I saw some Adenium multiflorum at a local garden centre and told myself I would probably regret buying one but because this plant is a flowering size, which takes 4-5 years, and well priced for what it is, it came home with me.
Adenium multiflorum is a tall species that may make more stems from the base as it gets older
Never plant caudex plants in peaty mixtures if you want them to survive
The first problem I could see besides the terrible soil was that it was being watered while dormant because the staff didn't know better and the whole batch had suffered cold damage from being left outside in winter. Not a good start but I picked out the least damaged looking one and took it home with me for immediate root inspection and treatment. I was prepared to take a chance because Adeniums are actually quite tolerant of root pruning, some people even do it as a kind of bonsai treatment and there are many YouTube channels devoted to Adenium root pruning.
As expected: you can see the rot on the lowest tuber.
As unexpected: The plant had rotted previously but survived and the caudex was hollow inside.
I went to fetch a clean, sharp knife and roundly cursed my impulsivity
Looks ok on the outside but... dead but not particularly rotten because it was the middle of winter
This root looks better but it isn't; the dent near my finger needs investigation
You need to keep on cutting until there aren't any brown marks in the tissue
What was left of my plant after all that savage cutting. I wasn't optimistic at all but applied 3% peroxide (also sold as 10 Vol) to the cut ends with cotton wool to seal it and left it to dry out.
That was in August 2023. As spring arrived, the stem had healed but wasn't showing any signs of budding or rooting so in about October, I put it on a shaded shelf of the greenhouse where it was pretty warm. After a few weeks, I could see root buds developing so I put it in a little pot of sandy soil and started watering. Leaves formed and we made it through summer.
This is what the base of the caudex looks like and there's still a hollow in the middle. The pot seems really small but the plant doesn't have that many roots and the small amount of soil dries out quickly and that prevents rotting. I may repot it this winter while it's dormant just to put it into a container that will be stable for that long stem. After a bad start, it may flower next spring. We live in hope!
Oh my, what a surgery it was... But the patient survived 👏 Fingers crossed for its future blooming 🤞
Yeah, it was brutal and the patient surprised me. I have young adeniums which might flower in year or so but I'm really hoping for this one, the flowers are my favourite, you can see them here https://worldofsucculents.com/adenium-multiflorum-impala-lily/
Good patient or you were a good surgeon 😁
It has very nice flowers 🌸
A good surgeon is merciless with the cuts and peroxide application, that's all 😁
I had to do some heavy cutting like that once too on one of my ones. I had 6 Adeniums grown from seed. Now I have two. One has nice, fat roots. The second one looks more like yours, though not as tall. Pretty chopped up, but growing.
Good to hear that yours are still going, it's been years now. Have they flowered yet?
In silly moments, I'm thinking to put a small door on the place where the hollow section is 😁
One did bloom last year - the cut one. I keep it inside in the windowsill. The other one is on the balcony and never bloomed.
You definitely should :D
We need pictures! Maybe move the balcony one inside too? Or did you run out of windowsill space 🌵
I didn't take any :p I was a bit disappointed with the flower as I ordered various colours and this was not supposed to be one.
I keep them in two different place to see which one will grow better. The one inside has better leaves (when it has them), the one outside is fatter.
That's another story :p
The adenium seeds thing is a known scam because those different colours and double flowers are all hybrids and they sell the seeds making out that you will get the same plants as the parent. Not possible and people wait years for their seed grown plant to flower and then are disappointed. The only way you'll get a different flower is to buy them in flower so you know what ypou are getting. If you look carefully, you'll see that those are usually grafted
Yea I know that now too :) I was so curious to try them and I really wanted an Adenium. I have never seen them locally to buy, so I took the risk.
I saw today the one growing on the balcony has a flower bud, so you just might see the flower. And I am sure it will be same as the other one :p
Excellent job on this adenium root surgery @nikv.
That's a really good insight regarding the soil medium and small pot as a preventative measure for root rot. I feel confident it will flower next spring under your care.
Thanks, I hope so! In general, succulents are safer in small pots
Cool looking plant. Looks like a baby palm tree ..
Now that you mention it
Such a project you took on 😅 glad the adenium has survived so far. Waiting for flower pictures next year 🤞
🤞
so happy that it survived the mutilation. : )
I don't think I will be able to keep it alive, so great job on you to keep it alive my friend, because I have killed a few of them in the past. : (
I have killed plenty of plants too, we all do
You have SO much patience !
This is a lucky little plant that you chose. With all the TLC you have given it, how can it NOT bloom in spring to show it's thanks? I'm thinking it will.
Adeniums can be capricious. The weather too
Wow! Very good job! You’re the plant doctor, you saved this plant’s life. He should grow and recover very soon.
Sometimes they just die for no good reason
Moody plants!
This is such an interesting project, and what a read. I saw one of the comment below liken it to surgery, and it was exactly like that! It is such a shame when people do not know what they are doing. I see it on a daily basis with my own plants. I have yet to take so much care with a plant as you, as my philosophy in the garden is that it needs to survive on its own.
I really commend your patience with this plant, and I hope that it will survive! Thank you so much for sharing this rather intimate story!
I'll admit there's a part of me that was curious to try this project. My outside garden philosophy is one of "grow or don't" but the greenhouse plants are different
I know that feeling so well! When you succeed it is the best feeling though. And for sure. I have a couple of pot plants which I need to nurture a bit, outside philosophy does not always apply to them.
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