Im new here and need help please. I grew these baby DR from seeds and i potted them in new pots and now my leaves are turning brown on the tips and falling off. Is it too much water or not enough, i have not watered them much at all really. here is a couple of photos of them . please tell me what im doing wrong. Thank you so very much

to the adenium forum

where are you and your plant located (just a general idea) ??

brown leaf tips is usually caused by either too much or not enough water ...the yellowing on the leaves is telling me it is trying to go dormant - which is normal

I would stop watering - and move plant near a south, (best) east or west (next best) window ...or use artificial 6500k white lighting on a timer for about 12 hours a day

if all the leaves fall off - that is perfectly normal....if stem tips become bare - that is normal too ....but it is important, if not critical to stop watering or the plant will succumb to root rot - usually fatal ...

We are in Kentucky, I have them under a 6500k grow light and on for 12 hours a day, they are around 2 months old and were fine until i potted them up and watered them, but i didnt give them very much water, im 67 years old and fighting stage 4 jaw cancer and i just started with Desert Roses as a hobby for something to do as i cant get out any more or do much. So im learning as i go, so i need help please.

Adenium are fairly easy ... in the summer water the plant(s) like tropical up to 7 times a week depending on how hot it is ....in the winter - the exact opposite - water like a cactus .....- except - ......when the plant decides to go dormant - then you do not water at all .....

- summer months -

keep track of local temperatures ~

70°'s water once every 10 days - or so
80°'s water once every 7 days - or so
90°'s water once every 5 days - or so
100°'s water once every 3 days - or so

count any rainfall as a watering day

Do not water - if night lows are predicted to dip into 50's / 40's (or lower)

summer - water in several passes to saturate potting media from top to bottom

be certain water drains freely from & away from pot

never let a plant sit in a saucer of water -

never allow the plant to freeze

when things got too cold - upper 40's - my adenium plants came inside on October 16 2022 - today marks 101 days ...without any water - zero

so far have not lost any ....

most do not look very good ...several have "shrunk", many look wrinkled like raisin

some plants still have most their leaves ...others have lost about half their leaves while others have last all leaves ..... plants are dormant - not showing any new growth ...as long as they are in a no new growth "state" they will remain not watered ...

they will return outside - once outside temperatures - particularly night temperatures - are a sustained 55° or above

adenium are one of those plants that take forever to respond to what we do to them ..... so what its doing today may be the result what happened over a month ago ...
if things "seem to sit around" not doing anything ...
well, that's adenium ....have a lot patience - and do not expect anything to happen anytime soon

So you are saying not to water any more for a while ? And should i just let the leaves fall off on there own or should i take the bad ones off.

yep ...no water ...not even a sip

the remaining leaves .....as long as they have "some green", leave them on the plant ...sooner or later they will fall off ...

have lost more adenium than I care to admit ....all lost to over-watering

ok i will wait to water i just dont know how long to wait, i want to thank you so much for your great help

wait to water until you see tiny leaves emerging at the end of stem tips - but not before

more information about adenium dormancy can be found here >

https://adenium.tucsoncactus.o...

until then, admire your plant

a couple of pics of my plants

wow, i would love to have 1 of those with the big odd short trunks but i probly wont live that long, but im trying

hang in there ...make it a goal to fight off aches & pains ...and never ever give up

I took the picture in 2020 (I think) .....today the bigger plants are 20 plus years ...smaller plants are around 9 years

how I got there -
next year ...lift your plant(s) about 1 inch - this will expose more of the root system ....then every 2-3 years afterwards, repeat by lifting another 1 inch ....(breaks all the rules)

also - do a repot with fresh potting media every time the plant is raised or lifted ...

Hummbird said: We are in Kentucky, I have them under a 6500k grow light and on for 12 hours a day, they are around 2 months old and were fine until i potted them up and watered them, but i didnt give them very much water, im 67 years old and fighting stage 4 jaw cancer and i just started with Desert Roses as a hobby for something to do as i cant get out any more or do much. So im learning as i go, so i need help please.

and Sending 🙏 your way!

My seedlings drop leaves too after repotting.

I don't use grow lights so I am not able to offer advise but I think it is normal for leaves to drop when repotting.

ok, i just checked and some of the plants have 2 little leaves coming out of the top of the plant, what do you think i should do next and going forward, thanks

hold off on water ....resist the temptation to water for a few weeks or so ......you want to see new leaves along with warmer temperatures

I dont understand as i said im new at this and learning, what does warmer weather have to do with it , i have them i my home where it stays warm all the time,

this time of year specificaly (mid to late winter) ...your plant is responding to the last watering .... but your plant is still dormant or wants to go dormant ....

watering adenium while dormant will cause root rot which usually fatal ...while dormant - the plant is not growing and the plant can not uptake water / nutrienats to grow .... and can not withstand sitting in damp or moist potting soil ....

keep in mind, adenium are not house plants .... and when outdoor temperatures reach a sustained upper 60's to 70's - at night - your plant should go out side - where, eventually, it can get at least a full 6 hours of direct sunshine, natural rainfall, and airflow .....*if* it gets that, your plant may flower this year ....and if conditions are right, seedpods within 5-8 years

once outside - the plant growth will take-off in warmer, sun drenched conditions .... you will for sure notice a huge change...and may even double or triple in size

resist the urge to water - or risk root rot .... as of today - my plants have gone 106 days without water - not growing ....but they are all alive ...

I am thinking (considering last frost date) Late March, mid April or Early May before they get moved outside and get their first drink - but not before

ok thanks for all that great info, it will help me, its just so hard not to water them when i see the leaves getting brown and falling off. oh yes i wanted to ask you do they go dormant even when they are so young ? Like i said they are only about 2- 2 1/2 months old. what about seeds that i am sprouting right now that are just coming up what do i need to do or expect them to do. Sorry for all the dumb questions but its great to get the help , me being a newbie. This is a Great Site !

I just checked them again and i see a couple of them that their trunks are starting to shrink and wrinkle is that what they should be doing too ?

Hummbird said: ok thanks for all that great info, it will help me, its just so hard not to water them when i see the leaves getting brown and falling off. oh yes i wanted to ask you do they go dormant even when they are so young ? Like i said they are only about 2- 2 1/2 months old. what about seeds that i am sprouting right now that are just coming up what do i need to do or expect them to do. Sorry for all the dumb questions but its great to get the help , me being a newbie. This is a Great Site !

yellowing, brown leaves and falling off is normal ....it tells us dormancy has either began or about to begin ..... it also means the plant is shutting down and will *only* use its own resources when needed from its caudex

just like the oak and maple trees in your area - they too go dormant when only months old ....

i just took a photo of the little new leaves that im talking about that are turning brown, you may need to blow up the photo to see it good i did the best i could

Hummbird said: I just checked them again and i see a couple of them that their trunks are starting to shrink and wrinkle is that what they should be doing too ?

yes ....the stems and trunk will shrink and wrinkle as dormancy continues ..... like a raisin, and plants will not look healthy or vigorous

every few weeks ....gently / lightly pinch or squeeze the caudex - if firm as a rock - or slightly spongy all is fine and everything normal -
cant stress enough be very gentle when doing this, because it could leave a mark / dimple later ....sort of like a bump or knocked around causing a blemish on a banana or avocado

also
periodically - lightly pinch (again, carefully) the two sides of the caudex at potting mix level (where the 2 intersect) .....if the 2 sides collapse onto each other - it means root rot has already occurred and it is probably too late to save the plant - the top may look fine and everything looks okay - but its not

also - keep a watch out for fruit flies or fungus gnats ....sometimes, but not always, fruit flies or fungus gnats will be present if root rot is on going

if you have any seeds left - I strongly suggest starting them when plants can go outside - not before ... starting any seed now there is strong possibility they will die off from a condition called hardening off ....its where seedlings are subject to cool damp conditions and they cant fight off mold & fungus that develops rapidly

if you suspect root rot - pull plant from pot, knock all potting media off and allow to air dry for several weeks so any open woulds can callus or harden over