Monday, 18 June 2007

Adenium - Desert Rose

Adenium obesum is a genus of spectacular succulents from tropical Africa and Arabia. The species range from shrubs with subterranean or above-ground caudexes to small trees with swollen trunks and stems to 15 feet tall. Their striking forms are further enhanced by some of the showiest flowers of all succulents, often borne in masses over a long season.

Adenium is very popular flower plant in Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan. You can find some adeniums in Vietnam in the Vietnamese adenium page.

Adenium can be propagated by cuttings or by seeds. It takes about 6 months or longer from seed to flowering. You can make a new hybrid by artificially crossing between 2 different cultivars or different species. The picture of a dissecting adenium flower shows how to pollinate an adenium. Some adenium hybrids can have many branches, some very few. However, branching can be induced by pinching the top. More branches can be induced by treating the wound with lanolin containing BA (Benzyl adenine, 1-2%). However, only a few branches (2-4) will be dominant and become main branches later.

Re-write from www.flowerpictures.net

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