Potting media for Adenium

Mix together:

1 Part: Coconut Coir -
1 Part: Poultry Grit (chicken grit) /or Pea Gravel - (sift out fine grain silt) -
1 Part: Sand - coarse Builder's Sand, Leveling Sand, or Horticultural Sand - (sift out fine grain silt) -
1 Part: Lump Charcoal - (Break-up or crush larger pieces) - (sift out fine grain silt) -
1 Part: Lava-rock – (volcanic cinders or pumice) (crush larger pieces) - (sift out fine grain silt) -

Optional: mix with above

1 Part: Redwood Bark / Orchid (Phalaenopsis) Mix - Break-up, cut or crush larger stems & bark
1 Part: Perlite - coarse (#4 large)

1 reply

The Desert Rose is a wonderful ornamental plant with its unusual bulbous, caudex base and beautiful blooms that come in shades of red, pink, and white. In nature, Adenium obesum reaches heights of 8 to 10 feet, but smaller specimens are grown as patio container plants or indoor houseplants and they are also popular trained as bonsai. Desert Rose is drought tolerant and prefers high light, doing best in full sun situations. It is considered evergreen but will lose its leaves during severe dry periods. The sap of Adenium obesum contains toxic glycosides, and care should be taken when pruning or handling the cut stems.

Reply to this comment

When re-potting, put this in a pot just slightly larger than its root system. Pot-bound plants can be watered frequently in hot weather. Otherwise, be careful about the watering regimen as these plants cannot tolerate sitting in water, especially in cool weather. Many of these plants lend themselves to "root spreading" at re-potting time. Whether the idea is to try to develop large roots or not, spreading the roots out during potting is recommended.

1 reply