is an jasper (I’m a rock/gem collector/cutter since I was 7 yrs old).

AdeniumRose Company may start listing some rocks such as petrified wood, agates, crystals, etc. (not ordinary rocks) to use in settings. If you use rocks, its best to use ones that are not porous.

The branches of this adenium were cropped last fall when we discovered roots problems. The adenium plant has fully recovered and three branches will be cropped next month – can you see which one? To create a canopy bonsai style adenium plant it needs a bunch of short branches in an umbrella share.

adenium bonsai traning
Where to crop the desert rose plant

The adenium plants branches on the left need cropping. The image shows where I plan to do the cropping of the adenium plant.  The branch in the back (small branch) has three little branches which I hope will grow another 3 inches so it can be cropped to by the end of the summer.

If you have any questions concerning cropping, wiring or even drip water systems please post them here for a quick reply.  Have a great week!

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Plumeria plants Dwarf, not so dwarf and stardard sizes

Mature plumeria plant none dwarf
Mature plumeria plant not a dwarf

Plumeria plants, when grown in the ground, vary in size and length of each segment.  The plumeria plant segments on the dwarf plants are much shorter than on standard plumerias. The questions many people ask “is there a difference in the frequency of flowering or flower size”.  Look at the two images of plumeria plant (trees).

The one with the pink plumeria flowers is a mature tree about 24 feet tall. The segments/branches are longer than the dwarf.

plumeria plant
Dwarf yellow plumeria plant full grown

The dwarf plumeria plant image shows a full grown tree and has developed a canopy.  The dwarf plumerias’ height is approximately 12 feet high and even wider.  Notice the segments/branches are shorter but the flower size is very similar to a standard plumeria plant.

If you grow your plumeria plants in pots then it does not matter whether they normally grow to 25′ in the ground or not.   Instead choose a plumeria flower color or fragrance you like. When growing a plumeria in a pot the segments of a dwarf will be shorter but only by about 20%. The pot will restrict the plants’ growth and the plumeria plant will adapt. We have both types growing in pots with many flowers every year. The standard plumerias grow a bit faster (taller) in the pots but both types flower without any problems.

When growing plumeria plants in a pot it’s important to remember to weigh down the pot because the plant will become top heavy since it grows a canopy.  Use a pot that has holes in the bottom and AdeniumRose Company recommends that it is twice as deep as it’s wide.  Plumerias do not like the cold so you will need to bring them in during the winter when the temperatures get below 55 degrees.  During the growing season keep the soil damp but not wet. We use the same soil for our plumerias as we do for adeniums to prevent rot.  The plumeria plant is a tropical plant that will handle tons of sun and rain.