I have two and both for under a year. I'm kinda obsessed with them even tho they haven't flowered. The smaller one I found on the ground and it lived, found out what it was and secured a second one. Anyway, the larger one I think is semi dormant? And the smaller one pretty much dormant. The larger has more newish growth but it has a yellow leaf and the new growth is growing really slowly. The smaller one, has looked like it may have a new leaf but that's been the case for ages and it's barely growing. I haven't watered either for a couple of weeks and the media is almost bone dry. Shall I leave them?
And sorry if I've posted in the wrong place and although I can find Adenium forum/s im not sure how to post a thread/ask a questions on there. Unless I'm in there now..? Dunno 🤷‍♀️

I would love to find an Adenium on the side of the road! I don't know a lot about Adeniums but I haven't killed any yet. The 2 big things: if they have leaves, water. If they don't, don't. And, the more sun the better.

Water and find a good sunny spot.

It was outside a plant shop. The guy (worked at the centre) loading bags of dirt into my boot was there as I stood on it, it was maybe 4 inches long and only a cm wide and I asked him what it was and he shrugged and I let him know I was taking it and he looked at me like I was crazy but I could see it had some fine roots. Anyway, it survived although it looks a little strange. Thanks for your advice, I'll do that.

@GigiAdeniumPlumeria

RJ for the tag.

I am not familiar with the Auckland's season but it looks like it is autumn there. If your temp is still above 50's and they are outdoors you can still water but wet and cold could result to root rot. with Lucy looks like you still have leaves on your Adeniums so you could still probably water but let it go bone dry as it is starting to go dormant. If no new leaves are coming out, stop watering, it might have leaves but might be going dormant.

@murky and @ylis are growing their Adeniums under grow lights and they are able to make their Adeniums bloom indoors even winter time.

Thanks Gigi, yes it is mid autumn. I watered them slightly last night. So far it has been pretty warm for this time of year aside from the evenings but they're indoors in a warm sunny spot. I take them outside a few days a week throughout the warmer months and when the sun is out during the cooler months. I'll try not panic due to watering them yesterday as I'm horrified I'll get root rot. Thanks for all the advice it is much appreciated. I just posted another question about the sap on my smaller one, if you have the time I'd really appreciate your input on that if possible.

You are your Adeniums are still baby size (or maybe dwarfs) so not sure if it can hold a prolong time of withholding waterings. It is also important to have potting media that do not hold a lot of water.

Tagging @deepsouth, he lets his Adeniums go dormant for a long time.

you are entering dormancy or about to......leaves may begin to fall off ...some plants may loose all leaves others only a few ...stem tips will appear bald ...when this happens, stop watering, or risk root root ....
I have gone 180 days straight without watering, (not even a sip) and without loses ....

review the information on 2 links >

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

https://www.desertmuseum.org/v...

Patience isn't a virtue I possess but I'm guessing I'm going to have to execute some when it comes to watering, or not, my desert roses. 🤞 I get it right.

@natasha10293
It will be helpful to people reading your questions if you add your hardiness zone to your profile.

Here's a map with New Zealand hardiness zones:
https://www.plantmaps.com/inte...

Find your zone and then add it to your profile by following these instructions:
On the top of the browser page is a tool bar, on the right hand side you will see an envelope, a bell, and your profile picture/avatar(currently an acorn), click on the acorn.
In the drop down menu click on "Your Profile".
On the page that comes up click on "Change your public profile".
On that page go down to "Your USDA Hardiness Zone" and choose the zone you found on the map.

You can also change your profile picture at the bottom of the form where it says "Your avatar photo" when you browse for an image and select it, it won't get uploaded and changed until after you click the "Save your changes" button.

I hope that's helpful 🙂

Thank you. Just fumbled my way through (this is as close I've ever been involved in the "social media" territory) and got there in the end. Zone 10b apparently. Thanks for that.

Ok. I'm impulsive and this is the little guy I literally picked up off the concrete and l'm constantly fretting about it. Anyway, was concerned about root rot. This doesn't appear to have it right? White roots are good? I felt his base and it felt a little squishy which is why I uprooted him…..

Well, they're more a beige colour

Well, they're more a beige colour

roots look alright ....there are actually 2 colors of "normal" adenium roots ...... the larger roots are white ...then there is smaller, light beige to tan to brownish roots, these smaller roots are often near the surface

root rot is a slimy mess ... often blackish, stinky and draws lots of fruit flies, that seem to appear during the daytime hours at windows

sometimes, but not always...root rot can be "detected" by *lightly* squeezing the caudex at the soil line ..... if the caudex collapses in on itself ...root rot has already taken over and it may be too late ....if the caudex (as well as all the stems) appear *firm* to the touch, the plant is probably alright

while plants are outdoors ....you want to avoid night time temperatures in the 50°F 10°C.....

This is root rot.


In a small plant like yours the roots would be a pale gray and break or smash easily before the rot gets into the caudex like it has here. You can see how the rot worked up the roots and into the caudex. This happened because the plant got wet just before the temps dropped for the winter. Then it sat in cold wet soil for a month or two.

As bad as this looks, the plant survived after trimming away all the rot, letting the surface dry for a few days and putting it into fresh soil.

natasha10293 said: Thank you. Just fumbled my way through (this is as close I've ever been involved in the "social media" territory) and got there in the end. Zone 10b apparently. Thanks for that.

Your welcome.
I've been using discussion forums for decades and I was lost myself when I first started using this one 😉

Thank you. Appreciate the info. He's back in the dirt, almost bone dry dirt, again.
Yup so crazy my first foray using this type of social format is in a gardening forum.

natasha10293 said: Ok. I'm impulsive and this is the little guy I literally picked up off the concrete and l'm constantly fretting about it. Anyway, was concerned about root rot. This doesn't appear to have it right? White roots are good? I felt his base and it felt a little squishy which is why I uprooted him…..

The reason it's a little bit soft is probably because it has not been watered, leading to using up the water stored in the caudex.

I water mine all year round, though I adjust the frequency. As Gigi said, I keep them indoors all year round and under grow lights either permanently (for those that are not placed in a window) or through the darker 7 months.

I have a couple that have gone completely dormant and lost all their leaves, and those have only had a sip of water maybe every third or fourth time I water the ones around them.

For me, the key to avoiding root rot has been an airy potting medium and making sure to let it dry out between watering.

So is it possible, they're in dormancy or almost, I've stopped watering them but the smaller I showed the roots of and had the black sap maybe running out of water due to soft caudex. From my understanding gleaned from this forum they virtually don't drink at all during dormancy hence how easily they get root rot so how will it survive if not enough water stored?