Frank, here were my seedlings in 2010. I braided 2 with 3 seedlings and 1 with 4 seedlings.

I took them out from the soil, let them lay flat in the shade for about 8 days, braided them and pot them. Keep in the shade for another 2-3 weeks before full sun.

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Itran54....

PERFECT ANSWER !!!!!

I thought that anyone reading my questions would think I was out of my mind...but, look...it can be done.

It never would have occurred to me to let the plants get limp and soft before attempting this rather severe bending/braiding technique. This is EXACTLY what I want to attempt.

I assume these seedlings are the same species, and unflowered. How tall were the seedlings? The last photo has a date of 2010. How are these plants doing, and have the stems started to fuse together yet?

Now, I have to find a grower who will sell me some of these extra tall seedling plants. I embark on yet another one of my plant quests....because of your photos. Thank-you!

Frank

PS...Expect an e-mail.

Frank, you can not braid them without letting them limp, because they are very crunchy. They were about 18 inches tall when I braided them. I gave 1 away and 2 still alive, but not all of the seedlings. As you can see, some died in last winter.
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Another one within one small plant.

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Itran54....

Thanks for the updated information.

Do you have any idea why some of the braided seedlings died? Do you think the bending killed them off? Why would some live, and some die, presuming they all grew with the same culture? How old were these seedlings that were used?

I must really thank you for taking the time to photograph your plants so that my questions are visually answered. You have no idea how helpful these pictures are to me.

This technique may not appeal to most growers, but I have always been fascinated with the possibility of fusing multiple stems together so that a much thicker stem can be formed in a very short time.

My hope is to braid many more stems together to form a very fat, short trunk, then growing the plant out, so that the stems fuse together into one, thick, bumpy trunk, with beautiful rootage. Of course this will be a work in progress, but once the initial braiding is done, the rest will be easy. At that point, it's just a matter of growing, training, and refining.

Now I need a supply of tall seedlings, that will have similar blooms.

Again...Thanks for the inspiration. Your photo just proves that it could be done. By the way, this technique has been used to create bonsai with very thick trunks. I've seen this done using Trident Maple seedling whips, and there are web-sites showing sculptured trees that are braided together which form living chairs. It's called: "Arbor-Sculpture"

Frank

Frank, even though I have so many adenium, I will never know why some of them died. Too cold, too wet or somewhere in the middle. Braid didn't kill them, they were getting bigger but I think because I took them out from our garage too early. One cold front came and there were so many to take back inside, so I took a risk. (I killed many of my DR for the same reason.)

Looking back at the pictures and counted the days. They were about exactly 5 months old and 18 inches tall.

Let me search and will let you know more about adenium braid.
I saw them on one site but don't remember where, but let me search.
Marie

Frank,
I've read articles where bonsai growers cut off sections of bark on ficus trees and force multiple stems to grow as one. It's was a while back when I read it, but I would imagine searching for some bonsai articles might help. maybe try the bonsai section of Garden Web.

Thanks for trying to find some additional material.

I am trying to find as much information on this technique as possible, because, in addition to braiding stems, I think this technique will also work on thin roots, which could be twisted together to make a fatter root, if needed for a nicer presentation. I'm also wondering if an overly fat root could be split, spread slightly, and then after a callus forms, grown on as two new, but thinner roots? Again, for balance and presentation. This is called "Nebari" if growing bonsai, which refers to the buttressed rootage, basal-flair, exposed roots etc. of a bonsai tree. Most of the exhibition trees have buttressed rootage - which is just as complex as the plant above the roots.

I'm grateful for this information.

Frank

Frank, I have been searching these pictures on the internet for you and asking friends if they ever see it. I finally found them today and hope someday you can do it too.

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Marie...got your e-mail.

I posted a thank-you for the additional photos, but I don't see it on the forum. It must've went into the thin air.

Thanks everyone for all the great information, and greater photos. Marie thanks for doing so much research. I'll name my first Adenium cross after you. I'll call the variety: "Marie's Diamonds" : )

Frank

Marie those are amazing, especially after the caudexes fuse. I'm guessing that it's a progression from front to back in the 1st photo. Maybe I shouldn't have cut back all my seedlings and tried to braid some. Oh well.

What amazing plants those are, well done Marie for finding them! Wonder what their peice is? Not cheap I'm thinking.
Gill from the UK.

Oops, did a typo on that last post....should have asked 'Wonder what their PRICE is' but I didn't check it.

Gill, they post these pictures on the website, I don't think the nursery is selling them. If they ever do, you and I can't afford to buy these....hehehe....

Thanks to Marie, I would never think that this technique could be used to train Adeniums.

Given how easy it is to germinate seeds, and then grow the plants to the flowering stage, I can't help but wonder why the markets are not flooded with these woven, and braided Adeniums. If they could do it with "Money Trees" they could certainly produce these braided plants with little difficulty, and, with the added attraction of multi-colored flowers. Nice Mother's Day plants!

Frank

Frank, I think it is too expensive for braid adenium to sell on commercial scale. One small DR already cost about $15 to $24.99 (depend of locations). If 3 or 4 braid DR will cost even more with time and labor added, and they don't even all live.
marie

Marie....
You are probably right. I just figured that the labor costs in the Far-East are a fraction of the labor costs in other countries, and with the intensive care, excellent climate, and mass production of millions of Adenium seedlings, I thought this would be something different for foreign markets.
Your last six words might be what keeps these off the market. Everything else can be controlled, but not the life of the plants.

Frank

Marie...

Can you post some photos of how your braided Adenium look now? I'm curious to see if the stems have started to fatten and possibly fuse together where touching.

Thanks,

Frank

Okay Frank, I will do it on weekend.
Marie

Thanks Marie...

Just curious to see any changes.

Ordered from C. just a few minutes ago. Thanks. I will also be braiding soon.

Frank

Frank, not much chance since the last post.
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Marie....

Thanks for taking the time and trouble to update the photos of your braiding experiments.

Very little change, so far....not what I expected, but, interesting results. I guess it will take some years to self-graft. This is an important clue as to what I can expect from the plants that I will be braiding.

My conclusion : Your plants, growing under your conditions of heat, sun, climate, etc will probably grow tree times faster than my plants will in NYC. So....I will have a long wait to see any changes at all.

My plan is to braid seedlings together, let them grow for a few years, then graft a named plant from the top/tip of each original stem, creating a flowering top section of one, special selected flower....for example...the whole top flowing with..."Super Noble Concubine"...or, whatever.

That's my plan. : ))) Now I just have to keep the braided seedling alive, and then learn how to graft. A piece of cake.

F R A N K

Frank,

It is a year later since you started your endeavor. How is it coming? I would love to see the foundation/cornerstone of your one-day-to-be majestic Super Noble Concubine! Would you please post some pictures so we can too learn from your progress? I am so curious to see how this project is coming!

Thanks,
Carol

Shoot - the pictures aren't showing up :(

Hi mscynthia, if you click on those thumbnail boxes it should take you to the pictures on the photobucket page. Sometimes pic won't show on here.

Kirk

Thanks, Kirk.

Cynthia

I wonder what happened to Frank? He used to be such an active member... does he come to this forum any more? I was hoping to hear from him.

Carol

Glad to have you back on the forum Frank...being primary care giver to two people must be heavily mentally taxing.....but where parents are concerned leaves one with no choice...condolences for your loss and hope that you recuperate yourself back with these stubborn plants....which also test our patience in a different manner though!

Thanks for the kind words. Often by circumstance, you just do what you gotta do. They would have done it for me without any complaints, if the roles were reversed. It's over, and I am trying to get back, with a renewed interest, to my plant growing hobby.

I am going to try growing Adenium and Plumeria, again. Maybe my plant-growing muse will hover around, to give me some extra help. Counting on forum members for some help and guidance, is a given. Wish my climate was more compatible with the plants that I choose to grow. But, that's the challenge, isn't it?

Thanks,

Frank

Hi frank I sent you email but no photos

roger

Rog-

Just e-mailed you a response a minute ago.

Frank

Marie T-

How are your twisted plants doing?

Frank