Adenium obesum - Desert Rose

[Dypsisdean]

I've never grown these before, but just bought a good sized one and planted it in the ground. It has subsequently lost its leafs. It came from a hot place to my cooler mountain location - but still seldom under 50ºF.

Has anybody grown these? How tropical are they - really. I know they are mostly grown in pots, but has anyone seen them in the ground in less than truly tropical places. Or in wetter locations - how do they do?

 

[junglegal]

From everything I've read, treat them like a plumeria. Dry & full sun. They also like to be a little pot bound. You have to shape them. Angled cuts which will branch.

 

[Stan]

A.obesum is one of the more tender. It might do well in mildest soucal,in a pot,kept out of winter rains. I have A.arabicum,looks much like A.obesum,with maybe a more sculptural fatter trunk. It believe it or not, does fine outdoors here in a pot/out of rains etc,here in the bay area. I've had it for years Dean,decided I would try it outdoors all winter since I read it comes from a winter colder climate then A.obesum,and at a higher altitude. It never blinked,or shed much more then a worn leaf in winter that got to freezing one morning and plenty cold for a few more morns.

Very slow..but in summer I move into near full sun and it blooms here and there.

For you? I notice then seem to grow like multi stemmed shrubs in Hawaii photos. No huge caudex. Maybe those were cutting grown plants of types with nicer flowers....seed grown plants should get very fat for you.
Hey mid 70's today and 80f+ next week here in the southbay area

gw is picking up speed.

 

[Geoff]

The Huntington has several Adeniums growing outdoors in their gardens with temps getting down into the mid 20s every once in a while... all still alive, though none are obesum. Have seen obesums growing nicely outdoors in full, hot sun in some So California areas where temps never go below freezing. Mine comes indoors in winter, but has survived temps down to 30F without a problem as long as the temps don't stay there long. Getting rained on during such temps however, would probably not be a good thing.

 

[Stan]

What a huge difference a year makes..COLD this March and not a 70f in sight. Heavy rains since October. My Adenium developed rot even under cover on the porch. Now indoors its on life support with maybe the base alive- all branches are dead. Too touchy and too slow here. Better to go with Pachypodiums as a similar look with some hardiness. Blooms are nice if not Adenium flashy.