gritty mix is fine. give it some semi shade the first couple of weeks. gritty drains quick, so it might could use a drink and some half strength fert. pick off the dried leaves ...

Would this many yellow leaves indicate a lack of water, or would it maybe be heat stress from the mail order journey to me?

For fertilizer, how would an Adenium do on Osmocote time release fertilizer such as this one? This is an N=15, P=9, K=12 formula.

Hi westes just watch some of the osmocote products they have wetting agent's in them i try to find a fertilizer that is high in k low in p and N around 15 . Thats just my preference there's seems to be alot of different opinions. Maybe give it some trace elements they do leach out very fast in high draining mixes best of luck

Westes just taking to rick go down his path for fertilizer heaps better results have a look on his thread.

@Peter where is Rick's thread? What is the thread title?

No fertilizer for at least a year, they really dont need any anyway but I do give some once every couple years or so. No water for 3-4 weeks. Once a month watering with these plants is plenty. This time a year with leaf loss less water is better. Lots of sun. Even if all the leaves fall off its ok just make sure the caudex in firm. I've been growing these for 2.5 decades and thats what I recommend.

All the Arabicums I have received in the mail have had leaves turn yellow and fallen off and that is FL to AZ, I water daily especially in small pots and temps over 100 I have also been feeding once a week with Scotts Professional 10-30-20 when new leaves appear. I have noticed leaves are slow during the recovery period. I use Coir, Pumice and Vermiculite in my mix.

This plant appears to be coming back quickly. I planted in gritty mix and watered at the same time. I then watered once a week and used time release rooting hormone at first watering. New leaves are now starting to grow.

Good news

I'm interested to see how adenium do in the bay area with your cool summers. Mine seem to grow best when it is hot. I know someone on the forum in Hawaii grows them very well but your climate is cooler. Keep us updated

@Todd it is typically a Mediterranean climate here, so 80F to 100F during the summer, but cool ocean breezes cool us down to the 70s at night. I am more worried about our winters, where it does occasionally get below 40F.

Westes, If you get temperatures below 55-60F day or night. Best to keep them in a place where they will not experience those temps.

Although they can take slightly lower temps. and some species are not as sensitive. Keeping them dry while temps are low. Not worth it, if you have the means to keeping them warmer.

Rick

I think the dimmit guy said somewhere on his website that when temps get into the 50s at night the arabicums go dormant. Getting below 40 could kill them I've never tested the hardiness of them myself. My climate is subtropical so I just move them inside when lows are in the 50s. They are very tolerant of coming inside for a couple months. They drop leaves but I've left some adeniums bone dry in a dark closet for the entire winter and They re fine.

ive left two out this year. They are still out but I will bring them in on the 25th(sept in MI) when we go on vacation. It was 45 out the other morning and in the 50's several days. they are doing fine so far. 50 degrees is a safe bet but I am pretty sure they can handle anything over 40. Not sure how long though.

Not just a matter of the temperatures dropping below 60F, but what state the soil moisture is at. Low temperatures and wet mean rot conditions. Dormant or not.

Rick

yea, good point

Hi Westes,

There are a lot of great points, here is an Adenium book that provides lots of information that you can get directly from Gene Joseph for about $25 http://www.lithops.net/books.htm and here is another link http://adenium.tucsoncactus.org/ that is primarily the Adenium book with more information. Also, if you search "Mark Dimmitt" you can find a lot of information about Ademiums and his research on Coir and the benefits/drawbacks.

Your plants will tell you what they want you just need to know what they are telling you. As soon as the temperature drops below 50 here I will bring in all Adeniums and restrict water until spring.

Several questions on the 40F rule:

1) Once the temperature goes below 50F, how often does the plant need water?

2) During the winter the rain might pour down for days at a time. As long as the soil is fast draining is this a problem?

3) If the temperature does dip below 40F, this will kill the entire plant quickly? Or it just kills parts of the plant? If I bring it inside how often will it need water during winter?

Westes,

1). Watering will depend on each plant individually. Once the soil dries back a small amount of water is required to keep the feeder roots from becoming desiccated. If dormant (leafless or not) the water uptake will be reduced. May need watering once a month or eitherside of this.

2). Temperatures will be the biggest factor if it is receiving a lot of rainfall. Will not matter what soil it is in. Free draining better, but will be risking root rot.

3). If temperatures drop considerably as mentioned for prolonged period of time, the plant will begin to rot. This will mean sure loss of the plant. How much it kills would depend on whether rot was noticed soon enough and even then it's survival would be dubious.

Rick

Hi Westes,

1). I bring in all my plants inside when low temp is start below 45 which is about mid to end of this month. I have lost about half dozen first year of my stupidity. I thought these plants are same as plumeria.... Do not take risk. bring inside. my 2 cents.

2). I do not water during winter. Only when I squeeze and it get soft, I water a little. not like soaking as during the summer period.

3). When start to rot, it is slow death.....

Do not take a chance, bring inside.....

@rcharles you said "Free draining better, but will be risking root rot." How is it that a free draining soil would increase the risk of root rot? It's the opposite right? A soil that does not drain quickly is the one that risks root rot.

I want to clarify are these temperatures we are discussing the average daily temperature or the single lowest temperature during day?

Where I live it has been 51F every night for two weeks and 70F in the day with clear sky and maybe six hours of sun. The Adenium is growing like a weed and putting out a lot of new leaf growth. It doesn't appear to be taking 51F as a hibernation signal at all.

westes,

My sentence should read. "Free draining better." "Risk rot w low temperatures & all the rain".

Even in free draining soil they can and will rot if experiencing low temperatures in conjunction with say, 50F-55F for extended periods of time.

"Wet & Cold" = Root rot or Branch loss.

Some species are more tolerant of colder temperatures, but one has to remember that the "Key Word" is Tolerant, not without risk or chances of losing.

I personally would not take the chance with any of mine, when it means bringing into an area where I can manage both temperature and water.

Glad to hear yours is doing well with what you are giving it. We all have to learn what works for us and cannot expect others to know what will work for you.

Enjoy your plants.

Rick

So I am gathering from this thread that any sustained rainfall, together with temperatures below 50F, risk root rot. I get the feeling that the plant can do okay to 40F in a dry environment, but it is really the moisture of winter - when combined with the low temperatures - that is the killer.

If you have the Adenium planted in a concrete planter that cannot easily be moved, is it acceptable to cover it with a plastic tarp, to keep the rain off of it? Is this going to affect the ability of the roots to breathe oxygen?

Westes,

Having it covered w a "opening" so that air can be exchanged should not create any problem.

40F is quite low and although it "may" survive, not worth it unless you have many and are not concerned if you lose some.

if it is cool, and you water, the soil will start/remain chilled, which tends to retains moisture … increasing the likelihood of rot ...

Thought I would update this thread on my Adenium. It's growing very well. I have it outdoors in temperatures down to 40F each night, but it is sheltered from the rain. I am not watering it and maybe it will get water once a month.