A miniature bottle tree from African deserts appeared in indoor floriculture not so long ago, but almost immediately earned the love and popularity of many flower growers, since, despite its exotic origin, it is not at all difficult to grow adeniums at home.
The genus Adenium has 10 species of flowering trees or semi-shrubs belonging to the Apocynaceae family.
Adenium obesum (Adenium obesum) is the most common species in the culture, which is characterized by unpretentiousness, early and long flowering.
Adenium variety "Arrow"
In nature, it grows in the arid regions of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, where it received another name - "Desert Rose".
This is practically the only representative of the genus, which presented growers with a huge number of hybrids and varieties with a color of flowers of a very different palette - from white to almost black.
The second most popular species is Adenium Arabicum and its two forms "Saudi Arabia" and "Yemen", which differ in height, flower size and flowering period.
Meet Adenium
The homeland of the plant is the African tropics. In its natural environment, Adenium can grow up to several meters and is striking with a large trunk diameter. Naturally, such giants are not suitable for home conditions. Therefore, flower growers choose one of 50 species, with modest parameters. We are talking about obese Adenium.
The plant looks like a small barrel. Numerous branches with beautiful leaves and impressive flowers extend from the woody trunk with a high decorative effect. The latter are shaped like a lily.
How to form a crown of adenium
Succulents are genetically predisposed to the primary development of the central apical stem. In case of untimely pruning, it stretches out, and the side branches stop developing. When forming a crown, first you need to remove the top. This will awaken the dormant lateral buds and will have a beneficial effect on increasing the amount of "green mass", and the flowering will become more abundant. Pruning on time will help form a denser and more voluminous crown.
Attention! The lower you trim the trunk, the more intensive the growth of new shoots will be.
When forming a crown, you can both remove branches and intertwine them. What form the adenium will get after these procedures depends only on the imagination of the grower.
Where to put and how to light
Since the homeland of Adenium is the tropics, it is logical to assume that he has the most friendly relationship with the sun. Adenium needs a lot of light, so the south windows are the best place for it. If it is not possible to place it in such conditions, any windowsill will do, but do not place the pot too far from the light source. However, the direct rays of the hot summer sun can do trouble. In this case, you need to think about shading. Leaves normally tolerate exposure to the sun, they are usually not threatened with burns. The sensitive place of the plant is the trunk. It is he who can suffer from the heat.
Pay attention to lighting
Adenium from seeds at home
Growing adenium from a tiny seed is a fun process.In this way, you can get plants of various varieties. The trees that have grown from the seeds immediately grow caudex and begin to branch. The best time for sowing is in the spring. Immediately about the soil. Manuals and the Internet often offer the following soil components for adeniums: coconut fiber, rice husk and something from fern. You can hardly get it, and this, of course, but Russian flower lovers successfully use improvised materials. You need to buy an inexpensive ready-made mixture (for succulents) and add:
- crushed charcoal;
- perlite;
- expanded clay or crushed brick.
First, you need to prepare a suspension from settled water and crushed coal (the proportion is insignificant), place the seeds there and leave in a warm place for a couple of hours. Only a specialist will figure out where the top of the seed is, for the rest it is better to lay it horizontally, slightly burying it in wet soil. Now you need to cover the box with glass and monitor the temperature. The optimal thermometer reading is 30 ° C; when it drops to 18 ° C, there is a high probability that adenium will die. Drafts and direct sunlight are also dangerous for seedlings. If all the conditions for growth are met, young adenums can ascend on the fifth day. In not the most favorable conditions, cultivation is delayed up to two weeks.
Temperature regime
Adenium feels great in the average Russian summer, when the temperature fluctuates between 23 and 30 degrees. During this period, the plant is taken out into the street - an excellent original decor for the garden plot is obtained. If you live in an apartment, feel free to open the window and expose the Adenium to the sun (not forgetting the safety of people and pets!). When the temperature drops below 23, it is better to shelter the pet in the house, however, he tolerates the night coolness well.
In winter, the plant begins a dormant period. Adenium will be comfortable at temperatures ranging from 10 to 15 degrees. You can keep the flower on a glazed loggia or indoors if it is not very hot in it. It is important that the temperature is never lower. If the soil is very cold, the roots, and then the aboveground part, will die.
How to prune a plant yourself
Experts advise to carry out the pruning procedure in the spring. Two days before the proposed event, adenium is routinely watered. However, you should not overmoisten the soil, because in wet soil and without leaves, the plant has nowhere to put excess moisture, and it can rot.
The blade should be sharp enough. Before starting work, it is recommended to treat it with alcohol. After the performed procedure, the instrument should no longer be used, since the juice secreted by the adenium is poisonous. Pruning is done obliquely. The liquid released on the cut is wiped off with a napkin. As soon as the discharge stops appearing, the slices are treated with garden varnish, which can be bought in a specialized store or prepared on your own.
It is not advised to use colloidal sulfur and crushed activated carbon for processing sections.
Because of them, the cut may not heal for a long time and remain ugly. Such products are more suitable for the root part. After the procedure, the tree is covered with a plastic bag.
This is necessary to keep the cut site in moisture, which promotes wound healing and sprouts activation. Additional stimulation of branching with cytokinin paste is allowed. After all the activities performed, it is better to move the culture to a place inaccessible to kids and pets.
Working with the hardwood part
Pruning adenium is necessary in order to achieve several goals:
- Form the crown. In order to form a lush plant with branched branches, they run to pruning and forming a bush.This is due to the fact that in most adenium species, apical development dominates, in which the central shoot develops much faster than the lateral ones. When the apex is removed, the lateral buds are activated, which previously "slept" and the branching process starts. This promotes the growth of the deciduous part, the laying of more buds. As a result of their formation, more than three of them wake up. It is noteworthy that the density of the growth depends on the thickness of the cut stem, that is, the thicker it is, the more sprouts are formed.
- Stimulate the growth of side shoots. After pruning, rapid growth of shoots is observed between the 14th and 45th day (depending on the conditions of the bush).
- Rejuvenate an adult plant. Over time, the branches of adenium partially weaken, therefore, in order to rejuvenate them, they are cut off. The recommended frequency is two years. In this case, the length of the shoots should be no more than eight centimeters.
How to properly prune a Desert Rose and not harm it
There are a number of principles that it is advisable to adhere to when cutting and shaping the deciduous part of the adenium:
- For the first time, it is recommended to prune a plant that is more than three years old.
- When pruning for the first time, the stems are left six to nine centimeters high. In subsequent pruning, they are shortened by two-thirds.
- At the time of the procedure, the tree must have a wide root system, then more than two ears are activated.
- It is necessary to carry out this procedure in hot weather. But it is better in the spring at the beginning of the transition of the flower to the growth stage.
- Absolutely all weak shoots are removed without pity. Over time, they dry up on their own, but their removal will be a catalyst for the growth of healthy branches.
- Shoots that grow inside the crown are also pruned.
- The number of shoots should grow exponentially every time.
- The branches of adult plants are cut half a centimeter above the "dormant" bud, directed to the outer side of the crown.
Not recommended:
- Prune the plant during the fall-winter period.
- Prune very close to the root. This will entail the development of many buds, from which thin twigs will grow. As a result, adenium will look ugly.
- Cut off only the apical point, since in this case only the replacing branch growing up will develop.
- Prune adenium during illness.
Pruning caudex
This type of cutting is performed to form the root of the plant or when it decays (rarely).
The most common method for forming rhizomes is the octopus. The bottom line is to cut off all the roots on the part of the caudex tapering downward. By removing the central root, the mechanism of intensive growth of lateral roots is triggered.
To obtain a lush caudex of an interesting shape, you can raise the roots above the substrate during transplantation.
Some growers are sure that the first pruning procedure for the root system of adenium is allowed within one to three months after transplantation.
However, practical experience shows that this is nothing good. In some cases, the culture will develop one replacement root that dominates later, but the fancy root will not work. Basically, seedlings react very painfully to cutting off the main root: they grow slower, and with poor care they rot. In this regard, the best age at which it is worth carrying out the above procedure is five to six months.
Experts do not advise cutting off the roots of a plant that is more than three years old, since it has already fully formed by that time. In an adult flower, it is better to trim the crown. Cuttings can be rooted. They do not give a main root, but develop lateral roots. If directed correctly, it is easy to form a large "octopus" caudex.
It should be noted that the simultaneous cutting of the crown and root system adversely affects the plant, up to its death.
Having carried out the above procedure, adenium is placed on the windowsills on the south side. The optimum temperature for their content is + 25 .. + 30 degrees Celsius. The higher it is, the less likely the slices will rot. A greenhouse for seedlings is not required. It is enough to irrigate them with water at room temperature once or twice a day. Upon completion of pruning, the roots start growing after thirty days.
Watering rules
Adenium needs regular soil moisture within reasonable limits. The soil in the pot should dry out before the next watering, after which the water should not stagnate. Apply just enough liquid to make the soil wet.
Watering during the dormant period depends on the wintering conditions of the plant. If it is in a cool room, you can do without adding water at all. Watering should be continued only after the appearance of new growth buds, after about two weeks.
If Adenium is warm, wait until the ground is completely dry and then water. It turns out less often than in summer, but according to the same scheme.
Water must be used previously settled, always at room temperature.
Adenium: formation of caudex and general appearance
Experienced gardeners argue that a much greater effect can be achieved only after a full cut of the main stem. In order for the formation of the crown to be correct, you must adhere to the following recommendations:
- As soon as the succulent forms a sufficiently wide caudex (lower lily shoots), you can start cutting. In this case, the likelihood of the formation of a sufficient number of new shoots is significantly increased.
- You should not be guided by the age of the plant, since they all develop in different ways.
- Before trimming, you first need to determine at what height the cut will be located above the ground. If pruning is done too low, thin branches will subsequently form. The most important thing is to do everything right. For this, it is recommended to take into account a reasonable minimum, which varies from 9 to 11 cm above the soil level.
- It is strictly forbidden to cut the main trunk below the cotyledon leaves.
Many growers are wondering, growing adenium, how to form a beautiful tree. This is very easy to do. To do this, cut off the central shoot by two-thirds of the height, remove all weak shoots from the flower, as well as those growing inside the crown.
Formation of the crown and caudex of adenium
Humidity level
Living in Adenium is comfortable, because the plant does not require adjusting the humidity level of the room. Of course, he will not like excessively dry air, for example, during the operation of central heating. But it is also harmful for people to be in such conditions. Therefore, think about a humidifier for yourself, maintain an optimal level of humidity, and the plant will be fine too.
Spray occasionally, but remember to keep the water away from the flowers. The procedure is especially relevant when the plant is in active growth.
Watch out for humidity
Possible problems
Problems in the development of adenium arise for one reason - violations of the conditions of detention. After the postponed pruning, the risk increases: the plant has experienced stress, so the care is especially careful.
Signs of problems and measures for their elimination - in the table.
After pruning, adeniums recover in a couple of weeks. If the stem is cut off, then new shoots will grow from the buds in one and a half to two weeks. In the absence of signs of growth and the presence of problematic symptoms (see table), urgent measures are taken to treat the plant.
The soil
Adeniums love loose soil with high breathability. Note that the acidity must be neutral.If you prefer to purchase ready-made soil mixtures, choose options for cacti.
However, the soil is easy to make yourself. You will need sod and leafy land, coarse sand. Take them in equal shares. Add some charcoal and crushed brick. When transplanting an adult, well-developed plant, more turf should be added to the mixture.
Views
There are about fifty species of this succulent. Numerous hybrids have been obtained by selection, the decorative effect of which is enhanced by the different structure and color of the corolla and leaves.
The flowers of hybrids can have different doubleness and stand out with an atypical color.
Leaves of hybrids are not inferior in decorativeness to flowers. They can be green, yellow, red, variegated, with a canvas along the edge, narrow and wide.
The flowers of hybrids can have different doubleness and stand out with an atypical color.
One of the most unpretentious and therefore demanded species as a houseplant is Fat Adenium. Even without human intervention, he naturally possesses an unusual form of escape.
The flowers of hybrids can have different doubleness and stand out with an atypical color.
Pruning rules
Adenium refers to plants that do not need pruning for normal development. But if you want to shape a certain pet's appearance, you have to try a little.
First, decide what you want to get - a tree or a bush. The first will be with one trunk, so it is cut off only a third of the height. The second assumes the presence of several trunks (as befits a bush) and requires a lower "haircut". Please note that each branch of the plant is processed. As for the young Adeniums, they are simply pinched.
Description
The plant of semi-desert landscapes is a succulent with a characteristic thickened succulent trunk - caudex, which acts as a reservoir for water accumulation.
The trunk and shoots are easy to cut and shape, so you can grow truly unique specimens of the most bizarre shapes.
Dark green, fleshy and shiny leaves, 7-10 cm long, are arranged spirally on the shoots. In winter, especially at low temperatures, they can fall partially or completely.
Seed handling
The very process of germinating and planting seeds is extremely simple. First, the material is kept in epine for several hours, after which it is carefully placed in the ground. Vermiculite mixed with sand is suitable. The first bright green shoots appear in just a week.
What is the difficulty? Finding fresh seeds. The fact is that they deteriorate very quickly. If you buy material in a store, take with a margin. They are planted at the end of winter, when the sun begins to become warm. Of course, in the house and in the drawers.
Reproduction methods
Growing adenium from seeds
With prolonged storage, the seed material of adenium loses its germination capacity, in this regard, only fresh seeds should be used for sowing. They are sown in the last winter or first spring weeks.
The container is filled with a substrate consisting of charcoal, sand and vermiculite. The seeds need pre-sowing preparation, for this they are placed in a solution of potassium manganese for 30 minutes, and then they are kept in a lukewarm solution of Zircon for several hours. Seeds must be spread over the surface of the substrate, and then they are covered with a thin layer of soil mixture. The crops are placed in a warm place (from 33 to 35 degrees), seedlings will appear after a week. If the crops are in a cooler place, then the seedlings may appear later or this will not happen at all.When the plants appear, they will need to be illuminated with fluorescent lamps, they will also need to provide regular ventilation, while the air temperature in the room should be at least 18 degrees.
After the flower has formed the first two true leaf plates, they gradually begin to look after it like an adult specimen. And when 2 more leaf plates are formed, the seedlings should be cut into individual containers.
Cuttings
Reproduction by apical cuttings is a rather complicated process, since they can easily rot. Cuttings are carried out in the summer or in the spring. The cuttings must be divided into parts, the length of which should be about 12-15 centimeters, then they must be dried by treating the cuts with charcoal. In order for the cuttings to take root, it is necessary to use perlite, a mixture of sand and charcoal or small expanded clay. It is necessary to pour sand or small charcoal around the root collar, thanks to this, the base of the stem will not rot. Cuttings need bright sunlight, while the air temperature should never be below 25 degrees. Waterlogging of the soil should not be allowed. If everything is done correctly, the cuttings will take root after 4 or 5 weeks.
How to propagate by layering
In May and June, such a succulent can be propagated by air layers. Take a very sharp knife and make a circular incision on the shoot with it (the stem should be 20 mm across). After the incision site dries up, it should be treated with a solution of a product that stimulates root growth. Wrap this place with sphagnum moss, which must be wrapped on top with opaque cellophane. Don't forget to systematically dampen the moss. After about 4 weeks, the roots should appear, then the layers are separated from the mother plant and planted in a container filled with a substrate intended for an adult bush.
Reproduction by grafting
To inoculate such a culture, you can use another adenium or Oleander. Make cuts in the scion and rootstock with a very sharp knife, then they are combined with each other, and then the plants are firmly held together (you can use a special spray). Make sure that the air temperature in the room is not less than 30 degrees, the air humidity should be high, and you will also need bright lighting. The new bush must be protected from direct sunlight, and the shoots that have appeared on the rootstock must be cut off immediately.
Working with apical cuttings
The soil will do the same as in the previous case. Work with cuttings is carried out in spring and summer.
The stalk is divided into pieces of 10 centimeters and the cuts must be treated with wood ash in order to destroy possible pests, rot and disease. Plus, it's an excellent natural fertilizer.
Next, the stalk is placed in the ground and await rooting. If everything went well, then in a month a miracle will happen and the roots and the first leaves will appear. Otherwise, the planting material will simply rot - you can safely throw it away. Remember that the soil should be moderately moist, and the ambient temperature should fluctuate between 25 and 30 degrees. No need to put boxes with cuttings in the open sun, avoid drafts.
How to fertilize adeniums for better growth
The flower shop sells a complex fertilizer for succulents. It is advisable to purchase it and fertilize the plant in the spring, during the period of active growth. The main elements that a plant needs for growth and development, for the establishment of flower buds, are phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen. The main thing is not to overdo it and follow the recommendations indicated by the manufacturer of the drugs.
Remember, "overfed" succulents are able to increase the mass of the trunk, reducing the volume and duration of flowering. Therefore, feed no more than twice a month, and strictly according to the instructions.
Working with air layouts
A breeding method in which you have nothing to lose.This does not harm an adult plant, and if you do not manage to get a baby, you still have Adenium!
So, get down to work in early summer. During this period, active growth begins, respectively, and the chance that the enterprise will be crowned with success is much higher.
Choose a strong escape. Please note that its diameter exceeds 2 centimeters, and it is better if it is even larger. Use a very sharp knife to make a neat cut around the circle. Do not try to go very deep, just cut through the outer layer. Then treat the place with a root growth stimulant. It remains to cover it with moss or other suitable material (for example, an opaque film or ordinary threads).
Do not forget to periodically moisturize the covering material. If it is a film, then add liquid under it. The roots should appear in a month at most, but more often even earlier. Separate the cuttings from the shoot and plant in the ground like a seedling.
Note that the method gives almost one hundred percent positive result. However, it is rarely used. The fact is that the resulting plant will not have all the decorative qualities of the "parent". For example, the trunk will be much thinner, and it is far from the fact that you will wait for flowering. However, as an experiment for gaining useful experience, it is quite a good option.
Planting and transplanting a flower
Young plants need to be transplanted annually, adults as needed (when the roots become cramped in the pot) once every 2–4 years. The transplant is carried out before the start of active growth, in early spring.
A pot for a young plant will need to be deep enough for the adenium to grow healthy roots. For adult adeniums, you should take a not very high and wide container. The container should be light in color, since the adenium is constantly in the sun. The dark pot will heat up more than the roots. Drainage holes are required in the pot. For drainage, you can use expanded clay or broken brick of fine fraction. After this layer, a layer of coarse river sand is laid, and then - the main soil.
The soil for planting adenium should be light, nutritious, loose, good moisture and air permeability. The acidity index is pH 5.5–7.
The composition of the mixture may vary. For example:
- peat (or coconut fiber) 50–60%, deciduous humus soil 20–30%, river sand 10–30%;
- coconut fiber 50%; deciduous-humus land 20-30%; perlite 10–20%; sand of medium fractions 10–20%, charcoal;
- ready-made soil for succulents. You can add disintegrants to it - perlite and vermiculite.
Transplant process:
- Water the plant 2-3 days before transplanting. When the soil dries up, you can replant. If the caudex is saturated with moisture by the time of transplantation, then the adenium will survive the procedure more painlessly.
- Remove the plant from the pot, remove the old soil from the roots. If the roots were damaged during this process, sprinkle the wounds with charcoal and let dry for 1-2 days.
Before planting, the roots and the lower part of the trunk of the adenium must be cleaned of old earth - To do this, rinse the adenium and then dry it.
- Pour drainage into the pot, 2/3 of the earth, put the plant, top up with soil. The soil should be slightly damp.
Formative pruning can be done at the same time as transplanting - To get a spectacular caudex, you need to slightly raise the trunk above the ground during transplantation, by 1-3 cm.
- It is not necessary to water the transplanted plant immediately, but after a few days.
Formative pruning can be done at the same time as transplanting.
Video: a way to form roots
A little about diseases and evil pests
The main enemy of Adenium is the owner, who seeks to water the plant more often. As a result, the roots rot, and the stem of the flower is affected. Therefore, monitor the degree of soil moisture and observe the measure.
Also, the plant is loved by the scale insect and mealybug. Remember that when pests appear, an urgent need to start fighting them!
Adenium is good for everyone.But the tropical beauty has one significant drawback. The plant is poisonous! It is not capable of much harm to an adult, but it will cause a lot of trouble for a small child or pets. Therefore, keep the plant away from them, do not place it in children's rooms and in easily accessible places. And remember to wash your hands after every contact, especially trimming.
When writing the article, materials from the Zen channel were used: Ogorodnik's ABC
How to form caudex
The formation of adenium caudex can be started in young seedlings. It will be possible to grow an unusual flower if you combine several varieties of a plant with each other. This procedure is performed according to the following scheme:
- The seedlings are interconnected and wrapped with foil.
- In the next step, the plants are placed in soil.
- The film is changed periodically.
- After a couple of months, the bandage is removed.
- At the points of contact of the trunks, cuts are made and the succulents are again connected.
- The bandage is applied for one month. During this period, the trunks will have time to grow together and build up a powerful root system.
Trimming of the roots is also done, it also helps to form the caudex. The most original version is in the shape of an octopus. This removes not only the central root, but everything that goes down and narrows. You can also not prune them, but simply systematically raise the flower above the ground, thereby achieving a gradual exposure of the root system.
For the first time, root trimming is performed at the age of about three months. At the same time, an intensive increase in the volume of lateral roots is noted. With their gradual rise, a lush and very original caudex is formed.
There are certain rules according to which the formation in the shape of an octopus is made:
- In a strong seedling, the central root is shortened, as well as the roots growing downward.
- Soil is poured into a pot of soil with a slide, and a circle made of plastic is placed on it.
- A flower is placed directly on the plastic.
- The lateral roots are straightened and fixed in this position with a wire. The use of plastic sticks or small stones is also allowed.
- At the very base of the succulent, a large stone is placed, giving the root system an unusual shape.
- From above, the roots, which have been straightened, are sprinkled with earth.
- The plant is fixed. He is tied to a support.
- At the next transplant, the adenium rises slightly a short distance. Rapid lifting of the roots can lead to the development of the disease.
