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puglvr1

Buzzsaw8...Here's the Desert Rose

puglvr1
14 years ago

Since the original post(Plastic verus Clay Pot reached its maximum posts, it wouldn't allow me to post another.

"puglvr - if you've got a full pic of that desert rose, I'd love to see it. Thanks."

Buzzsaw, here's one I took when it was in full bloom...

{{gwi:56863}}

Comments (36)

  • jodik_gw
    14 years ago

    Oh, wow! That is positively spectacular! I love the trunk, but the flowers are incredibly beautiful! Thank you for posting that!

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    14 years ago

    Man! I LOVE that plant. ;o) I get soo jealous every time I get an opportunity to see it! ;o) Good job, Nance.

    Al

  • georgeiii
    14 years ago

    For all the flowers
    lying in their nest
    atop the castle
    of Natures best
    Whether plastic, clay
    or just plain dirt
    shows what can be done
    with just plain work
    GSD

  • puglvr1
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks Jodi and Al!! Appreciate it very much!

    Al, most of the thanks belongs to you! If it wasn't for your wonderful soil mix, fertilizer,watering techniques and advise...this plant wouldn't be doing as well as it is! So I again, my plants and I thank you!!

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    14 years ago

    Oh wow! Thanks, Jodi ......... but I'm STILL covetous of that plant. It's a real beauty. I have a gorgeous Fockea edulis with a huge caudex I'll trade you for it? Pleeeeease? Lol

    Al

  • puglvr1
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Al, its a deal...but one catch. You have to pay for shipping,lol! This one is so heavy, I have to use a dolly to move it!!

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    14 years ago

    OK - deal ;o)

    Al

  • jodik_gw
    14 years ago

    How old is that tree? And how do you care for it? Do you root prune and treat it like a bonsai? It's an amazing plant!

    Are Adeniums difficult to grow? Do they flower easily?

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    14 years ago

    I think I see one in Jodi's future ......

    Al

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    14 years ago

    That's just what I was thinking....

    Josh

  • puglvr1
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Hi Jodi,

    I think that tree is appx. 5 yrs old? I am not an Adenium expert by any means, I've been very fortunate to have found Al's mix which has made it easy for me to take care of it. I raised the caudex on it at least 2 times a year and go up one size bigger(pot)at least once a year. I've only root pruned that DR once...a year and a half ago. I do prune it once a year to keep it nice and bushy. It has flowers off and on most of the year here in FL...but nothing like it does every May/June...that is when I have the most blooms, more blooms than leaves!

    IMHO, its a pretty carefree plant...at least that particular one has been for me, but I do have it outside 360+ days a year.

  • jodik_gw
    14 years ago

    I wonder how it would fare going from outside to inside for the winter? Our humidity is so low in winter...

    Thank you so much for answering my questions! Yes, I can almost envision one in my future... I think I'll wait until spring to start looking around seriously, though.

    I have looked at them before... just to look. The variety available is quite large! I'm not sure I know where to begin!

    They do fit into my collection of bulbs and bulbous type plants, though... and they're so pretty... someone please remind me too look for one when spring gets here! My memory is so bad! ;-)

    Thanks again for the information!

  • wesley_butterflies
    14 years ago

    I will be one person pestering your every thread every day from day one of my crocuses bloom until you get one.
    The phrase "A pic is worth a thousand words" I owe 5 million back for that pic.
    Begin with cacti simple as can be, there's a small "but big if you stare to long" alley way named bonsai on this road just a lil peek down that way should do............ go ahead look in. End at rose caught in adaptation. Outdoor Roses awesome aren't they? Same but different very different, you'll like them differences very very much.

    Keeping in touch with nature ; )
    Wes

  • puglvr1
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    You're very welcome Jodi! I am sure you will do fantastic with one, if you can grow all those bulbs, DR will be a snap for you.

    I found a picture from a little over 3 years ago...funny, I was fortunate enough to buy the same exact design pot only bigger size. Unfortunately when I bought the plant I didn't have a digital camera, so I don't have a picture when I bought it. I bought this at HD in a 6" pot...just regular DR that they sold back then. I know that now they have so different varieties available.

    Taken Aug. 06...
    {{gwi:56864}}

    This one was taken this morning...it has the least amount of flowers this time of year...Plus I wanted you to see the leaves.Pot size is 18"...as you can see I need to do some light trimming again!
    {{gwi:56865}}

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    14 years ago

    I wish that I could fly out to Florida to lift that thing up for you while you prune the roots and re-pot.
    I admit, though, I just want to get my arms around those fat, fantastic roots! ;)

    Josh

  • jodik_gw
    14 years ago

    It's a spectacular tree! The trunk and roots are so gnarly! And I mean that in a really good way! You can actually see how the roots grew, comparing the two photos... it's amazing!

    To borrow a phrase from the young, hip crowd... it's sic! :-)

    Well, I'm going to spend the winter learning more about caudex and bonsai, and bulbous plants... and root pruning, and about all the different varieties and flowers available. By spring, I should know what I'm looking for!

    The bottom line is... I have to have one!

  • puglvr1
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Josh, anytime you want to come to FL to " get my arms around those fat, fantastic roots!" you are more than welcome,lol!

    Jodi, thanks! "Gnarly" is definitely a good word for that Caudex and has been used a few times with this plant,lol.
    Keep us posted and I definitely want to see a picture once you get one! You will love this plant!

  • justaguy2
    14 years ago

    I am wondering if anyone in a northern climate has one and if so what they think of the plant. Puglvr(your name is Nance?) your specimen is certainly gorgeous, but you also live in Florida where it gets to enjoy outdoor sun almost all year.

    In my climate it would get similar enjoyment from the outdoor sun 3, maybe 4 months out of the year and spend the rest of it's life under HID lighting or weak, filtered sunlight as a houseplant.

    I can be patient, but I suspect that what takes you 1 year to achieve would take me at least 3-4 so I solicit the experience of colder climate folks with this plant.

  • puglvr1
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Hi justaguy, yes I'm Nancy. Thanks for the nice compliment on my DR! You are right, I do live in a climate where I can leave my DR outside 36o+ days a year, and it is growing in full sun almost that many days.

    Hopefully, there will be some people here or maybe check the Cactus/Succulent forum, there are people that grow them with success that don't live in Fl. I hope you get some feedback on how well these perform in artificial light during the winter. I think they go dormant for colder climates? Mine never does...but it has lost a lot of leaves when I've left it outside during very cold weather. I've made sure to bring it in the garage when my temps go below 40° just to play it safe.

    You are probably correct in what you said about me taking only a year...while it might take you 3-4 years to achieve the same results.

    Well, Jodi did mention she was going to do some research, it's def. a very good idea. I've also seen some people that grow these in colder climates grow them much smaller in size, some in bonsai form.

  • justaguy2
    14 years ago

    Thanks for your comments, Nancy. Al, you seem to like Nancy's plant, do you have any plant comparable in terms of preferred/required climatic conditions that you can discuss in terms of culture whether as a bonsai specimen or other?

    I spent a few years living in Hawaii and fell in love with a tree that had 'gnarly' roots like Nancy's plant does, but these were huge in ground trees (probably some type of banyan tree). I have never seen anything with a comparable root appearance capable of surviving in the frozen north.

    Would love a container specimen, but not if it's just going to suffer 8-9 months out of the year from not being outside. Have enough of those already ;) One of these days I may have to move south.

  • jodik_gw
    14 years ago

    I'm sure Adenium can be grown in the north, but the plant will simply have a "rest period" over winter, and it'll just take longer to get to decent size. The trick will be providing it with enough light and the proper humidity indoors over winter. I think it's definitely worth a try, though!

    I'd love to move south, although there are advantages to living where there's a cold season. Viruses and bacterias are kept to a minimum, and many plants require a cold dormant season in order to bloom. I would miss Lilacs, Peonies, and the cold hardy, spring blooming bulbs, such as Tulips and Lilies. I wouldn't mind picking up one or two zones, though... lots of great tea roses could be grown in a zone 7 garden!

    One of my favorite trees is the Cyprus... they have great roots! I've not tried a bonsai as of yet... but I have always wanted to. An Adenium would be perfect, I think!

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    14 years ago

    You could always keep the plant free of flower buds to speed development (vegetative mass). I do that with most of my flowering bonsai and it makes a CONSIDERABLE difference.

    Al

  • buzzsaw8
    14 years ago

    Just WOW! puglvr1, thanks for posting, I really love the gnarled trunk. Much appreciated.

  • jodik_gw
    14 years ago

    That's a good idea... and one I need to learn more about as I study bonsai. There are many different types of trees, and a lot to learn!

  • jane__ny
    14 years ago

    Is that a plastic pot??

    Beautiful, healthy plant. Good growing.

    Jane

  • puglvr1
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thank you Buzzsaw and Jane...yes it is a plastic pot. The clay pot that size was a little more money than I wanted to spend. I actually grow plants in both plastic and clay, whatever is available and what my budget is at the time I need one,lol...I would love to find a large bonsai style pot, I think it would look really nice in one, but I know the price tag would be very high.

    Jodi, I wanted to update you on my Amaryllis, the flowers are opening! I just love them!! Thanks for your tips!

    Jodi, a quick question...after the blooms die off, do I just cut it below(all the way down at the bottom)of the stem? Then what? Thanks again!
    {{gwi:56866}}

    {{gwi:56867}}

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    14 years ago

    Dear Jane,
    Perhaps you missed the recent discussion about clay vs plastic containers. In it, no one ever said you couldn't grow beautiful, healthy plants in plastic plots. The point was that you have greater potential to grow more attractive and healthier plants in pots of gas-permeable material. Unfortunately, that concept proved just a little too difficult for a very few to process. ;o)

    Stellar job, Nance.

    Al

  • jodik_gw
    14 years ago

    Gorgeous, Nancy! Minerva is my favorite, for sentimental reasons... so I always have a soft spot for that variety!

    I wait until the stem fades on its own to clip it off... I don't like cutting them off when they're still green, leaving that open, gaping wound for insects or fungi to get in. Once the stem fades, I clip it off close to the bulb, and then begin a good regimen of feeding and plenty of light so the bulb can grow its leaves and recharge for the next bloom cycle.

    Good job, Nancy!

    And I agree... the larger the pot, the more they cost and the more they weigh. Sometimes, it's in my budget's best interest to go with plastic... although, I do keep my eyes open for sales on the larger clay pots.

    Right you are, Al... and the majority of us extrapolated that idea, and while we all have our preferences and know the science, even those of us preferring clay are at the mercy of what we can afford when it comes to those giant pots!

  • puglvr1
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thank you Al and Jodi!!

    I appreciate the tips on what to do after the blooms fades!
    Thanks for reminding me the name of this Amaryllis...I couldn't remember it,lol...Its my favorite of all the ones they had when I bought the bulb kit!!

  • jodik_gw
    14 years ago

    My pleasure, Nancy! Always happy to help a fellow bulb lover!

    Minerva might be one of the three most common varieties, the other two being Red Lion and Apple Blossom, but it'll always be my favorite because it has the same name as did my beloved American Bulldog... now deceased. When I saw the name on the box, I had to have it... and thus began my foray into growing, collecting and breeding Hippeastrum bulbs!

    My original Minerva bulb is about 10 years old now... and she faithfully blooms every spring! She's only taken 2 or 3 years off in all that time... either due to a move or a re-pot... but she's right back on schedule the following spring! I just recently separated her and her daughter bulb, which is as large as she is!

    Once you realize how easy these bulbs are to grow and bloom and breed, and you discover all the different varieties available out there, it's difficult not to become quite hooked on them!

    If you haven't already, check out Royal Colors, link below... it's one of my favorite sites... the best time to buy is early autumn, getting your orders in so you get the best bulbs... and just like anything else, you usually get what you pay for.

    I'm thoroughly addicted, myself, and have quite an extensive collection... and I'm not done collecting yet!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Royal Colors - Quality Amaryllis/Hippeastrum Bulbs

  • puglvr1
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Appreciate that Jodi and thanks for the link. Boy, I really don't need another addiction,lol. I already have a Hoya Addiction you would not believe, plus Jades! I got rid of a lot of other plants to make room for more Hoyas and Jades. I probably won't(can't is more like it) start another obsession. I just don't have the room!

    You mean to tell me...this bulb might have a daughter, oh boy! How will I know and when should I separate them...sorry about all the ??'s I wasn't expecting it,lol...

  • jane__ny
    14 years ago

    Thanks Al for filling me in. When i find the time I'll make sure to read those posts and work on my processing.

    Your words of wisdom are invaluable,

    Jane

  • jodik_gw
    14 years ago

    Well, Nancy, my Minerva didn't begin growing an offset until a few years ago, and I left them grow together until the daughter bulb about pushed mom up out of the pot! The two got so big side by side that they actually cracked the pot! That's the main reason I separated them... that, and I wanted to get them into better medium.

    Here they are, jammed in one pot, blooming nicely!
    {{gwi:56868}}

    Minerva and Daughter, after un-potting and cleaning up...
    {{gwi:56870}}

    But mom bloomed this past spring, even with a giant daughter bulb next to her, so there's no harm in leaving offsets in the same pot... as long as there's enough room for everyone.

    From my experience, Minerva doesn't offset too freely, so you should be ok for quite some time. Granted, I've grown my bulb indoors for the length of time I've had it, so growing it outdoors might affect it a bit differently.

    Collecting Amaryllids from South Africa and South America is my main addiction... but I do have a decent case of orchid addiction going on, as well! Add in all the "friendship plants" I've been gifted with, and I'm a little cramped here! So, I know what you mean!

    I love Hoyas, and if I had the space, I'd probably have those going on, too! I like Jades, too... but I usually kill those with too much watering. Of course, that was before I discovered the Al Method! :-)

  • puglvr1
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks Jodi, I guess for now I won't worry too much about it,lol...Two of them are fully open now, and it is just beautiful, I can see why you are addicted to them.

    Beautiful Minerva you have there, thanks for sharing!!

    I guess for a lot of us...space is the main problem for not growing more plants, we just need to win the lotto and build a bigger house and or greenhouse!

  • jodik_gw
    14 years ago

    One of my dreams is to have a nice greenhouse... or even better, a glassed in sun room/atrium running the entire length of my home, facing south east! I would love to spread out my jungle more... and have more room to collect bulbs and other plant types I'd like to try.

    I've got a dwarf banana tree, Crinum bulbs, two Plumeria starts, and a few other items that I'd love to keep in a large atrium so I could enjoy them all the time! As it is, I don't know what I'll do when these guys get too big!

  • JanetLE
    9 years ago

    Hello, I am so excited to be a part of this group! I recently bought a dessert rose plant and I have no clue how to raise it. I need recommendations on soil, fertilizer and pruning...Please.