Molamola, yea, I'm in the process of doing it now, no sign of a seed pod yet, I think it's going to be a trial and error thing. His instructions are fantistic (Wilfreds) and I'd recommend every one intrested in desert rose to read the thread. And yes, Wanting "my seed" does sound a bit racey LOL, Oh, by the way, I kinda like that Jim of the whiteflower
Adenium
I hate growing anything from seed, it usually gets washed away or i forget to water it!
mpabbott1 it's been a while now, have any of your seeds sprouted? I received 2 seeds from tropic lover in the mail yesterday and have put them in pots already, since hers were store bought I have high expectations of at least one sprouting. The mail lady stepped on a 5 month old sprout that I had just moved in to the ground, it was difficult to keep from calling and complaining about her cutting through my yard to get to a neighbor, but in these tough economic times I decided to just count it as bad karma.
About 50% germination. Of those I have doubts on several. Will probably end up with 30-40, which will be perfect to try in the greenhouse this year. If 20 make it through the winter I'll be very happy.
I probably should have planted them immediately to improve the germination rate.
50% germination is about 49and 1/2 % better then my efforts so far,but now I have great hope because I am following the instructions given by Wilfred (WQP) on his "how to make your desert rose produce seed pods" thread, if you haven't seen it you owe it to yourself to check it out, the mans fantistic.
Hi,everyone.
Here is my adenium obesum. I was visiting a house for one of my foreign clients one day. The late owner's daughter was showing me the place. It was in a dilapidated state and I knew it wouldn't interest my client. As we made our way out, I noticed this plant sitting in a wrecked pot against the side of the house. It hadn't gotten any care in a very long time. Sitting under the eaves, I guess it hadn't received any watering in a while and forget fertilizing.
I asked the lady if she would consider selling that plant. She told me she wanted $10 for it, on account of its exotic look. I opened my wallet and (Oh shame) I only had $6 on me. She settled for $6. I picked the plant up, the pot fell apart, ants ran every which way, sandy soil sifted away. It messed up my car's trunk and my clothes. I was flat broke, dirty and happy. Now, that's a sure sign of a plant addict.
When I brought it home, Gail thought I was crazy to have purchased such an unsightly thing. It rewarded me for rescuing it by losing almost all its leaves. For a while there, I thought I would lose it entirely. I gave it fertilizer, regular watering and I waved a silk flower stalk from the dollar store over it, informing it that it could be replaced with a silk flower any time I felt like it. It perked right up, sent out new shoots and new leaves. I repotted it and even Gail is warming up to its exotic look.
Take care, all.
Sylvain.
Well Done Sylvain! I hope it rewards your kindness with tons of beautiful flowers. They can be quite vibrant in the right conditions...enjoy!
Yokwe,
Shari
Hey Sylvain, I'll give you $12.50 LOL, I do the same thing at home depot, I feel sorry for the worst looking D.R. I'm a sucker for sad looking plants.
A glorious morning to everyone.
I really love my adenium. It's not for sale! it is looking so good now that it has new growth on the branches and leaves again. It did have one pink bloom on it when I bought it. It was probably trying to reproduce before the end came for it. But then again, maybe it just enjoyed being neglected. Who knows what plants "think"?
Be good, y'all.
Sylvain.
I have four rather large ones, two regular bicolors, one red and one pink, that hardly ever bloom because they were grown in shade. I tried to move them, but they got sunburned, so I took them back. I'm going to try acclimating them this winter when the sun isn't so strong so that I can get them blooming. I have a small cutting that I put in full sun that is blooming like mad. It's about two years old that just bloomed this year. I saw a yellow one the other day, and I want one so badly! My problem is I'm going to be moving, maybe further north, and I don't want to get any more tropicals until I know where I'm going.
If you can move them every day, they can be gradually put into the full sun in about a week. Give them a half hour at noon, then back into shade, then the next day an hour, then add a half hour every day after that. And fertilize, so they can make more chlororphyl that they need for the extra sun. Go ahead and don't wait!
DSA2591,to learn all you want to know about desert rose check out the "how to make your desert rose produce seed pods" forum started by WQP he is a wealth of information from seed to finished plant ande has been a big help to me. Jim
Brads Buds and blooms carries Adenium, and is also having a sale on Plumeria. I've gotten Plumeria from him before, and they are extraordinary!
Mary
I Love Adenium. They are soooooooooo easy to grow from seed. Everyone is right they need well draining soil, if they sit in water the base will rot. I have them in pots and in the ground. The ones in pots I do not water until the soil feels dry (here about every 2 to 3days) the ones in the ground get a deep watering once a week. Apply a well rounded fertilizer regularly, I use a time released formula every 3 months or when needed.
Another one
A fellow gardener from Montserrat! We almost stopped there on a cruise a long while back. I forget when. We were sailing on the Zaandam (Holland America Line) in December 2000. We didn't stop because the Souffričre was erupting again. So, we just sailed by Montserrat on our way back to Miami, after visiting Martinique. We got to see the volcano's plume in the distance. Bummer. We were looking forward to stopping there because so few cruise lines actually stop at Montserrat. We will go one day. It's on our list.
How are you all faring out there? Are you in any foreseeable danger? Oh, we meet such wonderful people from such exotic locations on Dave's Garden. And you like adeniums, too. Perfect!
Take care.
Sylvain.
Hi Sylvain
So far the volcano has been very quiet. We have not had a serious ash fall since 2007. Had a small one last Jan but not too bad. We are keeping our fingers crossed and praying that this is the beginning of the end of the eruption. We moved here in March of 2006, so I missed most of the major collapses, but the one in May of 2006 almost sent me packing and back to Texas. The ash destroyed all the plants I brought with me plus most of what was established on the property, I was so depressed. But I just sucked it up and started over.
To bad you did not get to Montserrat, it is a wonderful place. It is not like the tourist islands, it is a small community. Everyone knows everyone. It is quiet and relaxing, not crowded at all (we consider a traffic jam 6 or more cars backed up because a herd of goats is crossing the road). Not much to do except relax and enjoy the sunsets.
I have about 100 to 150 Adenium in various colors, I really got into them because they are "ash hardy", they may loose a few leaves but they don't die. They were all grown from seed about a year ago so some are just now starting to bloom. But I love them. I plan to get more seeds and grow more.
Take Care
Tina
Thanks for the tips about moving into the sun. I'll start doing that tomorrow, and I'll check out that forum too.
I don't know why my adenium is having such problems. I thought it was reviving, I moved it into full sun and it grew a few leaves but now they are falling off again and I think I should move it to partial sun again. Everyone talks about how easy they are, I'm rather depressed about mine. It's not the locale either, I go to other people's houses and theirs are gorgeous. Shoot, I see huge ones blooming away in abandoned lots. Waaa!
extranjera
What kind of fertilizer are you giving it. Make sure you give it fertilizer high in phosphorus. Give it a super bloom fertilizer one feeding and a well balanced fertilizer the next. Alternate the feedings.
Also, when you moved it did you sun harden it. Any time a DR is stressed it looses its leaves. To much water, not enough water, not enough sun etc. etc.
Also if it is used to part sun and you just move it into sun and leave it that will stress it. You should sun harden it which means to get it used to full sun by introducing it for a short period and then making each period longer each day.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1010662/ .
Go to this forum, Wilfred really knows his DR's, He could probably help you with yours. He answers questions and is extremely helpful and knowledgable..
As long as the base is not soft or mushy your problem is fixable.
Tina
Extranjera, I read your post. The solution is right there in your post. The next time you see a gorgeous adenium growing on its own on an abandonned lot, stop the car. Find the shovel you keep in the back for such occasions and dig it up. It is growing on an abandonned piece of land, isn't it? No problem there. Noone will get mad at you for digging a weed.
Slip it into a pot or a garbage bag and bring it home. Voilŕ! You got yourself a sun-hardened, non-temperemental plant that is used to growing on its own without any human intervention. Keep it that way: no human intervention. Just don't get arrested in the process.
Sylvain.
When I get new plants they always drop their leaves but quickly grow more and just keep on growing from there. Just try not to look at them for a few days when they are naked.
I got 2 plants in a trade one last spring and one this summer and they are both blooming for the 1st time (for me). One is a very light pink with a darker pink border and one is white. I am still trying to find the names for them. I started 6-7 kinds from seed this summer and they are all growing well. Very easy plants for me.
The adenium is easily grown from seeds, I think I had almost 100% germination rate from the ones that I bought. A lot of fun to watch grow... Here is a picture of one of my seedlings, which was first to flower... love these plants! I have about 100 of them in 5 different varieties.
Where did you get your seeds?
Sylvain.
Pureplants, since I consider it very difficult to grow them from seeds, I'd be interested in hearing your method if it's anything different then whats been posted by Wilfred (WQP) on his "how to make desert rose produce seeds". Mostly I'd like to know how you protect the seedlings from getting eaten by birds! Oh, and welcome to the thread, I'm always willing to learn.
Aloha and welcome!
Your seedling is beautiful, Pure! I can't imagine how exciting it's going to be watching 100 of them all start to flower and see what colors they are going to be!
I hate to even hope but my desert rose seems to be doing better and it has 2 buds on it! I'm so excited but trying not to get too invested as it has looked better in the past but then suddenly will drop all of its leaves. This is the first time it has had buds though.
I moved it about 5' to slightly less sun, still full sun but for fewer hours. Fingers crossed.
I have another one blooming that I received in a trade. I am so thrilled. I hope I can over winter them ok. I would hate to lose them now.
Anyone have any tips on how to get Plumeria to sprout?
Check the FAQ section at the top of the plumeria forum.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/plumerias/all/
Thanks everybody!!
Sylvain, I received my seeds from a U.S. seller on Ebay, I'd have to go back through my e-mail to see the name...
I read Wilfred's article for the first time today, I love the way he explained things and all the pictures!!! He really has a green thumb! I wish I would have seen his post when I first started. I have only tried to grow Adenium from seed one time and I don't think I had one seed that did not sprout! I have had a couple pass on due to over watering during a rainy period but I can count on one hand how many I've lost. I originally started off with 4 of the 3" sqare pots, filled it 3/4 full of a fast draining mix of Jungle grow, peat and vermeculite. I sprinkled the seeds over the mix and then lightly covered the seeds with a layer of vermeculite. Once they sprouted and had a few leaves I transplanted them all to their own 3" square containers. While transplanting, there were seedlings that never surfaced growing underneath but I still transplanted them and they ended up fine. There have been a good handful that has grown faster than most and I have already begun to raise the caudex some. REALLY cool plant if you ask me!!!
Another pic once they were all separated.... (You might see a couple of plumies sprouting as well)
Dutchlady
I'll go check out the Plumeria forum link.
Thanks
Pureplants, I've been every where looking for "jungle grow", just wanted to read the label and compare to what I use, can't find it! Where the heck did you buy the stuff. I try so hard with Desert Rose but seldom break 10% success, I keep giving away those that I do get to sprout, but won't be satisfied till I can get 90%, what you find easy, I find very difficult but I do have great success with different trees that others tell me they have a difficult time with.
I thought I posted here yesterday but either I posted somewhere else (and DGers are saying "why did she post that here?") or my post got lost in cyberspace.
I'm getting at least 50% germination on seeds from an eBay seller in Thialand or Viet Nam (yeotem, or something like that).
I fill a gallon ice cream tub about two/thirds with perlite. I spary gently at least once a day. I keep them out of the sun. They don't need any fertilizer until after they have sprouted and then it needs to be very diluted. I don't cover the seeds as many need light to germinate. I do spray them two or more times a day when it's very hot.
I have lots of little plants. I keep them close to the big plant (relatively speaking) that I got at Walmart to give them as example.
katie
Jimsned2,
The only place I can find it is at our local Lowes. Dang 10% success is not very cool. Where do you get your seeds? I know they have to be pretty fresh when you germinate them to get a good success rate, or at least that is one factor. Also, I think heat in shipping can really do a job on the seeds sometimes. I had one package from a seller take longer than usual and when I planted the seeds none of them sprouted and I had 3 different kinds of seeds from that seller but had good success from every other seed I had bought in that "wave" from other sellers. I was hopeful the seller would stand behind their product but I was poorly mistaken. Oh well. Anyway, I hope you have better luck soon!
Most of my seeds come from Wilfred, I think my trouble is in mis-understanding some instructions, it takes a lot less time for seeds to come from Wilford then from overseas, so I can't believe thats my problem. No, my problem is me! But, I will get it right and won't be satisfied till I get 90% germanation. Then it's onto hande pollenation. Jim