Category: Trimming and Bonsai adeniums

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.

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.

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!

Is the adenium plant a indoor or outdoor? Would it be fine in a big pot with other bonsai trees for a landscape look? The pot in 3″ deep and 18″ wide.

Answer:

Adeniums are succulents that have a natural bonsai look. In addition, they can be wired like traditional bonsai plants. Yes, you can place in a shallow pot 3″ deep. When you get the plants you may need to carefully spread the roots out – be careful not to break them. I have many of them in shallow and when I first planted them I lean them to one side to expose more roots because usually they are too deep in the beginning – this gives it a wind swept bonsai look. Exposing adeniums roots with only 1.5 to 2″ under ground is a great the way to build a great looking caudex.

They easily grow new roots. If you do break before the adenium root caudex then let them heal full in the open air before potting them. I have left adeniums plants bare root for a couple of weeks without any harm to them. Just make sure the desert rose plant roots are well healed so you do not get root rot.

The main thing to remember about growing adeniums plants is that they NEED well drained soil. They do not like to sit in water at all and they do not like temperatures below 40 degrees. Many people grow them inside windows sills with 4..6 hours of sunlight or under grow lamps. Here in our area (south Florida) we grow them year round in the open. Thank you for your questions

Now is a great time to bonsai your adenium before it gets too much leafage.  here is South Florida Adenium growing is just about year round.  Yes, during the winter months (if you can call 745 to 85 degrees winter) the desert rose plants do slow down. Depending upon your location now is the time to get ready for flowers and training your adenium.  Not all adenium desert rose growers train their plant in a bonsai manor. However, if you want to create interesting shapes and even a canopy style adenium now if the time to wire up. special note DO NOT USE COPPER wire. Use aluminum bonsai wire which is easy to bend and will not cause plant discoloration as does copper.

Remembered when wiring branches to flow a certain way do it in steps. The older the adenium branch the harder its to shape and more likely to brake. Yes, when you bonsai adeniums  you may even cut a branch completely off so several new branches spring up that you can shape the flow. Desert rose plants, adeniums, branches break easily so work be careful. when wire wrapping your adenium make is a loose wire wrap otherwise you risk damage to the branch or even anchor trunk of the adenium plant.  Bonsai adeniums require patience and plant branch adjusting. During the growing season check the plants ever month or so to make sure the wire is not choking the branch on your Bonsai adenium. I will start to add images of wire wrapped adeniums and some already bonsai  adenium plants in the near future. The adenium image on the left is a good start to bonsai style. The next time this desert rose plant its replotted the caudex will need some work. I would suggest to remove some of the roots so the plant its concentrates growth on 3..5 roots only to make the caudex fatter. Also, when this adenium bonsai I would cut the lower of the two branches so several now branches sprout out and then curve the remaining uncut branch back towards the pot center

How to shape desert rose branches. If you are familiar with bonsai then you have a head start in creating bonsai adenium plants.  You will need standard bonsai wire wrapping tools and wire. Does not use stiff wire or wire that is too thin which will cause damage to your desert rose branches. I recommend using thick soft (easy to bend) bonsai wire so your desert rose will not get indentations on the branches.

Choose the branches of your Adenium you want to shape. It’s always better to start shaping your bonsai adenium plant when the branches are young. Yes, you can shape thicker branches, however, it will take longer thicker wire plus you run the risk of breaking the branch of your prized desert rose. Adenium branches easily bend and twist due to their high level of water content. The high level of water content in the desert rose plants is also the reason they are soft and can be damages easily if you do not take care.

Start wire wrapping around a thicker branch or truck that is connected to the desert rose adenium branch you plant to direct its growth. Bonsai is a way to make a desert rose adenium plants to have the look of a full size tree. This is done by controlling the way the adenium branches and trunks are grown. You start with a thick branch to act as a brace/anchor when you bent the actual branch to the shape you desire.  After 3 to 4 wraps round the base trunk or branch start to wrap the branch of the desert rose bonsai several times (5 to 6 wraps or more). Once you finish wrapping the branch of the adenium, bend the branch to the desired shape. Check the adenium desert rose growth about once every two weeks to make sure the wire does not damage the desert rose adenium branch.

Desert rose Adenium Obesum can be cultivated and require little care. One of the best ways to to grow it in a bonsai form with a thick trunk and broad canopy.  Adenium arabicum is well know for its broad leaf surface and some what large leathery looking leaves.

Desert Rose Arabicum is know for its thick fat caudex.  It forms a well short trunk yes, you will see other desert roses adenium’s types growing in this a bonsai style, however, the arabicum is very well suited as a miniature tree with a full canopy of branches.

In the wild it not uncommon to see the Adenium arabicum having a very wide long caudex and then a short trunk with long branches. Other Adenium desert roses grow over 6 feet tall but not usually this one.  One of the est ways to collect many different flower types is buy obtaining grafted adenium desert roses or Hybird grow from seeds. Ask what root stock they are using for the grafts will make a difference in the caudex size and shape. The non-hybird flower is like the one int he image shades of pink. Also, when grow from seeds you may  get a flower color variations. Always treat the Adeniums just like any other succulent. Water well once a week during the rowing season and make sure the have the plant in soil that drains quickly.