How to Germinate the Adenium Obesum
Adenium obesum, also known as desert rose, is a popular bonsai plant native to sub-Saharan Africa. This succulent plant blooms in white and shades of pink and red, with flowers that resemble the plumeria, a relative. The key to success in growing Adenium obesum is to treat them as tropical plants, not desert plants, according to biologist Mark Dimmitt with the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Give the plant lots of water during warm weather, enough to keep the soil consistently moist, and your adenium will thrive. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Newspaper
- Fungicide powder
- Small paintbrush
- Nursery pots, 4-inch
- Sand
- Vermiculite
- Plastic wrap
- Heat mat
Instructions
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Lay adenium seeds on a layer of newspaper and dust them with fungicide powder. A small paintbrush is useful for this task.
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Fill individual nursery pots with equal parts sand and vermiculite. Water the soil until the water runs from the bottom of the pots, stir, and water again. Allow the containers to drain until no water is dripping from the bottom.
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Put three adenium seeds in each pot. Cover the seeds with a 1/4-inch layer of sand.
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Place the pots in plastic bags, then on top of a heat mat set to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep them out of direct sunlight. The seeds should germinate within two weeks, at which time the pots should be removed from the bag. Place them in a well-lit area, out of direct sunlight.
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References
- Photo Credit Flower of a red hybrid Adenium also called a desert rose image by Nassuvian from Fotolia.com
