New adenium plant collectors receiving plants shipments for the first time sometimes experience problems getting the desert rose plant to grow new leaves quickly. Collectors who live in the southern half of the USA have less problems then ones in the middle and northern states.
The adenium plants shipped from AdeniumRose Company are grown in South Florida which is tropical year round warm climate with long hours of sunlight (10 to 12+ hours). When the plants are shipped they go into water conservation mode and will drop many of its leaves (sometimes all). Many times if the plants are shipped to cooler climates with fewer hours of sunlight they actually go into dormancy.
The normal (natural) time for the desert rose plants to be in dormancy is between December through February in the their native growing environments. In south Florida adenium plant dormancy many times does not truly happen because due to very mild winters the adeniums do not go into full dormancy instead just a slower growth pattern.
In mid and northern states, unless the collector promotes longer growing season through the use of grow lights, dormancy can began as early as late September and go through late April or even May depending upon how far north. Adenium plants will go into dormancy when shipped north because the plant will get less light and cooler weather which the plant responds as if the seasons are changing. When receiving adenium plants we suggest to us Dyna K-L-N when you plant the desert rose and then Dyna-gro bloom every other week for a couple months or until you see new growth.
