Has anyone had any experience growing Desert Rose as Bonsai?

[steve27]

Got a small one from QVC in the spring. Had it outside all summer,but hasn"t grown much.
I know I have a long way to go before it looks like anything nice.

 

[Jester217300]

I started one this year. Can't speak of much first hand knowledge yet. They can get pretty big, a friend in FL grows a few of them.

I think succulents that go dormant are weird. Mine is dropping leaves right now. When they're all off I'll bring it inside with no light and minimal water. I'm going to leave it next to my drafty back door so it's not too warm.

 

[steve27]

I started one this year. Can't speak of much first hand knowledge yet. They can get pretty big, a friend in FL grows a few of them.

I think succulents that go dormant are weird. Mine is dropping leaves right now. When they're all off I'll bring it inside with no light and minimal water. I'm going to leave it next to my drafty back door so it's not too warm.

I was not aware that they go dormant over the winter never heard that before .I was just goint to put mine in a sunny
window over the winter.

 

[KennedyMarx]

It may not be a true dormancy like a deciduous tree, but a slow growth. My succulents are in soilless mixes, but they all grow a little during the winter. None of them are desert roses though.

 

[Neli]

I have few that I have been growing for many years and lost onr due to root rot.
They are treated almost the same as baobab. Come from similar climate too.
Dont put it in cold place. Better warm place but dont water it...maybe ones a month or not at all.
In Taiwan they chop all the roots and hung them in the shade for a month or two, until they callus.
I managed to grow them from cuttings too...but dry the cuttings first.

 

[CamdenJim]

I was not aware that they go dormant over the winter never heard that before .I was just goint to put mine in a sunny
window over the winter.

I've had a fairly nice one for a number of years -- put it in a bonsai pot two or three years ago, in a 50/50 lava rock and akadama mix. It spends winters in an east-facing window in my study, drops leaves, grows some new ones, drops those, and looks terrible all winter long.

When warm weather returns, it goes outside, perks up, looks great in just a few weeks, and blooms to beat the band. Next spring/summer I'll cut back a lot of its longer branches and try rooting the cuttings -- something I don't do very well.

I read somewhere that plants from rooted cuttings will never develop the fat caudex that is such a typical aspect of the Desert Rose. Anyone know from experience if that's true?

 

[thumblessprimate1]

I've kept some alive for 3 years now. I got to understand them better after reading articles by Dr. Mark Dimmitt. I started to get tired of them because I don't like to move plants into the house to protect from the cold winters. I just stumbled across some photos on shutterstock of them as bonsai. Here's a link to them as I think they look pretty impressive. I wish I could know who's bonsai these are, and I'd like to know how you get such nice nebari like the ones in the examples.

 

[Giga]

I've seen these but have never tried one. Just becareful as there pretty poisonous to pets

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Some quick snaps of my works in progress before I head out to supervise trick or treaters and collect candy tax.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

I found some time on my hands and learned some new things about desert rose or adenium. It seems that there are varieties that more readily develop good nebari and branching. Types like Socotranum and Arabicum.

Just thought I'd share in case there's someone interested.
http://siamadenium.com/articles/Adenium_Styles_HS.html
http://siamadenium.com/seedlings/socotranum.html
http://www.siamadenium.com/seedlings/adenium-arabicum.html

I think mine are obesium. Will try to cut and work on the roots later this year.