Adenium

Hi,
Today's post is about the famous Adenium, (A. obesum Family Apocynaceae) commonly called desert rose. This succulent is a natural bonsai, very famous for its pink showy flowers. Of late I have seen many more varieties with double colors with pink as the basic color.

This plant has been with me for almost ten years, and I have never had any problems with it, except for a few aphids which are easily removed by neem oil application. I have not repotted it nor have I fertilized regularly. In fact some years I have been very negligent about the care it should receive during the monsoons- the caudex ie the swollen base of the stem is liable to rot if it gets too much water.

The plant requires a sunny location and very little water. I generally don't fertilize
But still it never fails to please- A few pictures will speak for themselves

At the peak of its blooming phase

The flower up close
Bees are very much attracted to this
Note the prominent nectar guides

Sometimes a fruit pod develops...

  and the seeds scatter in the wind.....

I have never tried to grow the plant from seed, though I have read that it is regularly done.
The seeds may not rise to genetically identical plants, but advantage is that the caudex in seedlings is formed earlier than in plants from cuttings.



Promises for another experiment :)


 Happy gardening..


 

Greetings for the new Year

Hi,
The new year has started.
Many green resolutions made- to be more productive in the garden, to be regular with the spraying, to carry on the struggle with some veggies (coriander harvest still eludes me), to post more regularly and most importantly be organic.
So let's see, what do I have in my garden at the present?
Tomatoes- cherry toms, second flush of flowers has started; tumbler variety has started ripening
Chillies- still not producing, all the flowers are falling off, some leaves too, have tried giving higher PK but..
Mint- peppermint and spearmint
Indian spinach- transpanted few days back
Brinjal- white, flowers have started but no fruit yet, keeping fingers crossed
Ridge gourd- single fruit developing, have covered it with a polythene bag to prevent pests
Okra- ceylonese variety seeds from geekgardener, they are ridgeless, hope that they are without spines too; transplanted two each in three 15 L containers two weeks back
Leafy veggies-green and red amaranth
Roses- repotted with fresh soil and compost, waiting for the blooms to start
Collection of other flowering plants- pentas, periwinkle, amaryllis lily, ginger lily, jasmines, to name a few.
A few pictures to start the year...

Adenium- a natural bonsai

Amaryllis Lily

Blue Butterfly pea called gokarna in marathi










Happy gardening!
Chitra