How to Grow Adenium Obesum from Seeds
Adenium Obesum, or as it is more commonly referred to, the desert rose, impala lily and the mock azalea, is a succulent plant indigenous to East Africa. In its natural setting, it can grow to between 6 and 12 feet tall, while grown as a houseplant, it usually only reaches 10 to 12 inches in height. Adenium Obesum has 2-inch wide flowers that can range in color from shades of red, pink, bi-colors and white. It thrives if given plenty of light, warmth and regular doses of fertilizer. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Adenium Obesum seeds
- Seed-starting tray or planting cells
- Growing media
- Spoon
- Sprayer bottle
- Potting mix
- Pots
Instructions
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1
Fill a seed-starting flat with a quality seed-starting compost. Alternatively, make your own soil by mixing together equal portions of coarse sand, peat moss and potting mix.
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2
Pack down the growing media in the tray using the back of a spoon, a small piece of wood or the base of a small planting pot.
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3
Moisten the growing media in the seed-starting flat until it's moist to the touch. Remove the tufts from each of the seeds, if they are present.
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4
Place the seeds over the surface of the growing media so there are about 2 to 3 seeds every inch. Set the seeds firmly by pushing them into the soil using your fingers.
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5
Cover the Adenium Obesum seeds with no more than 1/3 of an inch of the growing media and mist the top of the soil thoroughly.
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6
Transfer the seed-starting tray to a warm (above 55 degrees Fahrenheit), light-filled location within your home that gets 8 to 10 hours of filtered light a day. Spray water onto the growing media to keep it moist, but not sodden wet. Germination of Adenium Obesum seeds will begin in 7 to 10 days.
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7
Prepare to transplant the seedlings when they have about 6 true leaves and are at least one month old.
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8
Mix together a good quality potting mix, with about 1/3 to 1/2 its amount of perlite, small gravel or coarse sand. Place the mixture into individual 4- or 5-inch pots until each is about 2/3 full.
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9
Dig out the seedlings from the seed-starting tray using a small spoon and set them into a pot, using care not to plant too low in the pot. The seedlings need to be planted at the same depth as they are currently growing.
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10
Scoop in the potting mixture to fill each pot. Transfer the seedlings back into the warm, bright area in your home.
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Tips & Warnings
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Always wear gloves when handing an Adenium Obesum. According to the University of Wisconsin, their sap is highly toxic.
