Cagary, after thinking about it, I have to say that I don't think I've ever seen any decent sized Desert Rose grown outside in the ground in California. I've seen a few badly shape ones but they were small. Unlike plumerias, where I've seen 15 footers here and there. The desert rose may have root rot problems in winter?!?! Maybe more people could give it a try outside. It does defoliate in winter.

If any of you are not be too familiar with it. Here's a listing of some cultivars. cultivars.Too bad, Too bad you can't reall order from them, company is in India. And I don't think there are many varieties available in the U.S. Its a beautiful plant.

they do fine here,mine are under a patio.
they drop their leaves.
dont know about the last post,as i thought they remained small,relating to a 15 feet plumeria???
if you have good drainage,go for it
gary

Gary,

I ordered some Adenium from a guy in Taiwan named Adenium Ko. You can pay with Paypal. The plants arrived today in great condition and they are huge! He sells on ebay with a "Buy it Now" kind of store. Taiwan is the top place in the world for producing the newest and best Adenium cultivars and he really has some beautiful ones. They arrive bare root with a phytosanitary certificate via the Post Office.

I really like this Super Noble Concubine.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ebay Adeniums

Cagary, thanks for the link. It seems like the guy has some great ones. I will probably give him a try. Pricing and shipping seems good. And it comes with a phyto too.

Gary, the point I was trying to make with my last post was that I have not seen any desert rose of significant size or age growing outside(and in the ground) in California. Now potted ones that is different. It doesn't necessarily mean that its not possible. This may be because of winter problems or maybe not many people have really even given it a try(given the fact at how easy it grows in pots). I'm all for Cagary giving it a go. But I would want him to be a little cautious that's all.

While zone 10 CA and zone 10 FL are very different I thought I would add my 2 cents. I was told from our county's horticultural agent they would never survive in the ground here but planted one as a test anyway, 3 years later it and a couple others are doing very well. It doesn't like our occasional flooding but really fairs well in a protected spot.

Kasie,

I got 10 large Adenium plants from Adenium Ko. The shipping cost from Taiwan was $40.00. The package arrived quickly and the plants were not only in great condition they were huge as well.

I think the trouble in CA witht he Adenium is your climate--that is, if you're in a Mediterranean!

Adenium are from East Africa, and bloom at end of dry season when the sun is getting stronger. They then handle the wetter months since the sun is intense. Here in So. Florida they do wonderfully.

In southern CA, your dry season ends when the sun is weak (in winter). So, the adenium are forced to flower when the sunlight is weakening and then cool rains follow through March. Right?

Your luck may change if you grow in a terra cotta pot and keep it DRY in the winter (Nov-April) and conversely, water well in the height of summer (June-Aug).

Anyone had such luck with that regime there?

Cagary - thanks a bunch for the info. Now I need to go to Adenium Ko's site and shop.

Kasie

I live in So Cal myself and have abt a dozen adeniums bought fr various sources. They need to be in pots or container bec they can root rot very easily. They cannot take cold below 40s, they stem rot too, they need to be protected from too much sun as well, our summer heat is intensely hot and dry, they drop leaves and even their flowers when dehydrated so water heavily in summer or even now,I do it almost everyday, so pretty much finicky outside their habitat. In humid tropical climate you can plant them in ground, they grow like weeds in the Philippines. I hope this helps. Plumerias are similar but not as finicky. In the ground they become beautiful small trees here in SoCal, I have 4 trees in my yard that are so beautiful . Adeniums are different.

I have heard of them doing fine as potted plants in San Diego. A few people have them in ground in the low desert. But I would think that if anybody from Santa Barbara to San Diego has them in ground outdoors...they have really gone to making a microclimate and in artificial soils..raised beds,maybe heating cables. Plus they bloom for a long season outdoors in San Diego also. A better chance keeping these than say Coconut palms.

I believe they are cold weather dormant, so they need dryness at that time; SoCal is winter rain/summer dry--the exact opposite. So the temperature is not so much the problem, it's when the rain falls (when we get rain).

One more factor-- they seem to be hardier outdoors when young. That will fool you. My theory is,small young plants have such small root systems they dry out fast. But,once an Adenium gets a nice caudex and some size at about the 3 or 4 year mark?..the larger roots now stay wetter longer in winter.

I've had THREE Adeniums over time I grew to a nice size easily at first just collapse on me one winter day. Same treatment that got them large? Killed them looks to me. I'm talking bay area California winters. But,every few years soucal has a cool wet winter too.

down in southwest Florida...Fort Myers...they can very well in the ground. i'm sure they're perfectly located with limited access to pouring rains when they come. in some older neighborhoods you'll see them very close to the typical cinder block house...and growing

fairly tall...maybe 10 ft it seems. we have very dry seasons during the winter months...and then it's very wet May through Sept usually with regular heavy thunder and lightning storms...and with hurricanes now and then. i have one in a pot that gets great late morning/early afternoon sun and is doing very well. i'm very careful not to over water...it likes to dry out.