I have an adenium multiflorum that's been living in the bottom quarter of a 4" pot for over a decade. It's on a radiator year round and is exposed to an open window during the colder months (northeast). I have been horribly neglectful of it and still it lives. It is a leggy plant with a single branch and a single leaf. I want to do right by it and have done all the research on how to repot it. I pulled it out of its pot and dusted the soil from its roots and am letting it sit a few days before I repot it. I want to train it as a bonsai, but I'm baffled as to what I should do with this caudex. Is this just a caudex with a really fat root? You can see the soil line on it and all things considered, is a healthy plant.

interesting plant

am thinking that at one point during the seedling stage, the plant was either twisted or a new branch emerged at or below the soil line .... hard to say

so what should you do about the caudex ... ?

I wouldn't do anything

to get the bonsai look ...first put it in a larger shallow pot ...like an azalea pot - then raise the plant above the old soil line ....

also think about cutting the top out ....that would force new branches to emerge

if you do cut the top - do it above the point where the main stem begins to taper ..or just above the "bottle-neck"

give it as much sunlight as possible ...but do not expose it to tempts below 50°

as daytime temps move into the 70's or 80's treat the plant like a tropical and water it thoroughly every 7 days or so

Super helpful. Thank you. I have just the pot for it.