Adenium Seedling Growth

An Adenium plant can grow fast if properly cared for.

Commonly called the karoo rose, desert rose, impala lily, sabi star or simply Adenium, the genus Adenium plant specimens have a reputation of being slow growers and temperamental, but in actuality, they are fast growing and easy to cultivate. Adenium seedlings do require proper care and can be maintained and grown into both dwarf plants or small trees. They have puffy, twisted stems and striking large bright flowers, but are not very popular and even collectors don't often grow them to large sizes.

Rules of Watering

Chronic water stress can cause mature plants to be stunted to only a few inches tall, thus proper watering is essential for healthy plants. In the summer, both Adenium seedlings and mature plants require lots of water as if they were wetland tropical plants, but in the winter they require light watering because they are rot-prone. To further prevent root rot, they need to have good drainage and a proper draining pot can be a perfect solution.

Lighting and Temperature

Adenium seedlings require lots of light and they need to be in the sunlight at least half of the day in order to keep them from growing into spindly plants, but in desert climates they do require light afternoon shade of 30 to 50 percent. After the seedlings are mature, they can be acclimated to full sun, but only Adenium swazicum can tolerate the extreme heat.

Mature plants thrive and produce buds in moderately hot weather, but do best with moderate to high humidity, however, growth and flowing seem to slow down when temperatures stay above 100 degrees F.

Preventing Sunburn

It is important to keep plants in pots facing the same direction all summer because, if rotated, the previously shaded side of the stems can be severely burnt from the intense heat of the sun. Autumn, when the sun is low in the sky, can be a particularly vulnerable time for sunburn on Adenium seedlings and mature plants.

The new growth on the base of young seedlings should be protected from the sun of hot arid climates until they have reached 3 inches thick. Plants that are put outside, after being wintered inside, may receive some sunburn to the foliage but this will not damage them, for new leaves will soon appear.

Feeding

Adeniums do well with continuous and ample amounts of fertilizer. A slow releasing fertilizer mixed in with the ground soil or potting soil, along with an additional well balanced fertilizer added to the waterings during growing season. The correct type to use would be a 20-20-20, with additional micronutrients at a concentration of 200 ppm nitrogen, to help with growth and flowering.

Adequate fertilizing and watering is the key to keeping Adeniums from being slow growers, allowing plants to flourish.

Growing in Pots

Adenium seedlings grow well in pots, but they can become root-bound quickly. Crowded roots stunt the growth of plants, so as seedlings grow, they should be re-potted often until they reach their full size. Adeniums grown in 18-inch pots or containers can reach several feet in width and height in just three to five years.

References

• Agriculture Information: How to Grow Adeniums