How to Grow Adenium

Adeniums are sometimes called desert rose but they're not related to roses and they're not from the desert. They are succulent perennials that like a lot of water during the active growing season. When they're indoors during winter, they need only enough water to keep them alive. These plants are best started from transplants in spring. They will flower the first year they are planted.

Things You'll Need

• Adenium plant Deep planting pot at least 8 inches in diameter Potting soil Perlite Shredded bark Liquid water soluble fertilizer

Instructions

1. Prepare the pot. Place a rock over the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot. Mix equal parts rich potting soil, perlite and shredded bark. Place some in the bottom of the pot. Transplant the adenium into the pot, making sure it's growing at the same level as it was before transplanting. Firm the soil mixture around the plant.

2. Water until it drains out the bottom of the pot. Check daily and water if the surface of the soil is drying out. Adenium need thorough daily watering during the growing season, but they don't like to be in the rain. Grow plants under an overhang.

3. Place in a location that gets at least 6 hours of sun a day. In areas of extreme summer heat, provide shade during the hottest part of the day. Do not turn the plant during the growing season because the sun can burn the tender leaves that were previously not exposed to the sun.

4. Apply liquid water-soluble plant food weekly. Do not spray on the foliage, apply to the roots by watering.

5. Move adenium indoors at the end of the growing season, before temperatures drop near freezing. Place in a window with southern exposure in a cool room. During winter, hold back on water, giving the plant only enough to stay alive. When weather warms in spring, resume abundant watering and move outdoors as soon as temperatures stay in the 50s.

Tips & Warnings

• Adenium do not like their leaves or trunk to be wet. Grow outdoors under cover so rain does not fall on them. This is important in rainy areas because too much water can kill the plant. Perlite is a soil amendment added to indoor potting soil to increase its water-holding ability. It is available at garden centers.

References

• Cultivating adeninum

Resources

• Learn about adenium