What should I do with this plant?

9 years ago

New to Adeniums although I've grown this seedling for two years. I live in S. Florida and the plant has grown well but very tall.

About two months ago it was blown out of its pot during a storm. In my haste, I stuck it inside an empty pot to hold it upright while I was cleaning up my many orchids which also got blown all over. I forgot the Adenium until today. It appears alive but has obviously lost roots.

I plan to repot but need some help. I'll post a bunch of pics.

The biggest problem I've had with this plant is it has grown very tall, straight up like a pole! Top heavy and not very attractive. It has always flowered from the very long trunk but it just looks weird!

I was given it by someone who grew it from seed two years ago. I saw his plants and they all look like the photos posted on this forum. None of his plants look like my plant, Mine looks like a telephone pole.

Please advise whether this can be cut down and what would be the best media to use. I grow many orchids and have lots of various potting mixes.

Thanks for any help,

Jane

This photo was taken 7-2015. First blooms. I repotted it and it is tied to a stick to keep it from falling over. You can see how short it is.

The following pics were taken today:

Tall, skinny with some growth on the base.

Gives you an idea how tall it is!

Shot of the base/roots

Another shot

Thanks again,

Jane

Featured Answer

Maria Elena (Caribbean - USDA Zone 13a)

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

Hi, Jane ... Welcome!

Sharing my own journey with a similar long branched plant ... please read:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/3731682/please-help-me-save-moms-sorry-plant?n=33

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/3759660/has-anyone-tried-this-yet?n=58

All your tree needs is trimming and some fast draining substrate. For your specific region and in full sun, 50% cactus soil / 50% perlite will work well. Adeniums are sun-loving trees. If you plant them in-ground, they will grow 6' tall. If not under full sun, slowly move it to full sun over a one week period. Also, adeniums love to have a great meal once a week ... Fertilize weekly at 1/4 strength with something like 14-14-14.

When you trim, always do so at an angle. Cut just above two (upper and lower) nodes, where leaves have fallen off. Cutting will activate the nodes for branching. Look for nodes that are tightly stacked for strategic multiple branching from one cut. Here's a diagram drawn by Martin (Denmark) which helped me understand the concept of pruning better than any book:

I hope you get a minimum of 4 branches on your first cut! Cuttings can also be rooted, are the age of the original plant, and will bloom accordingly. You can cut the branch cutting into two or three pieces, keeping the correct orientation, and plant to root them. Dust a little rooting hormone on the ends of the cuttings and place in relatively dry substrate, misting occasionally. Keep out of direct sunlight. When you see new growth (about 1.5 months) you can check for roots and repot, acclimating to full sun, then begin treating the cutting as mature plants (which they are). cutting do not develop a caudex but, in time, can develop a significantly large root system.

All the very best to you!

Maria Elena

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Comments (6)

rcharles_gw (Canada)
9 years ago
Jane, Nice flowers on this plant. It is very tall.

I would cut it down to about the level of the highest leaf on the lateral branches on it's base (caudex). This way the two laterals which are visible may grow and new ones from other side. Make the cut on a 45degree angle to the stem with high side of cut opposite the lateral branches. Use Alcohol on razor blade to sterilize with any cuts.

The Terra Cotta pot looks to be a good size for what is shown for root mass. Make sure it is potted in a fast draining mix. If it got excessively wet. Pot it up in a slightly moist soil mix and do not water in for a week.

Possibly the elongated growth has come from not sufficient light or it's natural growth.

Rick
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jane__ny
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you Rick and Maria. Lots of good information.

My plant has grown in full Florida sun, no shading of any type. It grew very fast but did not branch. My friend who gave me the seedling was equally suprised to see how tall it grew. He grows hundreds of Adeniums and none have grown like mine. Strangely, this is his seedling!

Maria, thanks for all the information. The diagram is fabulous. I will work on the plant tomorrow.

My concern is that the plant lost so many leaves due to my sticking it in an empty pot with no soil around the base. I totally forgot it and it sat like that for two months.

I'm wondering if I should wait to prune until it begins making new growth again? Any thoughts on that? I think I'll go ahead with the pruning and hope for the best. Should I bury the caudex as it had been growing? I didn't know there was any swelling under the dirt until it got knocked out of the pot. Should I plant it at the same level?

Thanks so much to everyone.

Here's a shot I took last summer. Its hard to see how tall it was even then. All the leaves and flowers on the top.

Jane
rcharles_gw (Canada)
9 years ago
Jane, they are pretty resilient plants. It will be fine with being left out of the soil and w the little bit attached would have kept the roots hydrated. Loss of leaves would be expected, as it would with doing a transplanting into another pot. Plant at the same level as before, no deeper though.

You could wait until it starts pushing out new growth before pruning it.

Rick
Maria Elena (Caribbean - USDA Zone 13a)
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I agree with Rick. Go ahead and pot it up in a fast-draining mix. If you have some Osmocote, add a little to the substrate. Allow it to settle in and recover from the recent neglect ( ;-P ) & this repot, then prune around mid-March, when you see it actively growing. In the meantime, enjoy the blooms and feed as usual.

Maria Elena
bragu_DSM 5
9 years ago
ditto on the fast draining mix. I might suggest Al's gritty mix, or a permutation thereof. I tend to use a 1:1 mix. - no. 2 cherrystone and napa floor dry part no. 8822 - and fertigate with 1/4 strength plant food *insert brand here dyna gro/MG etc* every time …