Adenium Obesum

I recently got some desert rose seeds. It took them no time to sprout, but all the seedlings are dying. HELP!! I live in phoenix and have them outdoors where they get full morning sun and some afternoon shade. I let the pots dry completely before watering. The ones left are an inch tall and only have the cotyledon leaves no true leaves and are slowly falling over and dying. I got them in a cactus mix that I added quite a bit of perlite to, to loosen it further. I can post pictures if anyone thinks that will help. Thanks

I really don't have any help because I've just grown some for the first time too but I can tell you how mine are. I've got them in plastic pots and they are in commercial cactus soil. I keep mine watered pretty regular even before they completely dry out sometimes. I may end up killing mine with to much water but so far they seem to be doing ok. I have them in full sun during the morning then they hide behind a larger pot for the evening sun. I think mine are about 5 or six weeks old. I kept them wet all the time for the first 3 weeks. Maybe someone else can let us know for sure what's going on.

Here's some information that should help you. The first articler is written by Mark Dimmitt, who does a LOT of hybridizing Adeniums, and grows them very well. The second article is written by Dan Mahr, the President of the Cactus & Succulent Society of America.

http://www.cactus-mall.com/andre/index.html
http://www.hort.wisc.edu/mastergardener/Features/flowers/desert%20rose/adenium.htm

pekasky, I'm in the middle of reading the articles on the first link you gave. Wow, what a great article. I had no idea they need so much water and fertilize during the growing season. I'm more excited about these plants than before. I'm obviously not a good researcher, I found a link on ebay to figure out how to germinate mine. I'm so glad you directed us here. Thank you!

Markopolo from reading through this article I think that we should be keeping these seedling moist all the time for now.

You're welcome. Glad I could help. Please don't think you're not a good researcher. The difference between your research and mine is that I KNOW Mark Dimmitt is a magnificent hybridizer of these plants. Because of that, I searched on "adeniumn obesum" dimmitt, not just Adenium obesum. How could you have known? For all I know, his info AND Dan's could have been on page 10 of a Google search! LOL

Here are a lot of pictures of Adenium obesum, many taken by Mark: http://www.cactus-mall.com/andre/species.html Take a look at page 3, 5th picture. It's one of many that he's personally grown. Isn't it a beauty?

This message was edited Oct 6, 2005 8:44 AM

To view that last link remove the period at the end!

Thanks - I've fixed the link so it works now. Sorry about that!

pekasky, they certainly are beautiful.
I showed my husband all pictures and info. These are his favorite plants out of all my collection. He's so proud that I've learned to take better care of them now. He swears and will always believe that I almost killed one of them last year. I didn't water it all winter and it just about shriveled away. He won't let me live that one down, lol. I can't wait until spring next year maybe we'll finally get some flowers.
I'm going to bring my seedlings inside under the grow light for the winter and I'm hoping they keep growing good.

So glad you are able to grow them properly, and that you found out you knew more than you thought you did.

I hope the articles were helpful to markopolo too. Odd that we haven't heard back from him.

Good to see you're back online. I was really worried about you. No, we don't know each other, but I lurk a lot and have read a lot of your posts. Was watching for you on the Hurricane Katrina forum. Glad you're OK from Katrina.

Marilyn

Marilyn, thank you so much for the thoughts, it REALLY means alot.
This is mainly the only forum I post on so I was wondering if anyone missed me, LOL.

Markopolo, where are you?
Sorry I've kindof took over your thread.
I think we figured out you should water the seedlings more!!!!!!!!!

You're welcome. I'm sorry too, markopolo. Please come back and tell us how you're doing!

Marilyn

I'm here. Forgot to check the thread for a couple of days. All my adeniums are now in the great garden in the sky.
I'll read those links and maybe try again in the spring. I got some african boabab seedlings I'm tending to that came up (for bonsai), and I'm trying to coax a dragon's blood tree seedling to stand up and survive. Thanks for the links. Let me know how those adeniums overwinter under lights Skinner.

Oh, so sorry to hear of your losses. Hopefully you'll try again? Good luck on the Adansonia (baobab) and Dracaena (dragon's blood) seeds. Here are a couple of sites I found re Adansonia cultivation:

http://www.baobabs.com/Baobabs_cultivation.htm
http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantab/adansondigit.htm

Hope this helps.

Marilyn

Gosh, I hate that you lost the little seedlings.
I think my seedlings have doubled in size since that picture was taken.
You should definitely try them again next year, I sure am.
Who new they needed to be so wet?
I hope you have great luck with the boabab trees. Let me know how they do because I've thought about trying them as well.
I'll keep you updated on the adeniums.

Marilyn, two more great sites, it's made me want to try them to. lol

Glad you liked them. If I remember correctly, Adansonia needs a lot warmer conditions than Adenium, although both do need warmth.

I'll certainly try again in the spring. Thanks for the links again Marilyn. I've got the digitata (african) boabab variety, which is supposed to grow quicker than others and is resistant to rot. They look great so far, but we'll see.

Here is a pic of my sprouting boabab's. Of course the camera focused on the background, but you can still see them.

Oh, cool!!! Why did I think that you had just planted seeds? Another Senior Moment!!! LOL They look good - you've done a great job getting them to this size. Keep up the good work!!

Marilyn

The seedlings look great!
It's looks like the one on the left is even getting it's first real leaves.
I hope they keep doing that good for you.
You seem to be doing the right thing.