It looks like this picture should be placed under the existing listing for Adenium obesum ssp. socotranum, and the "True Soco" listing deleted.

Desert Rose (Adenium obesum subsp. socotranum)

I am assuming this plant is the Socotran Adenium. What do you think?

I'm inclined to agree with Baja. The few references to 'True Soco' on the Internet are nebulous enough to make me doubt that this is a valid cultivar name. Merging the entries will move the photo to the A. obesum subsp. socotranum page and eliminate the new entry. Would you agree to that solution, RCanada?

Just to clarify and explain, based on what zuzu's comments.... Adenium socotranum (now known as a ssp. of obesa) is relatively new to cultivation and still not widely available (which would explain why it might be necessary to say "true" Soco when describing a plant, especially given the misuse of that term in the trade). No doubt there are people trying, but I've never heard of a hybrid or cultivar of socotranum, just the (sub)species. The main problem with the plant to preclude this (other than availability, which is becoming less of a problem) is that it is very slow, undergoes extended dormancy, and takes a long time to reach maturity.

Zuzu,
It is all quite nebulous and if you could please add the photo of the Adenium obesum subsp. socotranum (this Adenium is from the Island of Socotra), I would appreciate it very much.

This Adenium is not new to culitvation, just not widely available as seed is restricted. Many growers in the U.S. have plants of seed producing size.

Thank you Zuzu.

This plant has only become available in the last few years. To me that counts as being new to cultivation, especially given the lifespan of the plant. This matters because it helps explain the use of these two invalid names.

Desert Rose (Adenium obesum subsp. socotranum 'Golden Crown')
which is not socotranum but may be called "Thai Soco" in the trade to gain status

Desert Rose (Adenium 'True Soco')
which is probably labeled that way by the grower simply because of its rarity (see above)

A note in Philippe de Vosjoli's second Pachyforms book describes 2004 as the "breakthrough" year when a southern California nursery first put out a good-sized crop of socotranums. The plants on the market today may likely be offspring or grandchildren of this first wave of "captive" socotranums.

The Socotranums name is derived from it's place of origin. The Island of "Socotra" off of Yemen. It is sometimes called "True Soco" only to not have people confuse with what the Thai people are growing called, "Thai Socotranums" a subsp of Arabicum.
Many have these plants and have had for 10yrs and better. The life span of a plant does not determine it's rarity or time in culitvation.

It does indicate how long the plants have been in.cultivation. The first generation of "captive" socotranums are still quite young. Ten years is but a small fraction of their lifespan on Socotra. You have a firm date (2004) and if that does not qualify as recent then we have different understandings.of the word recent as it applies to plants in cultivation.