Mini Adeniums are small branching trees with bright green glossy leaves. Due to their compactness, bright flowers adorn window sills, harmoniously fit into any interior of a city apartment or a country house. With proper care, the trees begin to bloom in the second year of life. Their flowers are amazing and long lasting.
plant varieties
A real mini adenium is never terry, but there are varieties with a compact type of growth - such plants are grown on narrow light windowsills.
Mini size plants branch well, grow slowly and bloom profusely. In turn, they are divided into the following subspecies:
- Plant Mini Size Sunup Star blooms with white and pink flowers. As other varieties of dwarf began to appear, it became known as "Morning Star";
- Mini Size Pink plant blooms with a pink hue. The flowers are white in the middle. The closer the edge of the petal, the richer and brighter the pink tint appears;
- Mini Size Red plant blooms with red flowers with a dark border and a white center. Thanks to a smooth transition from white to scarlet, adenium becomes mysterious and magnificent;
- Mini Size White is a recently bred plant that produces beautiful white flowers. Its petals are beautiful with an even outline.
Mini size adeniums differ from each other not only in the color of the flowers, but also in the different shape of the leaves. Their leaves can be straight and even very twisted.
There is also a mini adenium variety called Richie - it has an exotic look. A dwarf-sized tree with four or three leaves on the trunk. If you properly care for the plant, in early spring it can bloom with delicate pink flowers.
Mini plants can grow up to a maximum of 17 centimeters in height. Adenium reaches its maximum height only at the age of five years.
Features of caring for adenium
In order for an adult plant of the mini variety to bloom profusely for 12 days, it needs to create the right conditions for care. Home care for adenium is to create the right lighting, temperature, proper watering and fertilizer, as well as timely transplantation according to the rules.
The plant needs good lighting. In a temperate climate, in addition to sunlight, it is important for the flower to provide additional lighting. But, it is important to protect it from the influence of direct sunlight.
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It is recommended to grow dwarf varieties of adeniums on the southern windowsills. Shade lightly in the summer heat so that the stem of the plant does not get burned. Since it is this part of the flower that is considered more vulnerable. In order for the plant to grow evenly, the container with it must be rotated from time to time.
Temperature regime
In summer, the air temperature should be between 25 - 30 degrees Celsius. It is also recommended to take out the flowerpot to fresh air, to a place protected from rain.
The plant rests with a decrease in temperature and a decrease in the duration of lighting. During this period, adenium mini sheds yellowed foliage. In winter, it is kept in a room with a temperature of at least 10 degrees Celsius, but it is best that it be within 12 - 15 degrees. To prevent the plant from dying, care should be taken to ensure that its roots do not overcool.
Soil for a flower and transplant rules
It is recommended to plant the plant in loose, nutritious, well-permeable air and water soil. It should also be well fertilized with fertilizers with a neutral or sour reaction. Be sure to make a good drainage layer.
The soil for planting or transplanting mini adeniums can be purchased at the store and add a little perlite or vermouth to it. If possible, you can prepare an earth mixture yourself by mixing peat with hardwood or humus, coarse sand and perlite in a ratio of 5:2:1:2.
The nuances of adenium mini transplant:
- since the roots of the flower grow quickly, it must be replanted. Otherwise, the rhizomes will be crowded and the flowerpot will disappear;
- young adeniums are recommended to be transplanted once a year, and older ones - once every two to three years;
- adult flowers are transplanted as the pot is filled with roots;
- transplantation is carried out in prepared nutrient soil with drainage.
Thanks to the transplantation procedure, the roots will be able to develop better, as a result of which the flower will receive minerals and trace elements in the right amount.
Irrigation Features
Adenium should be watered regularly, but not very plentifully. Moderate humidity and comfortable temperature conditions will allow the flowerpot to bloom beautifully and profusely.
In winter, the plant is watered with small portions of water once a week. Drying out of the soil or abundant watering leads to root disease. With a lack of moisture, the foliage turns yellow, crumbles, and the adenium itself cannot form buds for flowering.
Growing adenium mini from seeds
The germination of adenium mini seeds is not predictable, even if the seeds are fresh. Since some grains, immediately after harvest, are not viable due to underdevelopment. Therefore, if 60 percent of the sown seeds sprouted, it means that the plant was successfully propagated by seed.
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Experts say that in order to increase germination, the mini-size variety must be pollinated with pollen from the usual adenium variety. But, in this case, 30 percent will be mini, and the rest of the sprouted shoots will be ordinary adeniums. If a mini variety is pollinated with a mini variety, germination will be even worse.
When sown with seeds of the Mini Size Red variety, plants with pink flowers can be obtained, in which the color intensity decreases closer to the throat of the flower.
Seeds of the mini variety germinate later than the seeds of the usual variety of adenium. Seeds can sprout two to three weeks after sowing.
The nuances of growing adenium mini from seeds:
- It is necessary to sow seeds in March - April in a container with prepared soil, to a depth of no more than a centimeter.
- It is recommended to sow the seeds in a plastic box with a lid. Such a container will allow you to ventilate the seedlings three times a day.
- The seeds are placed in holes made with a match. Sprinkling them with earth is not recommended.
- Since it is impossible to over-moisten the seedlings in any case, watering must be replaced by spraying.
- If the room is 30 degrees Celsius, the first shoots can be seen in a week.
- Two months after germination, the sprouts must be planted in separate cups.
- It is recommended to feed with special fertilizers for succulents, but not earlier than two months after germination of sprouts.
From three to eight months, mini adeniums begin to branch. The crown does not need to be formed. Cut branches only if you want to change the direction of their growth.
Plants of the mini variety bloom two years after sowing the seeds. Sometimes it happens that plants of the first year of life try to form buds for flowering, but they are quickly shed.
Young plants bloom for 12 days, and adults - throughout the year (because after flowering they bloom again). Even if it is limited to water a flower in winter, keep it in low light, it is not possible to completely stop flowering.
Growing a plant by grafting
The procedure for grafting a plant is carried out only with a sharp knife. Make them cuts on the rootstock and scion. Combine the selected plants and fasten them with a special tool.
In order for the vaccination to be successful, the procedure is recommended to be carried out at a temperature not lower than 30 degrees Celsius, high humidity, in bright light.
Propagation by cuttings
In order for the mini adenium grafting procedure to be successful, it is recommended to follow the following recommendations:
- To root the plant, take cuttings 10 - 15 centimeters long and at least one centimeter in diameter.
- It is best to root the cuttings during the active growing season.
- A few days before cutting the cutting, water the flower well.
- After cutting off the cutting, make a notch in the form of a cross at the place of the cut, which will allow the roots to form in large numbers.
- Place the cut stalk in a fungicide solution for several hours. Then powder it with a special powder that allows you to quickly take root. Dry for seven days.
- Place in a clean railing, lowering the handle three centimeters into the product. Be sure to water the perlite moderately so that it does not dry out or become too wet;
- For rooting, the cutting can be placed in peat mixed with perlite in the same proportion, or in coconut fibers with perlite;
- In a month, the cut cuttings will take root. They can be planted in prepared containers.
Our store has been selling adeniums for five years and often advises customers in choosing seeds. The main problem of all beginners is that they are guided by beautiful photos and wait for flowering exactly like on them. But unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Let's see why.
In this article, we will talk about three popular myths about adeniums, you will learn how to choose the right seeds, and also learn all about Asian nurseries.
Myth number 1: Adenium from seeds can bloom exactly according to the variety
Selection in the world of adenium is developing rapidly. Over the past ten years, more than 500 varieties have been bred. And every year their number is growing.
But alas, the varietal characteristics of adenium are not fixed and are not inherited through seeds. This means that choosing by picture is meaningless if you hope to get an exact copy of the variety. As a result, flowering will be very different from the declared one and will only partially inherit the features of the parents. In rare cases, it can be very similar, but it's more like luck.
In good, time-tested nurseries, there are two types of seeds: varietal seeds and hand-pollinated seeds. Let's talk in more detail about each of them.
Varietal seeds
In the catalogs, they look like a photograph with the name of the variety. And here is the main trap for a beginner. The picture does not promise that such flowering can be obtained from these seeds. She only reports that seeds were obtained from a plant of this variety. But few people understand this.
Parents. The mother plant is indicated in the photo of the variety. And this is all we know about the pedigree of such seeds. In some nurseries, the father is selected with similar colors. But most often it is a simple, single-row savage pink - these are called Pink.
Bloom. Nurseries do not appreciate such planting material. It practically does not produce unique blooms. At best, the flowers will be double. You will be lucky if they inherit maternal traits, at least partially.
Price. The average price tag for 2018, on the Russian market, is 25–50 rubles per seed. Such a relatively low price makes this flower roulette very popular.
hand pollinated seeds
In the catalogs they are easy to distinguish. In one photo, two varieties that were crossed. Mom is on the left, dad is on the right. The picture speaks for itself. But beginners usually bypass it, since it is not clear what to expect from such seeds in the end. And something indefinite scares them.
Parents. As already mentioned, both parents of these seeds are known. It is believed that the mother plant is responsible for the shape and size of the flower, and the father for color. This is very conditional, since the genetic mechanisms for the transmission of traits are much more complicated.
Bloom. Hand pollination in nurseries is highly valued. This is very painstaking work. These seeds are more expensive, and the result of sowing can exceed all expectations. In addition, the percentage of double flowers is much higher. Inexperienced buyers rarely realize their full value. But it is from them that new, unlike anything, varieties are obtained, behind which queues of collectors from all over the world line up.
Price. For 2018, the average price tag is 60–120 rubles per seed. Another reason for the lack of popularity of these seeds. But the miser pays twice.
Myth number 2: Adeniums grown from seeds do not bloom
This is the most popular myth among beginners. In fact, on average, adeniums bloom one and a half years after planting. Everything will depend on the conditions and genetic characteristics of the plant itself.
Sometimes there are especially stubborn specimens that torment their owners for five years. But they need their own approach.
It also happens vice versa, when already at six months the seedling pleases with its first flowering. But this happens very rarely.
Adeniums may never bloom if you keep them on a north window in the cold. At the same time, you do not organize additional lighting with lamps and do not use bottom heating. Bright light and warm soil are the main conditions. Without them, the plant will not only bloom, but also grow.
Myth #3: Adeniums need to be grafted to bloom.
If you carefully read the information about the previous two myths, then this one will not cause you any doubts. Of course, this is not true. But then what is the vaccination for?
We have already figured out what kind of flowering can be obtained from seeds. And we realized that it will not be the same as in the photo of the nursery. But you really want to. Just for this, a vaccination is needed - to copy the adenium variety.
For example, we have a plant with a very simple flowering. And our friend Adenium blooms so beautifully that everyone around is jealous. We ask her for a small cutting and graft it onto our not entirely successful specimen. And now we can also enjoy this variety at home.
And also with Asian nurseries. We want to get a unique plant - we buy seeds. We need a specific variety - we take an adult grafted adenium.
How to choose good seeds
Now that we know what seeds are on the market, let's learn how to choose them. The task is not easy, because we cannot predict what the flowering will be like. But you can follow some guidelines.
1. Choose a color
The result of flowering is unpredictable, but offspring must inherit some of the characteristics from their parents. Over the years of selection, some patterns have been identified.
Pink, red and white colors are transmitted in 80-90% of cases. Yellow, orange and striped flowers are inherited up to 70%. Dark red and purple colors are transmitted by only 20% of the offspring.
But all these colors will compete with each other. For example, if you cross a red-white flower and a yellow-striped one, then most likely we will not get yellow offspring, because the red color will be stronger. But this is a struggle of genes, who will be the winner is decided by nature.
Sometimes the war of genes leads to completely unexpected results. When on one plant we can see several flowering options. Such adeniums are called chameleons.
|
plant bouquet of different flowers / Rosa Chen |
Weather / Yang Ming Adenium |
adenium |
That's why knowing the pedigree of seeds is important to understanding what they might turn out to be. To obtain seedlings similar to the parents, the principle of similarity works best.
2. Choose a form
Most flower growers prefer terry varieties, but, unfortunately, this trait is not transmitted so often. And, here, single-row flowers, they are also called singles, it is much easier to get. If you love them, then you are more fortunate.
For everyone else, hand pollinated seeds are the best choice. Their percentage of getting terry is much higher. Only 20–30% that the offspring will be single row. That is, if you plant ten seeds of the same pollination, only two or three seedlings will be singles.
Quite a different story with varietal seeds. Here everything will depend on the father, hidden from view. If it is single-row, and the mother is terry, then 60% of the offspring will turn out to be singles. That is, six seedlings for ten seeds.
3. Choose a seller
Especially valuable are the seeds of Russian collectors, which they received in apartment conditions or greenhouses. Usually they are in very high demand and record for several years in advance. But it's worth it, as freshness and quality are guaranteed.
4. Choose a price
The rule of the golden mean will work here.
Very cheap seeds should alert you. No, of course, Pinky can cost 2.5 rubles a piece. But for sure, you will not get a beautiful flowering for that kind of money, no matter how attractive the picture is for sale.
The main leaders and gurus of adenium growing are such countries as Vietnam, Thailand and Taiwan. There are breeders with good results in other countries. But so far, their seeds are also hard to get, like those grown in Russia.
Although a very high price for a seed is not a guarantee of quality, or rather, beyond quality. Some sellers greatly raise the price tag, seasoning this business with some enticing inscriptions. For example: elite varieties, exclusive series and other nonsense - it sounds good. And the seeds are the same, only more expensive. And it seems that of them there will definitely be results, as in the picture. But alas.
5. Choose a nursery
Let's discuss in more detail what kind of sellers from Asia are, and what kind of seeds they sell to us.
All Russian sellers are purchased from the same Asian breeders. There are not so many of them, but the work and policies of these nurseries differ significantly. This, of course, is reflected in the quality of the seeds.
The main leaders and gurus of adenium growing are such countries as: Vietnam, Thailand and Taiwan. There are breeders with good results in other countries. But so far, their seeds are also hard to get, like those grown in Russia.
The more reliable the nursery, the more likely it is to get an interesting bloom in shape and color.
Reliable nurseries
Mr. Chi Lung Ko Kennel (Taiwan)- one of the most famous and oldest manufacturers in the world. And everything seems to be good in it: the assortment is wide, the price is low, sometimes worthwhile flowering is obtained. But something, nevertheless, confuses. Or an endless supply of seeds of any variety with a static catalog. Or maybe a low percentage of masterpieces from these seeds. But many are happy.
- Range: wide
- Price: lowest in relation to quality
- Results: average, few masterpieces
Yang Ming Adenium or Orient Adenium (Taiwan)- The first name belongs to the nursery, the second to the sales agent who works only in certain markets. This often results in confusion. In Russia, the name Orient is more popular.
This is a very famous and respected cattery. But here the price is already higher, and the quality is appropriate. The results are often worthwhile. In varietal seeds, the father is chosen strictly according to the principle of detail. By the way, their seeds tend to run out, and the range is often updated.
- Range: wide
- Price: high
- Results: good, masterpieces are obtained often
Brahma Garden-LEO BMA (Taiwan)- a young nursery, which is still under construction. But the results of his selection are impressive. Now the cost of its seeds is one of the highest. But this is due to small volumes and incredible demand that exceeds supply.
This breeder is something like Armani or Chanel in the world of adenium growers. He does not sell varietal seeds, only hand pollination. He considers trading in pictures a scam. His catalog contains many experiments on crossing varieties from different nurseries. But alas, vaccinations are not yet available. In general, if you manage to buy seeds from this nursery, you are the owners of a treasure.
- Range: small, only hand pollination
- Price: very high
- Results: even singles are masterpieces
Siam Adenium (Thailand)- guru in selection. They use not just random breeding of varieties by type - they crossed and received, but a conscious, scientific approach. But due to the high cost, it is not widely distributed in Russia.
One of the few ways to get something very close to the declared picture from varietal seeds is to buy them in this nursery. Hand pollination is extremely rare here. Apparently, they know the price of their selection.
This seller can be recommended to everyone: beginners and pros. But the seeds, most likely, will have to be bought directly from the nursery. In recent years, only their vaccinations have been sold in Russia, and there are frequent cases of re-sorting. This casts a shadow on the quality of the nursery and its credibility.
- Range: Not very wide. Mostly only varietal seeds, rarely hand pollinated.
- Price: very high. If you take 10,000 seeds, then the average.
- Results: definitely good ones. In Russia, we have not yet seen the flowering of seedlings from their seeds.
Mr. Kesorn (Thailand)- just a reliable, stable seller. Does not sell varietal seeds. Adheres to the same policy as Brahma Garden. But it has a limited range. Yes, and found in the Russian markets is already infrequent. Russian adenium breeding began with him. But competitors forced it out of our market.
It is possible that small groups still sell its seeds. Their price should attract beginners. But don't expect too much from them.
- Range: modest
- Price: low
- Results: modest, masterpieces should not be expected.
Unreliable nurseries
King Adenium (Thailand)- relatively well-known manufacturer. But in Russia there are still few results of sowing the seeds of this nursery. Mostly all unsuccessful, with simple pink seedlings. On the one hand, the seeds are not cheap. On the other - creepy, processed photos. But in Russia there are good grafted plants from King Adenium that bloom according to the variety. So, at the moment, it is difficult to judge unambiguously.
- Range: not very wide, only varietal seeds
- Price: high
- Result: doubtful
Saigon Adenium (Vietnam)- one of the most unstable suppliers in Asia. He wants to scold and praise at the same time. But since we are talking about seeds, we will, nevertheless, speak in a negative light.
First, it should be mentioned that adenium breeding was born in this nursery. The first terry variety, Doxon, was bred here. Just cosmic colors and shapes of flowers are created here every year. But all this is crossed out by the terrible organization of the sales process.
All seeds are numbered. This is for convenience, as the names are mostly unpronounceable. And everything would be fine, even convenient - the number is easier to write. But these numbers are constantly jumping. Either some variety is marked as 16, or it is already 61. It is not clear how to order, what will be sent is also unclear.
The price tag, although it does not bite, but I do not want to order. You immediately remember the high percentage of regrading that they send in grafted plants. The number of rot and diseased adeniums also rolls over. Desires all this beats completely. Seeds and plants are, of course, different categories of goods. But the principle of the nursery is the same.
We do not risk working with this cattery and we do not advise you. We will see the results, perhaps we will change our minds.
- Range: so wide that the kennel itself gets confused
- Price: slightly above average
- Results: seed sales started only this summer. So far there are no results.
Nurseries from Aliexpress (China)- no matter how much you tell stories about what comes from this wonderful site, but the economical one is not enough. If you love roulette, then this is the place for you.
This is not quite a nursery, but they order here with enviable regularity. Although more often they get a string or burdock instead of adenium. It is, however, very cheap. Of course, the rare blue varieties that are declared by the seller cannot be grown for sure. But there is a small chance that the seeds of the desired plant will be sent.
- Range: huge, photoshop would work
- Price: very low
- Result: sometimes adeniums grow
A short cheat sheet for beginners
- Adenium grown from seeds blooms.
- In order for adenium to bloom, it is not necessary to graft it.
- Grafting is needed to completely copy the variety.
- Adenium seedlings can only partially inherit varietal characteristics.
- A beautiful, unique plant is easier to get from hand pollinated seeds.
- Seeds of manual pollination better transmit terry. And we can guess how they will bloom, because we know their parents.
- Reliable nurseries value their products. Therefore, good seeds are more expensive.
Mini adeniums grow slowly, have short internodes and compactness. They almost do not require no formation, they branch themselves beautifully, look well-groomed and complete. Flowering is plentiful, almost always "cap". Mini adeniums are classified according to the color of the flowers - Adenium mini size Red (red flowers), Adenium mini size Pink (pink flowers), Adenium mini size Sunup Star (white flowers with red edging) and Adenium mini size White (white flowers) are highlighted. Also there are variegated forms of adenium mini size and adeniums of compact growth with double flowers.
Adenium from the seeds of red mini-adeniums has the darkest foliage, and from the seeds of Adenium mini White - light green:
Same company almost 2 years later:
With age, the green foliage of mini White adenium darkens, but is still lighter than that of mini Red.
It is worth noting that flowering, growth form, size of mini-adenium leaves is almost always individual. Everyone is special :)
For example, from the previous photo (in the background), the adeniums of one crop are noticeably different:
True, it is worth noting that the dwarf was obtained from the seeds of Adenium mini size Red, and the giant - from Adenium mini size Pink.
Care ha adeniums Mini Size
Mini adeniums have a well-branched root system, so watering should be sufficient and the pot not cramped. With insufficient watering and a small pot, leaves are shed or slowed down in growth. I have defined this situation as a “cramped pot”: 
This situation happened in July when it was hot and the ground dried up in less than a day. Some mini's tops burned out even in partial shade. And the plants decided to stagnate, dropping the excess and rest. After transplantation, they went into active growth only in September.
Mini Size grows noticeably better with high humidity in partial shade. In direct sun without shading in the heat, like other adeniums, the tender tops can burn and the leaves get sunburned.
I use coco substrate, zeolite, Seramis clay granulate, agroperlite as constituent components of the soil.
With a regular scheduled transplant, a healthy mini-adenium can become capricious and drop all foliage. Willpower is required to wait for signs of growth without excavation:
Here he is a month later: 
But this is more the exception than the rule. Mini-adeniums perceive the transplant well and normally tolerate root pruning, from which you can’t get away with time.
Some mini adeniums branch so strongly that their formation is reduced to the removal of lateral shoots where there is simply no room for them to grow further without deforming.
More recently, adenium mini was inferior in popularity to its large counterparts. But now the miniature baby is deservedly loved by flower growers, who especially appreciate early, almost from seedlings, branching, slow development and wonderful flowers.
Unfortunately, the color of Adenium mini flowers grown from purchased seeds can be unstable. Adenium growers suggest that the manufacturer is not too thorough in pollinating mother plants, because having bought seeds of a variety with scarlet or snow-white petals, as a result, pink flowers with a brightened throat are often obtained. However, many flower growers acquire cute dwarfs in their collection because of their growth and are not very upset about flowering that is not as expected. Sometimes babies delight their owners with unusual twisted leaves.
Adenium mini (Adenium Mini Size) originated a little over 10 years ago thanks to the efforts of Taiwanese breeder Chi-Lung Ko. The dwarf is obtained from plants of the species Adenium obesum (Adenium obesum), which have undergone a spontaneous genetic mutation.
Through selection over several years, slow-growing babies were bred, not exceeding a height of 12–17 cm in adulthood. However, even with such a small growth, they have a pronounced caudex. The foliage is bright emerald, dense, covers the stems with a dense "cap", so that the thickening of the trunk is imperceptible. Flowers, often appearing for the first time already in the second year of life, are practically not inferior to large adeniums in decorativeness and size.
Varieties of adenium mini
Today, 4 varieties of Mini Size adenium are considered officially recognized, differing from each other in the colors of the corollas:
Sunup Star is the ancestor of mini adeniums with snow-white petals outlined with a wide pink border. The variety appeared first and received its name "Morning Star" after other varieties were bred;
Pink - with pale pink flowers, in which the edges are richer, and closer to the pharynx the shade is lighter;
Red - with velvety scarlet petals and a white neck;
White - with snow-white corollas. The variety was bred last, but is in the first positions in popularity. However, a pure white flower is still rare for him, despite the fact that the seed producer claims planting material from plants sown in 2014 as completely white-flowering.
Growing adenium mini from seeds
Adenium mini seeds have a low germination rate - about 60-70%. In order to increase it, the producer often uses pollen from tall species and varieties during pollination. That is precisely why crops often contain both ordinary adeniums and dwarfs. Experienced adenium growers believe that pollination of small ones and among themselves gives a good result when sowing, and attracting large relatives by growth to the pollination process is the usual reinsurance of a breeder-manufacturer.
Accommodation Requirements
Like its obese adenium progenitors, the mini loves bright lighting. Due to their compactness, the plants are placed on the windows of a predominantly southerly direction, placing the pots in several rows, as far as the width of the window sill allows.
They make sure that the window panes do not draw cold, the plant is sensitive to hypothermia. With sufficiently abundant watering in conditions of hypothermia, the caudex will suffer from decay.
The optimum temperatures for keeping adenium mini are high - from 22 to 28 degrees and above, in winter it is allowed to decrease the thermometer to 15-18 degrees above zero, but watering should also be less water and less often than in summer.
Adenium mini care
Watering adenium mini differs from moistening tall relatives in reduced abundance. The crown of the baby is well developed, it evaporates moisture not much less than the tall succulent, but the caudex is more compact and, therefore, stores moisture in small quantities. That is why watering the baby should be more balanced in order to exclude the possibility of both overflow and lack of moisture.
Complete drying of the substrate should also not be allowed. There are cases when the mini, after a three-week absence of watering, completely dropped all the foliage, recovered for a long time and for a period of 8 months, while usually the plants of this variety of adeniums form buds almost constantly throughout the year, except for a short dormant period.
Feed babies every 2 weeks with fertilizers for succulents, preferring formulations with a low nitrogen content. The dose in the preparation of the solution is reduced by half or three times compared to that indicated by the manufacturer on the package. In winter, fertilizer is not stopped while the plant forms buds, but it is carried out less often - once every 3 or 4 weeks. For the rest period, feeding is stopped.
Adenium mini branches very early, starting from 3-8 months of life, and he does not need it. In general, the crown develops compactly and without pinching that stimulates branching.
Possible difficulties, diseases and pests
In caring for adenium mini, it is important to observe the correct mode of watering, lighting and temperature. With the violation of any conditions of maintenance, problems begin with the health of the plant: from waterlogging at low temperatures, it softens and leaves turn yellow and fall off from a lack of watering; from a lack of light, the plant forms buds inactively, and sometimes sheds them.
Usually, after the elimination of mistakes in care, the succulent restores its healthy appearance, but with rot it turns out much more difficult: diseased plants are removed from the soil, the affected areas of the roots are cut off and treated with antibacterial agents. If the lesion is extensive, and the root system is almost completely destroyed by rot, it remains only to cut healthy pagons and root them again or graft them onto healthy seedlings.
Adeniums Mini Size is a relatively new variety of adeniums and among the huge variety of adeniums of other varieties, of course, quite rare. At first unnoticed among the handsome giants, Mini Size adeniums are now becoming more and more popular among hobbyists.
Adenium Mini Size is a bonsai in a pot. Adeniums of this variety grow very slowly. It will take approximately 3-5 years for your adenium to become a true bonsai. By this age, the plant grows to a height of only 12-17 cm and looks very decorative even without flowers.
Perhaps, it is precisely because of cross-pollination with other varieties of adeniums that the varietal characteristics of mini adeniums are not quite stable in color and flower shape, and lovers can get quite original and unusual flowers for this variety.
Lighting.
Adeniums mini need direct sunlight. Therefore, the best place for him in the house is the southern windows. But even in spite of such light-loving, during the summer heat it is better to shade it slightly in order to avoid burning the trunk (this is its weak point). The pot with the plant should be periodically rotated for uniform plant growth.
Temperature.
Adenium mini is thermophilic, in summer it feels good at a temperature of 25-30 ° C. With a decrease in daylight hours and air temperature, the growth of adenium mini slows down, it falls into a dormant period.
During this period, for the most part, the leaves turn yellow and fall off. During winter dormancy, the optimum temperature is 12-15°C, not lower than 10°C. In the warm season, it is recommended to take it out into the fresh air (balcony, terrace).
Watering and air humidity.
In summer, watering is moderate with drying of the substrate between waterings; in winter, watering is significantly reduced. If it is not possible to provide him with a cold wintering, and he is kept at normal room temperature, the plant should be watered after the soil has completely dried.
Lack of watering for 3 weeks, in winter in adenium mini, can lead to an almost complete loss of foliage and softening of the caudex. As a result, the plant will get out of this state for a very long and painful time, it will be difficult to grow new foliage and may stop flowering up to 8 months.
Adeniums do not need spraying.
Formation.
Mini adeniums, unlike their larger counterparts, begin to branch very early - usually from 3-8 months. Crown formation is not required, except in cases where it is necessary to change the direction of growth of the plant's branches.
Bloom.
Usually, Mini Size adeniums begin to bloom at the age of 2-3 years. However, it is not uncommon for adeniums of this variety to bloom (or try to bloom by forming buds, but then dropping them) even at the age of one year. The diameter of the flower is 5-7 cm. Depending on the conditions, the flower stays on the plant for 5-12 days.
An adult plant is able to bloom without ceasing all year round. Even winter maintenance with limited watering and lack of light and heat, while limiting flowering, is often unable to stop it completely.
Fertilizers.
Once every 2-3 weeks with a cactus fertilizer or an all-purpose fertilizer at half the dose.
Transfer.
It is best to transplant mini adenium as needed (for adult plants), young ones - annually. Transplantation is carried out in spring or summer.
In this case, it must be taken into account that its root system develops in breadth, therefore the pot should be shallow, but wide enough. To avoid overheating of the earth, for transplanting, it is better to take a light pot (when kept on a sunny windowsill).
pH neutral, light (universal or cactus peat soil, coconut briquette) with the addition of a large (up to 50%) amount of rippers (perlite, sand, fine expanded clay, brick chips, vermiculite, charcoal, etc.).
Reproduction.
Cuttings, layering during the growing season, seeds at any time of the year.
Adenium seeds of this variety germinate, usually later than ordinary adenium seeds. Moreover, it is quite normal if the seeds of adenium mini sprouted 2-3 weeks after sowing (which, in general, is not typical for adenium seeds), although shoots are quite possible after 4-5 days.
Precautionary measures.
Adenium is poisonous. Be sure to wash your hands after handling it.
Main pests: spider mites, mealybugs.
