i rescued this plant from a local walmart for $2 dollars. the plant was in very bad shape, and had droped many of its leaves, and the remaining leaves had brown tips. i took the plant home and have been trying to keep it alive, which it still is! what im wondering is the plant is in a dormant stage, since it is winter here in boston. will new leaves (and flowers) grow when the season changes and more light is available. how much water does this plant need now in the winter and also in the summer? thanks for the help, NIK
Hi, I have had Adeniums for a few years now. Mine always go dormant at this time also. I just water whenever I feel the caudex going a bit "soft". If it has "squish" to it, I water, and it will go solid again. New leafs and eventually flowers will form for sure, if everything is okay. I have even trimmed them to keep them compact, and they back sprout. One of mine is the size of a softball at least.
As was mentioned, Adeniums will have a rest period or dormancy from November to March. At least that has been my experience in Michigan. I was noticing that the leaves appear to be suffering from fertilizer burns. Normally, older foliage will discolor, as a whole, then drop. Yours appear to be damaged on the tips. Treat Adeniums like cacti during their rest period. In the Fall and Spring, keep the soil only slightly moist, and in the Summer you can treat them like a tropical. We have a few culture guides posted in the Caudiciform and Pachycaul Tree forum. In the Photo Gallery, there is more specific information. Mark
