Adenium Socotram

[tacobender]

 My adenium Socotram, excuse my spelling is just now coming out of dormancy. It is only a few years old, I have never seen a growing season like this. Dormant in summer, grows fall and part of winter, goes dormant for a month then back growing again. Then dormant again. Three growing seasons here.

Does anyone else here have one of these with the strange grow seasons? 

My other adeniums grow year round and get enormous.

  Decided to post a picture of a dorstenia as they are popping up all over the yard.

[Tom in Tucson]

I have been growing this species for over 20 years. It starts growing every year in either August or September. Adenium dhofarense has a similar growth period but I've only observed it for about 18 months.

Hi 101˚, Lo 65˚

[tacobender]

13 hours ago, Tom in Tucson said:

I have been growing this species for over 20 years. It starts growing every year in either August or September. Adenium dhofarense has a similar growth period but I've only observed it for about 18 months.

Hi 101˚, Lo 65˚

After 20 years, what kind of growth and size has it done?

I am curious if it hybrids and or flowers at the same time as my arabican, somoliense and others. 

I never heard of a dhofarense variety.

[Tom in Tucson]

I bought 2 seedlings originally. Both had stems about 1" high (not including the leaves). I kept them in small pots to keep them stunted to save space (inhibit their growth). 6 years ago I decided to allow them to grow more by putting them in slightly larger pots (2.5" - 3.5"). Last year 1 of them succumbed to sunburn. The other 1 has been more sheltered. It is now about 10" high.

I am not an Adenium expert, but I know that most of the ones grown in Asia as A. socotranum are not the true species, but instead are hybrid forms of A. arabicum crossed with A. obesum. 

AFAIK true plants of A. socotranum will not hybridize.

A. dhofarense has been classified by some as a variety of A. obesum, but I understand it is closer to A. arabicum. Since it is so new to cultivation, I don't think hybrids have been attempted (too immature to bloom). My 2 are 1.5" high (not including the leaves).

HTH

Hi 107˚, Lo 63˚

[tacobender]

Thanks for the information. I bought the socotranum in Tucson a couple maybe 3 yrs ago. It was in a very small pot and I placed it right in the ground. As I said, very unusual growth pattern. I am not totally sure but the trunk may be getting larger during dormancy.

I would like to move it but I am concerned about it not surviving.

It is 2 meters away from a 3 meter tall adenium obesum with huge roots.

[LJG]

On 9/30/2020 at 12:04 PM, tacobender said:

 My adenium Socotram, excuse my spelling is just now coming out of dormancy. It is only a few years old, I have never seen a growing season like this. Dormant in summer, grows fall and part of winter, goes dormant for a month then back growing again. Then dormant again. Three growing seasons here.

Does anyone else here have one of these with the strange grow seasons? 

My other adeniums grow year round and get enormous.

  Decided to post a picture of a dorstenia as they are popping up all over the yard.

Wow, is that a dorstenia gigas in back? 

[tacobender]

Dorstenia crispa, foteda and gigas. The gigas is huge. Close to a meter tall and very far.

[LJG]

On 10/3/2020 at 10:50 AM, tacobender said:

Dorstenia crispa, foteda and gigas. The gigas is huge. Close to a meter tall and very far.

Awesome. Would turn to mush in winter here in San Diego in ground.

 

[tacobender]

Gigas just now coming out of semi dormant summer rest. I have no idea what the eventual size will be. 

[GeneAZ]

That is a very happy gigas!  Do you recall what the soil is like where this was planted?

[tacobender]

The soil here is rocky, sandy and fertile. Only gets occasional water and no fertilizer. 

Fertilizer is used very rarely anywhere in the yard.

Very arid climate with high coastal humidity. Perhaps somewhat similar to habitat.