Adenium obesum seedlings

Family: Apocynaceae (a-pos-ih-NAY-see-ee)

Genus: Adenium (a-DEE-nee-um)

Species: obesum (oh-BEE-sum)

Light: Full Sun

Water: Let dry well before watering.

 

Adenium is one of the most interesting genus of plants out there. They are a blast to grow from seed and grow faster than one would think. The biggest ones pictured germinated around the end of May. I forgot to mark the germination date on these. I started them in full Sun. Mine get almost 9 hours of full Sun everyday the Sun shines. They are native to South Africa and Arabia. Most of the ones you buy at the big box stores are hybrids. They come in many flower colors and sizes. Adenium obesum is one of the larger species of Adenium. They form beautiful caudex bases of gnarly roots. It’s good to raise you plant every couple years when you re pot to show off the gnarly caudex. They like well draining soil and it’s best to add perlite or another product to help with aeration and drainage.

Growing Adenium from seed is easy and a blast. Fill you pot with your potting mix of choice (I make my own) and cover the seed with about a quarter inch of soil. Unless your sowing mini’s which need to be top sowed. That just means laying the seed on top of the soil without covering them. Give them a good watering and place in a sunny place. Give them as much Sun as possible. You can start them under grow lights also if you are starting them while it’s cold out. They germinate quite fast and are so cute to watch grow. Once you have a couple of true leaves you can start fertilizing with a very diluted fertilizer. The true leaves are the leaves that form after the two leaves the seedling germinates with. If you start them inside under lights or a window seal you need to transition them into full Sun slowly. Moving them too fast into the full Sun with toast them. I hope you give them a try. I order my seeds off Ebay from Thailand and had great germination rate. If you have questions please be sure to ask! Blessed Be!!

This is my favorite one that germinated from the first batch which germinated around the end of May. He will be staying in my collection.

 

This was from the first batch too. He has very pleasing growth. Very nice fat base.

 

From the first batch also. Has great shape also.

 

This is from the first batch also. This one has more of a tall growth habit. Could be interesting when he gets older and is raised above the soil.

This is from the first batch too. I’m keeping this one also.

 

From my second batch. These germinated around the end of June. They were sowed on June 23rd. It’s like a little Adenium forest!

Also from the second batch.

 

These are from my third batch. They germinated around a week or so ago.

 

From the third batch. This is a view from the top of the picture before this one. I know the tag says June 23rd, but I just reused a tag from one pot that the some Adenium seeds I got from a friend didn’t germinate. It happens some times.

The ones planted together will get their own pots soon so their growth isn’t stunted.

Much love!!!

-Jason-