I have read over many posts on this forum in search of what you all think makes a "good" attractive caudex. Is it girth? Many "legs"? Width? Length? What? Is it repotting that encourages a larger caudex? I remember reading (Hetty?) that when you repot, you lift it 1" above the previous soil line to enlarge the caudex. I I'd like to hear from those who grow for a nice caudex. I also like the flowers though. Do I have to give up blooms for a nice caudex? I like a nice caudex about as much as I like pretty flowers. Can't we have both in the Adenium World?

You can definitely have both! Here is a good example of an Adenium I received that was planted too deep. You can see how much I lifted it when repotting so it showed off its nice caudex.
And as far as what is 'attractive ' beauty is in the eye of the beholder.....

Another one that I lifted quite severely.



Some people definitely grow for the caudex shape or size, but judging by the fact that I have two pictures of plants and a zillion pictures of flowers , the flowers are definitely more important to me!

I put about equal emphasis on flowers and caudex.I will turn down a plant that has exceptional flowers but a poor caudex.For me,a good caudex equals size and wierd/interesting shape.The arabicum on the right has a good caudex and nice flowers.The olefolium on the left has no caudex to speak of and almost no flowers.It would be toast except it's the only one of those I have.

Up to you! If you like, ok, if you don't, gone!

Here's google's pages of photos of caudexes, caudexi?

http://www.google.co.vi/search...

Caudices

CAUDEXES

Hi Jim, like you I don't get here much any more but do check the posts.

I'm just getting old and lazy, just happy to wake up alive in the morning I miss everyone though, hey, whats your preference, bloom or caudex?

You're a trouble maker, Jim!! I want a great big, funny caudex with gorgeous blooms!

Yea, I know it ! Still I'd like to hear Doris's choice. I'm with you on caudexes, been keeping up reading the posts and am going to try digging up a few and slicing off the tap root just for kicks and giggles. How have ya been doing kiddo, still aqua diving? Is that what it's called?




Jim

One more thing about cutting the tap root......let it dry thoroughly, or dip in some fungicide or cinnamon, before repotting.

Jim, I haven't been "scuba diving" in quite a while. Maybe again someday. I'm digging in the dirt lately, have planted Callaloo, Eddoe, Yam, tropical roots they are. The first two are elephant ears types of plants, the yam is a vine headed up my soursop tree, has fat roots. Haha, an edible caudex? hahahaha.

Jim on flower or caudex, I am a flower gal, and the smell

For smell, I like jasmine! I have a seedpod that's a cross between two somewhat fragrant DRs, one white, the other a pale yellow. Fingers crossed that I get seeds, and then babies, and then blooming plants! With great caudexxxxxesssii

Tough question....caudex or flowers? Though I'm just a noob with adeniums right now, I'd have to say I like both yet I lean more towards a good caudex. From what I've read the arabicums and Thai socos are grown mainly for their caudices and the obesums more for the flowers--but even that doesn't mean you can't have a nice caudex on an obesum. It's just that they're a bit different, the obesum caudex seems to usually be more like really thick roots and they don't seem to get the wider horizontal caudex growth typical of arabicums--at least from what I've seen so far. Yet one can't really say "obesums NEVER do this...." or "arabicums ALWAYS have...." since there are so many variables--seed source, growing conditions, heavily pruned or not, etc. What I DO know for sure is that I'm getting a lot of enjoyment growing adeniums as well as learning a lot....and no matter how old you get, you should never stop learning.

As to JT's comment, I'm not sure I could turn down a plant with exceptional flowers but a poor caudex. I think I'd get the plant anyway and maybe try to graft the better flowering parts onto another adenium with a nicer caudex. This is all theoretical at the moment since I can't find ANY adeniums locally--not even Home Depot or Wal-Mart....forget local nurseries--up here they know/have virtually nothing beyond basic cacti an succulents. Maybe I'll donate a few in a year or two when my seedlings get more mature just to get the ball rolling. Right now all the adenium seeds and plants I get are via the internet.

The caudex is long term love while the blooms are like little affairs of the heart...

LOL No truer words, Robert!

Very well put, Robert

RobertB said: The caudex is long term love while the blooms are like little affairs of the heart...

I like that! We have a plant that gives our heart all it needs!