Sue, I have a couple of large standard pink color and both plants have produced seed pods, I guess the flowers were pollinated by an insect and they created a capsule shaped like a pencil (only thicker in the midlle)and when ripe it opened up and the seeds were attached to some fluff at the end to help them blow away with the wind. I have been able to germinate the seeds and actually grew a few babies that I gave away. I had found a solid red flowered plant at Home Depot for $9 in a 1 gal can and I quickly snatched it up. On my return trip from Redlands orchid show, I stopped at another Thai orchid importer and they also sold desert roses, there I found the pure white. As these plants get larger, I will pollinate the flowers and see about growing the seeds into blooming plants. As far as planting the cuttings, I also have trimmed one the big plants and have left the cuttings in the shade to dry and harden and in about a week or so I will plant them in very fast draining soil mix (cactus stuff should be fine). Please note that if you like the fat base of the plant (Adenium obesum) you will not get it when you plant a cutting. The fat base is only generated from seed, cuttings will grow straight up and keep their slim shape at the base...

Ben,

Interesting info on the varieties you have and about the seed pods etc. I will be checking my plants to see if there is any sign of seed pods forming. I wasnt sure when to start checking for pods, but tomorrow seems early enough for me.

Tony

Hi Ben,

Funny you mention the seed pods...I actually had a couple of these from my desert rose. I gave it away to someone as I did not know how to plant them or for that matter weather they were viable or not. I read they needed to be crossed pollinated by another D. Rose which at the time it wasn't. I took a picture of it if you guys want to see what it looks like. I have a few of them growing right now.I might try planting it next time it opens up.

Your seed pods were probably pollinated because you said you have two large plants. Can you tell us how you planted these seed pods. Did you bury it all the way, or part way?

By the way, if you search in the Cactus and Succulent forum there is a very knowlegeable Adenium(D. rose) grower that has tons of them, different varieties, colors. I think you can get a lot of info on this subject. His member name is "Rjj1". Good luck with your new plants.

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Thanks so much for posting the pics puglur1-Now I know what to look for! Hopefully you'll get a response back on how to go about germinating the seeds. Also hopefully, one of these days I'll find a pod on my desert rose!
Sue

Your very welcome Sue, right now I have at least two small seedpods that is growing, but I am still wondering if it will be viable since I only have one plant. I guess I have nothing to lose by trying it. I'm sure you will get one soon...

Ben, Adendium Ko (from ebay) has a website where he explains the likely-hood of the offspring being like the mother based on the color / characteristics. Unfortunately, I can't find the webpage right now.

I've bought from him a couple of times before and the seeds did turn out (at least 70 to 90%) like the mother. I just got one of his mixed packages of 100 seeds and I've had at least 95% germination, if not more. I even have one mutant with a completely red stem that I can't wait to see what happens.

PS Sue, I only did cuttings once...I had a bonsai that had never bloomed and was getting way too leggy for a bonsai so I hacked it all the way back and popped the cuttings into a plastic cup of water, about 1 inch up the stems. By the time I looked again, they had roots and I just left them until they formed one big mass of roots and transplanted it directly into the garden. And they're happy there and have even bloomed! (but no not the bonsai!)

Thanks for the notes back. It looks as though one (I tried 3) off-shoot cuttings I took off my desert rose is going to make it. I dipped the off-shoot in rooting hormone and lightly covered it in a cacti/succulent potting mix. I'm keeping the soil fairly dry and giving it all the sun it wants. If this little guy shows some more growth, I'll be sure and post a photo.
Good luck to all,
Sue

I bought several blooming plants once from HD in 1 gal. pots. They were red, pink, and standard colors. I still have a red, pink and two standards.

As for rooting cuttings, I actually cut mine back and forgot about the cuttings for months, and when I finally discovered them again, I just stuck them into a pot on a whim, and they all rooted easily. No rooting hormone, no nothing. Mostly, though, I let them dry for two weeks, then plant. I have a baby rooted cutting growing in my front bed under the awning now. It won't get too wet there (I hope). So far, so good with it. Problem is, I can't remember which plant I got it off of.