Small, bright flowers decorating the window sills of city apartments and country houses Mini adeniums are charming little branching trees with a wide caudex at the base and leaves that resemble bright green glossy paper. They are compact and fit perfectly into the interior of any home, filling it with an atmosphere of harmony, comfort and peace. If their care is organized correctly, at home mini adeniums bloom in the second year of life and delight their owner with long and delightful flowering.
To learn more about these amazing flowers, which occupy a special place among all adeniums, let's take a closer look at them.
Adenium mini are different, but have a lot in common
In nature, their relative, the giant adenium, reaches two meters, and the height of the mini, like other dwarf plants, small - only about 17 centimeters. They reach this size by the age of five and are an original decorative tree in a pot. But all year round they allow you to admire their bright, rose-bud-like flowers. As a result of the painstaking work of breeders, mini adeniums are today represented by different varieties:
- White. The variety was one of the last to be bred. Its large white flowers amaze with their beauty and even outline of the petals, so Mini White comes first in popularity;
- Pink. Adenium mini variety Pink blooms soft pink. The center is white. There is no clear boundary of color transition; towards the edge the color becomes richer and brighter.
- Red. Scarlet flowers have a dark border and a white core. The smooth transition from white to scarlet makes this mini adenium even more mysterious and magnificent.
On a Mini of any variety, several flowers bloom simultaneously, covering the plant with a bright, colorful decoration. Flower growers prefer to propagate mini by grafting or seeds.
I would like to say a few words about monadenium richi. Ornamental plant is becoming increasingly popular due to its exotic appearance. Like all minis, it is dwarf, there is a caudex on the lower fragment of the trunk, and the trunk itself looks like a hill of “cones” with three to four leaves on the top. In early spring, with good maintenance, soft pink flowers appear at the top.
How to properly organize care
As with adenium obese, the main requirement at home is good lighting. These plants are similar, so the requirements for growing them are the same. Their homeland is the Arabian Peninsula, so they tolerate high temperature air and bright light.
In order for the plant to bloom as long as possible at home, in temperate climates the flowers need additional lighting. The substrate should be loose, nutritious, and well permeable to air and water. An important condition for Mini is good drainage.
Don't be surprised if the flower emerges from the caudex. The beginning of flowering depends on how correctly you organized the care of your Mini. Some specimens bloom in the first year of life, although this does not last long; there are mini ones that are in no hurry to pamper their owners.
If you have organized the care correctly and Mini feels well at home, an adult flower will bloom for about twelve days.
What you need to remember to ensure proper care
Proper care at home is: good lighting, regular but not abundant watering, moderate humidity and temperature control.
Drying out the soil, as well as excessive watering, lead to disease of the root system, which can cause the plant to die. If a plant suffers from a lack of moisture, the leaves on it begin to turn yellow and crumble, and flowering is delayed for an indefinite period.
Care includes transplanting the flower into a new, more spacious pot. The root system grows quickly, and if it is crowded, the flower will die. This happens if several flowers are planted in one pot. Young plants are replanted once a year, older ones - every two or three years. Adult flowers need to be replanted as they become crowded in the pot. Replanting is not only about getting more space for root growth and development. This also means providing the root with all the necessary minerals and trace elements at home.
In winter, you cannot help but water the flower, but this is done very carefully, in small portions, once every seven days.
Growing flowers from seeds at home
It is very difficult to predict the germination of seeds, but let’s still look at how this is done. Seeds are planted in March - April to a depth of no more than a centimeter. If there is no special container, you can use a small one for these purposes. plastic box with a lid to allow ventilation two to three times a day. Excessive moisture at home is dangerous for seeds, so instead of watering, spraying is used.
At a temperature of about 30 degrees, seedlings can appear within a week. Two months after germination, the seedlings are planted and fed with fertilizer for succulents.
Growing adenium is not an easy, but very interesting activity; it brings many pleasant moments to flower lovers.
Description Reviews Images
Adenium, Desert Rose, Impala Lily originally from the arid regions of Africa, appeared on the domestic flower market relatively recently and immediately won the huge sympathy of lovers indoor plants.
Adeniums are classified as succulents. They store water and nutrients in a large thickening of the trunk at the bottom of the plant. IN natural conditions adeniums grow up to 10 m in height, and at home their sizes vary between 30-35 cm. When good care adenium can bloom starting from 1.5 years and even earlier.
Mini adeniums ideal for those who have limited space for keeping indoor plants. And in general, they will be a very valuable and incredibly charming piece in your collection. Such adeniums are distinguished by their compact size, neat crown and dark green shiny “curling” leaves. Adenium dwarfism manifests itself already in the first days of life. Remember that mini adenium seeds germinate more slowly than regular ones. Shoots appear from 5 days to 1 month.
All parts of the plant are poisonous.
Care.
The most important condition for normal development is a sunny location. The plant should receive bright light with direct sun. IN warm time years it is recommended to take it out for fresh air(balcony, terrace).
The optimal temperature for growth is from +25 to +35 C. In winter it can drop to +12+15 C, during which the plant enters a dormant period and can partially or completely shed its foliage. The need for a dormant period is not essential when growing adenium, therefore winter time You can use heating and artificial lighting.
In summer, water the plant, drying the substrate between waterings, and in winter, watering should be minimal, depending on the condition of the plant. Once every 2-3 weeks, adenium is fed with fertilizer for cacti or universal fertilizer in half the dose.
Transplantation is carried out if necessary in spring and summer. Young plants are replanted every year, adults - once every 2-4 years. Use neutral, light soil (universal or peat soil for cacti, coconut briquettes) with the addition of a large (up to 50%) amount of cultivators (perlite, sand, fine expanded clay, brick chips, vermiculite, etc.). To stimulate branching, pruning and pinching is recommended.
Growing from seeds.
Seeds begin to germinate within 24 hours, and germination rate, if all conditions are met, ranges from 70 to 100%. They can be pre-soaked for 4 hours (no more!), but this is not mandatory procedure. In summer, seeds are germinated on a sunny windowsill, in other seasons - heated.
For planting, use moisture- and breathable, drained neutral soil. Coconut shavings, perlite, charcoal, sand, vermiculite. The seeds are laid out on a moistened substrate; they can be slightly pressed into the soil, but there is no need to completely cover them. Cover with film.
Important! The air temperature at this time should not fall below +25 degrees and not above +35 (it is better to place a thermometer nearby). Warmth in the cold season is provided by heating from below, for which a mini greenhouse is placed on a heating pad, radiator, or shoe dryer.
Also, do not forget to open and ventilate. Ventilation is necessary for air access to avoid rotting of seeds and seedlings. When using heating, adjust air humidity by spraying. You should be wary of drafts.
Caring for seedlings.
Adenium Mini Size comparatively new variety adeniums and among the huge variety of adeniums of other varieties, of course, it is quite rare. At first unnoticed among the handsome giants, now adeniums Mini Size are becoming increasingly popular among amateurs.
Adenium Mini Size is a dwarf tree in a pot. Adeniums of this variety grow very slowly. It will take approximately 3-5 years for your adenium to become a truly dwarf tree in a pot. By this age, the plant grows to a height of only 12-17 cm and even without flowers looks very decorative.
Perhaps it is precisely because of cross-pollination with other varieties of adeniums that the varietal characteristics of mini adeniums are not entirely stable in color and flower shape, and lovers can get flowers that are quite original and unusual for this variety.
Lighting.
Adenium mini needs a straight line sunlight. That's why best place For him, the house has south windows. But even despite this love of light, during the summer heat it is better to slightly shade it in order to avoid burning the trunk (this is its weak point). The pot with the plant should be rotated periodically to ensure uniform growth of the plant.
Temperature.
Adenium mini is heat-loving; in summer it feels good at a temperature of 25-30°C. With decreasing daylight hours and air temperature, the growth of adenium mini slows down and it enters a period of rest.
During this period, most of its leaves turn yellow and fall off. During the winter dormancy period, the optimal 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 and the substrate is dried between waterings; in winter, watering is significantly reduced. If it is not possible to provide him with a cold winter, 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 for adenium mini can lead to almost complete loss of foliage and softening of the caudex. As a result, the plant will take a very long and painful time to recover from this state, have difficulty growing new foliage, and may stop flowering for 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 plant branches.
Bloom.
Typically, 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 can bloom continuously all year round. Even winter maintenance with limited watering and a lack of light and heat, although it limits flowering, is often not able to stop it completely.
Fertilizers.
Once every 2-3 weeks with cactus fertilizer or universal fertilizer in half the dose.
Transfer.
It is best to replant mini adeniums as needed (for adult plants), while young plants should be replanted annually. Transplantation is carried out in spring or summer.
It is necessary to take into account that it root system develops in breadth, so the pot should be shallow, but wide enough. To avoid overheating of the soil, it is better to take a light pot for replanting (if kept on a sunny windowsill).
The pH is neutral, light (universal or peat soil for cacti, coconut briquettes) 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.
The seeds of adeniums of this variety usually germinate later than the seeds of ordinary adeniums. Moreover, it is quite normal if mini adenium seeds sprouted 2-3 weeks after sowing (which, in general, is not typical for adenium seeds), although germination is quite possible after 4-5 days.
Precautions.
Adenium is poisonous. After handling it, be sure to wash your hands.
Main pests: spider mite, mealybug.
More recently, mini adenium was inferior in popularity to its larger counterparts. But now the miniature baby is deservedly loved by flower growers, who especially appreciate the early, almost from germination, branching, slow development and wonderful flowers.
Unfortunately, the color of mini adenium flowers grown from purchased seeds may be unstable. Adenium growers suggest that the manufacturer does not approach pollination of mother plants very carefully, because having bought seeds of a variety with scarlet or snow-white petals, the result is often pink flowers with a lightened throat. However, many gardeners buy cute dwarfs into their collection because of their growth and are not very upset by the flowering that is not as expected. Sometimes babies delight their owners with unusual curled leaves.
Adenium mini (Adenium Mini Size) arose a little over 10 years ago thanks to the efforts of the Taiwanese breeder Chi-Lung Ko. The dwarf was obtained from plants of the species Adenium obesum, which underwent 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 stature, they have a pronounced caudex. The foliage is bright emerald green, dense, covering 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 in decorativeness and size to large-growing adeniums.
Mini adenium varieties
Today, 4 varieties of Mini Size adenium are considered officially recognized, differing from each other in the colors of their corollas:
Sunup Star is the ancestor of mini adeniums with snow-white petals outlined by a wide pink border. The variety appeared first and received its name “Morning Star” after other varieties were bred;
Pink - with soft pink flowers, the edges of which are richer, and the shade is lighter closer to the throat;
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, for him it is pure white flower is still rare, despite the fact that the seed manufacturer claims planting material from plants sown in 2014, as completely white-flowering.
Growing mini adenium from seeds
Mini adenium seeds have low germination rate - approximately 60-70%. In order to increase it, the producer often uses pollen from tall species and varieties during pollination. This is precisely why both ordinary adeniums and dwarfs are often present in crops. Experienced adenium growers believe that pollination of small ones and among themselves gives good results when sowing, and the involvement of large-sized relatives in the pollination process is the usual reinsurance of the breeder-producer.
Accommodation requirements
Like its ancestors, Adenium obesum, mini loves bright lighting. Due to their compactness, plants are placed on windows predominantly facing south, placing pots in several rows, as far as the width of the window sill allows.
Make sure that there is no cold from the window glass; the plant is sensitive to hypothermia. If sufficiently abundant watering occurs in hypothermic conditions, the caudex will suffer from rotting.
The optimal temperatures for keeping mini adenium are high - from 22 to 28 degrees and above; in winter, the thermometer readings can be reduced to 15-18 degrees above zero, but watering should also be less water and less often than in summer.
Care for adenium mini
Watering mini adenium differs from watering tall relatives in reduced abundance. The crown of the baby is well developed, evaporates moisture not much less than a tall succulent, but the caudex is more compact and, therefore, stores moisture in small quantities. That’s why watering the baby should be more balanced to eliminate the possibility of both overwatering and lack of moisture.
Complete drying of the substrate should also not be allowed. There are cases when a mini, after a three-week absence of watering, completely dropped all its foliage, recovered for a long time and for a period of 8 months, whereas usually plants of this adenium variety form buds almost constantly throughout the year, with the exception of a short dormant period.
They feed the babies once every 2 weeks with fertilizers for succulents, preferring formulations with a low nitrogen content. When preparing the solution, the dose is reduced by half or three times compared to that indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging. In winter, fertilization is not stopped until the plant forms buds, but it is applied less frequently - once every 3 or 4 weeks. During the rest period, feeding is stopped.
Adenium mini branches very early, starting from 3–8 months of life, and is not needed. In general, the crown develops compactly and without pinching that stimulates branching.
Possible difficulties, diseases and pests
When caring for mini adenium, it is important to maintain the correct watering, lighting and temperature regimes. With the violation of any conditions of maintenance, problems begin with the health of the plant: from waterlogging to low temperatures softens and, from lack of watering, the leaves turn yellow and fall off; from lack of light, the plant inactively forms buds, and sometimes drops them.
Usually, after eliminating mistakes in care, the succulent restores its healthy appearance, but with rot it turns out to be 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 damage is extensive, and the root system is almost completely destroyed by rot, all that remains is to cut off healthy pagons and re-root them or graft them onto healthy seedlings.
Mini adeniums are small branching trees with bright green glossy leaves. Due to their compactness, bright flowers decorate window sills and fit harmoniously into any interior of a city apartment or country house. At proper care the trees begin to bloom already in the second year of life. Their flowering is delightful and long lasting.
Plant varieties
True mini adenium is not double, but there are varieties with a compact growth pattern - 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:
- Mini Size Sunup Star plant 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 pink tint. There are flowers in the middle white. 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 the smooth transition from white to scarlet shade, adenium becomes mysterious and magnificent;
- Mini Size White plant was recently bred and blooms white beautiful flowers. Its petals are beautiful with an even outline.
Adeniums of the mini-size variety differ from each other not only in the color of the flowers, but also in the different shapes of the leaves. Their leaves can be straight and even very curled.
There is also a mini adenium variety called Richie - it has an exotic appearance. The tree is dwarf in size, with four or three leaves on the top of the trunk. If you care for the plant correctly, early spring it may 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 mini variety plant to bloom profusely within 12 days, it needs to create the right conditions care Home care for adenium consists of creating proper lighting, temperature regime, in proper watering and fertilizer, as well as timely replanting according to the rules.
The plant needs good lighting. In a temperate climate, in addition to sunlight, it is important to provide the flower with additional lighting. But it is important to protect it from direct sunlight.
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It is recommended to grow dwarf varieties of adenium on southern windowsills. In the summer heat, shade slightly so that the plant trunk 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
In summer, the air temperature should be between 25 - 30 degrees Celsius. It is also recommended to take the flowerpot out into the fresh air, to a place protected from rain.
The plant rests when the temperature drops and the duration of illumination decreases. During this period, mini adenium sheds yellowed foliage. In winter, it is kept in a room with a temperature of at least 10 degrees Celsius, but it is best for it to be between 12 and 15 degrees. To prevent the plant from dying, you should ensure that its roots do not get too cold.
Soil for a flower and transplantation rules
It is recommended to plant the plant in loose, nutritious, well-permeable soil. It should also be well fertilized with fertilizers with a neutral or acidic reaction. It is imperative to make a good drainage layer.
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 your own soil mixture by mixing peat with deciduous soil 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 needs to be replanted. Otherwise, the rhizomes will be crowded and the flowerpot will disappear;
- It is recommended to replant young adeniums 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 the required amounts of minerals and trace elements.
Features of watering
Adenium needs to be watered regularly, but not very abundantly. Moderate humidity and comfortable temperature regime will allow the flowerpot to bloom beautifully and abundantly.
In winter, the plant is watered with small portions of water once a week. Soil drying out or abundant watering lead to root disease. With a lack of moisture, the foliage turns yellow, crumbles, and the adenium itself cannot form buds for flowering.
Growing mini adenium from seeds
The germination of mini adenium seeds is not predictable, even if the seeds are fresh. Since some grains, immediately after harvest, are unviable 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 to increase germination, the mini-size variety must be pollinated with pollen from the regular adenium variety. But, in this case, 30 percent will be mini, and the remaining sprouts will be ordinary adeniums. If a mini variety is pollinated with a mini variety, germination will be even worse.
When sowing seeds of the Mini Size Red variety, you can get plants with pink flowers, in which the color intensity decreases closer to the throat of the flower.
The seeds of the mini variety germinate later than the seeds of the regular adenium variety. Seeds can sprout two to three weeks after sowing.
The nuances of growing mini adenium from seeds:
- It is necessary to sow the seeds in March - April in a container with prepared soil, to a depth of no more than a centimeter.
- It is recommended to sow seeds in a plastic box with a lid. This container will allow you to ventilate the seedlings three times a day.
- The seeds are placed in holes made with a match. It is not recommended to cover them with soil.
- Since seedlings should never be overly moistened, watering must be replaced by spraying.
- If the room is 30 degrees Celsius, the first shoots can be seen within 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 the sprouts.
From three to eight months, mini variety adeniums begin to branch. There is no need to form a crown. Branches are trimmed only if it is necessary to change the direction of their growth.
Mini variety plants 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 quickly drop them.
Young plants bloom for 12 days, and adults - throughout the year (since after flowering they bloom again). Even if you water the flower limitedly in winter and keep it in insufficient lighting, it is not possible to completely stop flowering.
Growing a plant using grafting
The plant grafting procedure is carried out only sharp knife. Make cuts on the rootstock and scion. Combine the selected plants and fasten them with a special means.
For the vaccination to be successful, it is recommended to carry out the procedure at a temperature of at least 30 degrees Celsius, high humidity, in bright light.
Reproduction by cuttings
In order for the mini adenium cutting 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 cuttings during the active growing season.
- A few days before cutting the cutting, water the flower well.
- After cutting the cutting, make a notch in the form of a cross at the cut site, which will allow roots to form in large quantities.
- Place the cut cuttings in a fungicide solution for several hours. Then powder it with a special powder that allows it to take root faster. Dry for seven days.
- Place in a clean railing, lowering the cutting three centimeters into the product. Be sure to water the perlite sparingly to prevent it from drying out or becoming too wet;
- For rooting, the cuttings can be placed in peat mixed with perlite in equal proportions or in coconut fibers with perlite;
- After a month, the cuttings will take root. They can be planted in prepared containers.