Thai Desert Rose (Adenium): How to cultivate healthy roots and encourage blooming around the Lunar New Year.
Adenium obesum, also known as the Desert Rose, is a typical caudex plant: the base becomes increasingly swollen with age, the roots can be shaped, and multiple flower colors can be grafted onto the same plant. Sfarm has a very practical guide on how to care for it to maintain its shape and ensure it blooms in time for the Lunar New Year.
The soil must be loose and well-draining; a common mixture includes rice husks, coconut coir, and worm castings. The pot must have drainage holes – Adenium is susceptible to root rot. Water only when the soil is completely dry; avoid overwatering, especially when newly planted or repotted.
To achieve blooms for the Lunar New Year, a common procedure is to perform the following around the end of the seventh lunar month: remove the plant from the pot, prune any unsightly branches and roots, apply lime or wound sealant, let it air dry in a shaded area for 5-10 days, and then replant it. From the time of treatment to the emergence of simultaneous blooms, it takes approximately 95-120 days. The soil should only cover part of the roots; if the caudex is large, it should be exposed above the rim of the pot. During the initial sprouting phase, lightly mist the soil surface and avoid overwatering.
Once sprouts appear, gradually increase the amount of sunlight; in early October of the lunar calendar, provide full sunlight to encourage short, plump branches. About a week before the buds appear, you can spray the leaves with a foliar fertilizer to promote even blooming. After the Lunar New Year, gradually reintroduce the plant to sunlight.
What I like most about this type of plant is that it offers both a caudex to admire and flowers to decorate with – as long as you avoid root rot.
Source: Sfarm
The soil must be loose and well-draining; a common mixture includes rice husks, coconut coir, and worm castings. The pot must have drainage holes – Adenium is susceptible to root rot. Water only when the soil is completely dry; avoid overwatering, especially when newly planted or repotted.
To achieve blooms for the Lunar New Year, a common procedure is to perform the following around the end of the seventh lunar month: remove the plant from the pot, prune any unsightly branches and roots, apply lime or wound sealant, let it air dry in a shaded area for 5-10 days, and then replant it. From the time of treatment to the emergence of simultaneous blooms, it takes approximately 95-120 days. The soil should only cover part of the roots; if the caudex is large, it should be exposed above the rim of the pot. During the initial sprouting phase, lightly mist the soil surface and avoid overwatering.
Once sprouts appear, gradually increase the amount of sunlight; in early October of the lunar calendar, provide full sunlight to encourage short, plump branches. About a week before the buds appear, you can spray the leaves with a foliar fertilizer to promote even blooming. After the Lunar New Year, gradually reintroduce the plant to sunlight.
What I like most about this type of plant is that it offers both a caudex to admire and flowers to decorate with – as long as you avoid root rot.
Source: Sfarm
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