Adenium heat damage?

5 years ago

I have been keeping my adenium in the sunniest warmest window (SE) and also bringing it outdoors for late sun exposure from west. It had been doing really well and putting out new leaves. We have had some really warm days lately and I had taken to drawing the window shade behind the plan in the window irrespective of weather the window was open or closed. I presumed it could take the heat and rather like it. The windows get no sun after noonish. But then one day I was away for the whole day and came to find a majority of the leaves on the lower leaves on adenium yellowing and falling off. I am guessing direct sun exposure in window in combination with drawn white cellular shade behind it made it too much of a hot house for the poor thing. I am keeping it largely away from sun for now. It's in a terracotta pot I only water it when the pot no longer feels damp even at the bottom. It has not needed any watering despite the heat exposure (I had just watered the previous day). The cauden and stem are firm and show no signs of rot. What's my best course of action. When do I start giving it full sun? I had checked the roots recently but before the incident and they were super healthy. Here are some pics but I have removed most of the yellow leaves.

Featured Answer

Kara 9b SF Bay Area CA

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

You guys need to water your Adeniums more, especially when it’s hot🙂. I see yellowing and dropping of leaves on mine when I don’t water enough during the growing season, or when they’re going dormant. But it‘s still a little too early for dormancy.

These guys love the heat with frequent waterings. As long as the mix is super fast draining, the roots can be flushed with water often. In my Mediterranean climate (hot dry summers) I can easily water my Adeniums 2-3x a week with no problems. If it’s one of those wks that it’s 90F+ for days straight I can water 4x and they’re fine.

Just watered mine this morning. Early spring I pruned them all back except for one, and lifted them a couple inches.

Adenium obesum do really well in states like Florida/Hawaii and the tropics.

It’s a little late in the growing season, but at the start of spring next year give them a little fertilizer, and if you both haven’t repotted in a couple yrs do that too🙂.

Socks next time you repot you should lift your caudex an inch of two, but that’s just my opinion. It’s always exciting to see whats brewing underneath the surface.

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Comments (11)

socks
5 years ago
I could have written your post as I did the exactly same thing, moved it outside to brighter light thinking it would be ok. When I saw all the yellow leaves, I brought it in and watered well, and it seems stable for now but lost a lot of leaves. The photo shows it now, but it was much nicer before.

As I was reading your post, I thought, "This sounds like me!" Then when I saw the black metal table top in your photo, I really wondered if I had posted this in my sleep or something.
getgoing100_7b_nj
Original Author
5 years ago
Haha, I saw that and did a double take. Adenium in a terracotta pot on black mesh table! But for a slight difference in shape of the pot and the caudex.... OK, so I am not the only who thinks heat couldn't hurt an adenium.... Luckily, the weather has cooled so I couldn't give it too much sun too soon even if I wanted to. The conundrum is we don't have long enough of a summer to afford to waste a few days of sun exposure willy-nilly. It would never bloom otherwise.
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socks
5 years ago
Many thanks, Kara. Will do.
getgoing100_7b_nj
Original Author
5 years ago
I repotted mine very recently. I got it from HD and it was in a 6 inch plastic pot in a mix of peat and perlite, mostly peat. Luckily, the roots were pretty healthy. I moved it to a much smaller 4 inch terracotta pot with lots of perlite added to some of the previous mix, and added some lava rock and some bark. I water only when the bottom of the terracotta pot does not feel damp. I have lost a few adeniums to rot so I am just not brave enogh to risk watering generously. I do fertilizeavery few weeks.
socks
5 years ago
Is it doing better, not having yellow leaves?
getgoing100_7b_nj
Original Author
5 years ago
Yes, the pics I posted were after all the yellow leaves except a couple had been removed. Those yellowed and fell off within a day I think. Since then it has had new growth and no further yellowing. I will post a pic in the next post. I am giving it high phosphorous fertilizer intermittently in the hopes of inducing buds. Greedy me..
getgoing100_7b_nj
Original Author
5 years ago
Here it is. It hasn't been very long since the incident so I doubt the growth is noticeable but it appears to be a happy plant imho.
Kara 9b SF Bay Area CA
5 years ago
My first thought when I saw the above pics was ”WOW!”, your Adenium looks noticeably happier😀.

You didn’t ask, but in about a month or whenever the temps start cooling down, keep by a warm sunny window and dry till spring.

I used to be really intimitated by Adenium obesum, but I think I’ve figured out what they like and don’t. My first Desert Rose was about a 10 yrs ago. I bought it from QVC because they’re beautiful plants, and the host and guest made it sound like they’re super easy to grow. Well that poor thing froze to death that winter. Definitely not cold hardy!

Goodluck!
getgoing100_7b_nj thanked Kara 9b SF Bay Area CA
socks
5 years ago
Kara, I remember seeing “desert rose” on QVC years ago too. I never got one through them. I think they were at least $30, maybe more. Saw one at a C/S store for $15 and jumped on it, so thats the one I have.

Getgoing, glad your plant is recovering. Looks great, so green. Mine is recovering as well, tiny bit of new growth after potting up and raising up as per Kara’s suggested treatment. Also more water. I guess adeniums aren‘t as forgiving about water as succulents/cactus. I brought it back inside. No blooms this year but thats ok, I’m just happy it is alive.
getgoing100_7b_nj
Original Author
5 years ago
Socks, good that you repotted it. I have mostly kept it indoors in the sunniest window. It hasn't been very warm outdoors for very many days and it can get much warmer indoors at least next to a closed window. Don't give up as yet. Has it bloomed before. Mine is anew acquisition from HD so I don't know its history but it seems mature enough to bloom. Keeping my fingers crossed. I did kill my previous one that I bought bare root and several seedlings so I am also glad to have it alive but then it hasn't been very long in my care. :)