I still consider them dormant even if it makes buds and blooms when there is still no new leaves formed. Got to have new leaves to really deem them awake.

You are right about that I read an article that some plants bloom when they think they are dying.

tarev said: I still consider them dormant even if it makes buds and blooms when there is still no new leaves formed. Got to have new leaves to really deem them awake.

yes -

around here - it has been like a roller-coaster ...80's last week, today 61° tonight 38° ... maybe in 10 days

GigiPlumeria said: You are right about that I read an article that some plants bloom when they think they are dying.

I've heard this theory over the years and in general I reject it for "normal" perennials for various reasons. Plants don't think or plan. They react to conditions and stimuli like insect activity. They are either "programmed" to perish after blooming, or not.

Part of the basis of the theory could arise from some confusion in regard to conflating annuals with perennials. Annuals sprout, bloom, die, and can't live indefinitely in any location or climate. Producing seeds that sprout into new individuals is the only way these species can persist. Sometimes bloom can be delayed, subsequently prolonging the life temporarily, and this may play a part in the origin of the theory.

There are biennial plants that usually bloom in their 2nd year, then perish, or sometimes bloom again the 3rd year, but individuals can't stay live indefinitely. Hollyhocks and foxgloves are examples of this. They are similar to annuals in that they require seeds that produce new individuals for the species to persist.

Another part of the confusion could be conflation of monocarpic plants with "normal" perennials. Monocarpic plants can take years, even decades, to finally form a bloom, and then they die. They make colonies via offsets, and seeds only serve to potentially start new colonies. Because most of them make offsets first, blooming and seeding is not the only or even primary method by which the species keeps on going, even though individuals can't live indefinitely.

For non-annual, non-monocarpic, non-biennial species, which are the perennials, blooming is only incidental to maturity and conditions. Individuals only perish if conditions prevent continued life, such as a drought, storm/lightning, other plants making too much shade, or damaging activity by other outside forces. Over the course of such a long life per individual, the production of seeds has likely been accomplished hundreds of times. If a single incidence of blooming/seeding is not what makes or breaks the species, it seems completely illogical that an individual would somehow sense an urgency to bloom and produce seeds if not in good health but yet accomplish it anyway, and especially if it somehow requires a form of suicide.

plants went out yesterday, and watered to saturation for the first time since October 16 2022...thats 165 days without water ....and with zero losses

most adenium were leafless, most looked wrinkled, and had cavities around the caudex.... since watering yesterday, the wrinkling has almost vanished and the cavities have filled in, and since yesterday quite a few have sprouted tiny leaves from the warmth of the sun

I'd really be afraid to let mine go without water that long, although I've read in enough places it can be done. Where I keep mine indoors in a south window is also above a heat vent, so I've been watering them once a month. Hardly no leaves have dropped, and the caudex isn't quite as big as it was, but not wrinkled at all.

I wouldn't suggest (or try) doing the same with any other plant .... but adenium seem to do okay without any water when dormant ...
last year my plants went 172 days without water ...

Been looking ahead at the weather forecast here on our side...still cold overnight. Got to wait patiently.
Comparing our weather/temperatures last year to this year at this time, this year is definitely a wetter period and temperatures 10 degrees cooler. So got to be very careful acclimating these overwintered plants especially the Adeniums.

I do not have a lot thankfully, and the oldest one is quietly in bloom, so will just enjoy its bloom show indoors for now. The way I see it, I have to wait at least till end of April before I can safely bring these ones out.

And in my Zone 5b, I'm hoping to also put mine out the end of April, probably 2 weeks earlier than normal. Weird weather everywhere this year.

been using the national weather service, and weather under ground and wait for a 10 day "window" 50° or above before a move outside ...the next 10 days and beyond look to be smooth sailing......
been going here for 7 day weather > https://www.weather.gov/ .....type in your zip code at top left
and here for 10 day > https://www.wunderground.com/ .....click on search & favorites, then "find nearest station" and look at 10 days from now

I use Weather Underground also. But for putting plants out, I usually go by my own thermometers outside my windows though.

Amazing that they can survive that long without water. Some of my seedlings have been totally outside since February. I am watching them closely. Some have plump up but others still look dehydrated. I will most likely unpot them this weekend.

GigiPlumeria said: Amazing that they can survive that long without water. Some of my seedlings have been totally outside since February. I am watching them closely. Some have plump up but others still look dehydrated. I will most likely unpot them this weekend.

not only can they go that long without water, they can flower too ....some produce the beginnings of seedpods, but those always dry up and abort

I agree on that. I have seedpods that seemed to grow full size but just turned black. When I opened the seedpods, the seeds were thick but empty.

So tempting to bring out the Adeniums, seeing our city trees, which are usually so slow to wake up is now done with its catkins stage and now doing the leafing mode. Before at this stage, this is the indicator I can safely bring out my Adeniums. But not this year, for today to tomorrow night it shows overnight frost advisories..oh well...patience..patience..

It seems odd that any place in 9B would have frost in April. Is it surprising, or something you were expecting?

October 24, 2022:

GigiAdeniumPlumeria said: This still has buds but now yellowing, most likely in response to last week's dip in temps to below 50's plus I withheld watering for a few days during cold snap:



And Mrs Rose was just lush and green now showing signs of going dormant.


We are back to high of 80s and lows mid 60s this week.

Glad I found this thread, similar to last year my desert roses have buds but some leaves are turning yellow. We are still high 80s during the day and no rain in sight the whole week. I haven't watered for a week and now leaves are turning yellow even with buds. I watered most but just the top to keep them moist.

Some think it is spring and growing new leaves. They are confused this time of year. Most likely the yellowing was a response from last week's cold weather.

We had the bout of cold weather in Texas as well. It got to below 50 degrees for a few nights. I brought my adeniums into a covered patio with an enclosed plastic wall for this time. Now they are out for their last week of our growing season. I gave them their final water for this season on 10/18.

Many are in bloom. Several are yellowing and loosing their leaves already. It was a good year for them.

@2Many Plants, I was wondering how your desert roses did this year as we have not seen any updated photo. Has your collection grown exponentially like mine

I think I have a few more weeks before I truly stop watering but the watering intervals will be longer but I did my last deep watering. Then later months they will just get water on the top (not too close to the caudex) just to keep the soil from turning bone dry. No more pruning or nitrogen rich fertilizer since I don't want tender branches too close to the winter time. I had to battle stem rots last winter on new growths.

Did any of your seedlings bloom yet. The adenium seedlings thread we are wondering if our own seed pollinated will bloom pink or closer to the momma. I only have a red and white and pink seedlings bloom. My new seedlings from grafted have not bloomed yet.

Yes the collection grew in quantity and size! I added clones, species and seedlings.

I've moved my older seedlings into 5' x 5' grow light tents weeks ago so they wouldn't get confused about their transition to dormancy. I'll put them to sleep in December & wake them up in late January.
Only 20% of my one year olds have bloomed. All seedlings have been single petaled. Some are nicer than others, but no knockouts.

The mature plants are on carts enjoying the last week outdoors before dormancy.