For some reason this guy's stems are going lateral instead of straight up like my other seedlings. If the plant were taller, that would be okay as far as looks go. I’m thinking of bonsai-like wiring the side stems so they will be more upright; or tie a string around the whole plant to hold the side stems inward. Any advice would be appreciated.

-Kadie

Personally I like this look......

To me it looks pretty too Is it in full sun? It loves more sun, helps them grow upright. I see that habit before in Manila when the plant is in part shade, so the branches grow lateral and leggy, trying to seek more sun.

It's in full sun. Maybe it's in the genes of this guy--although he is 3-legged. Here's another view.

Hahaha, I have an older grafted plant-- old for me anyway. The stems go out, out, out. They are about three feet long, and not branching, and the whole plant is about two feet tall. I might make macramé out of those stems. Photo tomorrow.

If the natural habit of this specimen is to grow upright, likely the branches are just growing sideways to get away from one another and give themselves some room. The branches may very well grow more upright once they can get good light all around the stem.

Ron,
I think you may be right about the "natural habit" and the branches growing sideways to "give themselves some room." It's crowded in there, so with this one, I will "bonsai" so as to take advantage of its programming. I will cut back the longer branches so that eventually there will be a "canopy." Thank you for your input.

See the intersection where it was grafted?

The branches are longer now, this photo is a year old. I had to plant this beastie in an elevated pot because the limbs were dragging on the ground

Melissa, your photo reminded me of this one I took last Feb 2014 in Manila at a local nursery there:
Container raised up to allow that overgrown sprawl to grow:

Wow, Melissa.

Octopus Adenium!

I personally like the way your plant looks Kadie. But then I love things that are "different"!!

LOVE the "how low can they go" ones too Melissa and tarev!!

In a book about Adeniums, there are photos of a species that grow sprawling down cliffs from the caudex--- Yemen or someplace like that ( I need to go back and learn that one!)

Some simply do not grow up no matter what. Some grow to the sky no matter what, the tall ones. I have one that didn't bloom until it was three feet tall, then it got one branch, and bloomed again when it was five feet tall. Now it's rather like a tree. Siam Adenium, a huge grower, has a variety called "Anaconda" that gets ten to twelve feet tall!

Was it Socotra, Melissa? I think I have seen those pictures too.

Mmmm, I don't think so. Socatra is famous for the giant, ancient tree like Adeniums.

Maybe this one---

http://adenium.tucsoncactus.or...

swazicum, from Swaziland, Africa. Huh?

That makes more sense

coconut said:

I should have taken a picture of the one I saw the other day; had the same kind of vase and sprawling branches. I am 99.9% sure it was a cutting.
Hmm...attractive bird.

Haha, you're the first to comment on the bird!