Desert Rose "Adenium obesum" project

[DesertPanda]

I picked up an unusual succulent this last week from the local nursery. After some research, I think that I am going to play with it a bit. I did red several of the posts regarding the viability of the Desert Rose as a bonsai. I understand somewhat of where the traditionalists are coming from but it piqued enough of my interest to give it a try.
This is the current state after repotting from a small nursery pot to a white orchid type (I figured if I was going to break from tradition, I might as well go all the way…also, I liked the cutaway and glaze on this one).




I figure the first step it to make the whole thing a bit more compact by removing the center “branch”. Some more research is in order to find out when this can be done (it has already been moved inside).



After that, I plan to try to get it into a small pot. I will do this after it blooms and I get a good look at the color of the bloom (to match pot to plant).

 

[born808]

Looks like a good start. Do you have any other updates on this adenium?

 

[DesertPanda]

Update

The central "branch was removed and healed over fairly well. Currently the leaves are growing a bit more than I had hoped. It is being stored in my indoor greenhouse for the moment since the weather has taken a turn for the worse. Overall, though, it is healthy and coming along (pictures to follow). We still have about 2 months of winter here in the southwest, though with the beginning being as mild as it was, I would not be surprised if it was shorter than normal.

It is still in the white orchid pot, no real root reduction done yet. I have been reading up on the succulent/cactus mixes for soil to see if I can get something a little less compacting. Thank you for asking.

 

[Bill S]

Please remember they are poisonous.

 

[Mic E]

Are the blooms poisonous, or just the sap?

 

[DesertPanda]

Thank you for the reminder...I remembered and cleaned hands and tools afterwards. Any material taken off was bagged and disposed of. This is actually a good reminder that some of the stock we work with is toxic, either to humans or sometimes our pets.

 

[GrimLore]

Thank you for the reminder...I remembered and cleaned hands and tools afterwards. Any material taken off was bagged and disposed of. This is actually a good reminder that some of the stock we work with is toxic, either to humans or sometimes our pets.

Most of my Wifes Ficus are toxic to some extent as well. But back on subject she has been working on a desert rose as a Windswept for several years and will actually take it out of the training pot in Spring - very cool little plant. Gotta add - It has not flowered in 7-8 years, also the roots have never needed reduction.

 

[CamdenJim]

Desert Rose Soil Mix

It is still in the white orchid pot, no real root reduction done yet. I have been reading up on the succulent/cactus mixes for soil to see if I can get something a little less compacting. Thank you for asking.

I found large down-ward growing roots that I had to remove last year -- carrot sized roots. Even with that kind of harsh treatment followed by a move into a small shallow bonsai pot, my plant did bloom last year.

Somewhere I found a web site on Adenium bonsai that recommended 50/50 Akadama and lava rock. Worked like a charm, and the plant is happily living through the winter between my computer monitor and the east-facing window of my study.

It will soon get a pruning job and a pot better suited to the size of its caudex.