Adenium....Approach-Grafting Techniques

12 years ago

I have seen approach-grafting techniques used on braided Ficus benjamina, money-trees-(Pachira aquatica)...various Hibiscus, lucky bamboo...etc. The individual stems of these plants eventually thicken, then fuse into one much thicker, composite-trunk. I've seen Ficus benjamina where the braided stems are just about completely fused into one main trunk.

Question:

Do you think that this technique could be used to form a massive caudex if used to graft Adenium together?

I would like to plant 3-5 Adeniums very closely together, and restrain the basal caudices, possibly with tape, so that they are forced to grow, then eventually fuse together into one lumpy base with branches growing out of the top of the composite-caudex. Of course the Adeniums would be all the same variety, so they would all grow at the same rate. The root system could also be trained to grow in a flattened pattern while the plants are fusing together.

If graft-unions eventually heal over and become less noticeable, I'm guessing that the individual basal caudices will also look like one, lumpy, fat, base after some years of growing and training.

Am I way off track? Has anyone ever tried this method? The Asian Adenium growers seem to use all kinds of artificial techniques to create plants that look like "bonsai" Baobabs...so I was just wondering if approach-grafting might work to this end also.

Interested in your viewpoints, comments, opinions, etc. Thanks....

Frank

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Comments (6)

greenclaws UK, Zone 8a
12 years ago
Hello Frank. I've also seen the Ficus that have grown together. Wild UK Ivy also does a similar thing...so why not Adeniums? If I had the plants available and wanted to do it I would certainly give it a go as it will be an interesting project. Have no idea if it will work or how log it may take to fuse together, so all I can say is have a go and good luck!
Gill from the UK.
bronxfigs: New York City/7b
Original Author
12 years ago
Gill, from the UK....

After seeing the photos of the carved Adeniums, anything is possible...even grafting a few caudices together into one, fat, grotesque, blob!

I'll try out the technique, and if it fails...I toss the plants. It won't be the first time I gave some plants the heave-ho. : )

Thanks,
Frank from across the pond
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greenclaws UK, Zone 8a
12 years ago
Hi Frank, here's a link to the pics of my adeniums that I posted in Nov, 2011 and they have even grown a bit more since then despite it being winter here. Mine 'big guys' as I call them are already bonsai like as they are only 7inches high at the moment despite being 4 yrs old!!
Gill from the UK

Here is a link that might be useful: Nov pics
bronxfigs: New York City/7b
Original Author
12 years ago
greenclaws....

Just saw the link to your November photos. Your plants look beautiful and well on the way to getting that bonsai "look"....which is what I'm after.

I want to force 4-5 main stems to grow together in the same pot, and mechanically, constrain the growth until all the individual stems fuse together, creating one, very fat trunk, with branches growing out from the top, which will subsequently be wired/trained into a specific shape....like a Baobab tree.

I will try to force the trunks to fuse together by possibly taping them, or forcing them into some kind of clear, plastic column/pipe...I really haven't figured out how to do this yet. By using the same variety, and because each individual stem will have its own root system, the composite plant will have the same characteristics, flowering colors and flowering season.

This might just be wishful thinking on my part, but if it works...I might be making a very nice plant. My aim is to eventually get a trunk about 13-17 cm in diameter, and about 30-40 cm high, then short branches growing out of the top. Think of a Baobab tree made from Adeniums.

That's my plan...and God may laugh.

Frank, from New York City
bronxfigs: New York City/7b
Original Author
12 years ago
greenclaws....

Just saw the link to your November photos. Your plants look beautiful and well on the way to getting that bonsai "look"....which is what I'm after.

I want to force 4-5 main stems to grow together in the same pot, and mechanically, constrain the growth until all the individual stems fuse together, creating one, very fat trunk, with branches growing out from the top, which will subsequently be wired/trained into a specific shape....like a Baobab tree.

I will try to force the trunks to fuse together by possibly taping them, or forcing them into some kind of clear, plastic column/pipe...I really haven't figured out how to do this yet. By using the same variety, and because each individual stem will have its own root system, the composite plant will have the same characteristics, flowering colors and flowering season.

This might just be wishful thinking on my part, but if it works...I might be making a very nice plant. My aim is to eventually get a trunk about 13-17 cm in diameter, and about 30-40 cm high, then short branches growing out of the top. Think of a Baobab tree made from Adeniums.

That's my plan...and God may laugh.

Frank, from New York City
meyermike_1micha
12 years ago
Hi Frank!

You have a very creative mind! If is doesn't work, oh well. And if it does, you may be on to something there.
Good luck.

Let me know how it goes will you? I would be lucky just to keep mine alive and thriving with the amount of sunlight and heat we get.lol

Mike

Adenium....Approach-Grafting Techniques

Comments (6)

greenclaws UK, Zone 8a

bronxfigs: New York City/7b
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Adenium....Approach-Grafting Techniques

Comments (6)

greenclaws UK, Zone 8a

bronxfigs: New York City/7bOriginal Author

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