I finally solved my problem with my cats scratching the caudex of the adeniums. I've put them on concrete columns. One of them has a stalk that is several times longer than all the rest. I'd kind of like to cut it back, what will happen? Will it branch from the cut? or just look chopped forever? Can I root the cutting?

Here's a pic.

You can cut it (absolutely) and it will branch; and yes, you can root the branch but it will not form a caudex.

OK, then I think I'll wait until the buds on it have bloomed and cut it shorter than the others. That should even it out a bit when it branches. I may stick the cutting in the ground just for the blooms.

That is what I usually do with the cuttings!

I have done the same thing with 6 of mine, they grew so tall over winter, I stick my cuttings in a pot too just for the blooms.

And why not

Cuttings WILL grow fat roots! It's the nature of Adeniums to grow 'storage' roots for dry season, where they live in the wild.

The caudex that a cutting will not grow is simply the fat part just under the limbs, above the roots. Sometimes not a very large part of the plant. There's the branches that come out of the caudex, then below that middle part, there are the fat roots.

Oh, and when you cut the branch, make your cut diagonal, not straight across. It will heal better.

I stand corrected! But my rooted cutting does not have a caudex. Of course I have no idea what is under the soil.....

Oh boy, how long has the plant been growing?

Hetty, if the plant has been growing for six months, go turn the pot on its' side, and gently gouge out some of the soil, just to see what might be there, maybe an inch or two, five cm.

Oh I will, it has been growing for more than a year

OK, cut on diagonal, bury deep perhaps? and a year or so from now look for a fat root. Cool!

Good luck!

Hey, Hetty, what did it look like?

Fat roots yes... but not many, it's a bit wiggly now

I tried to root the cuttings but did not succeed. I don't know that I have done wrong ???

No message, Mandala?

I did have one plant that rotted so badly that you could say it was a cutting. It was hanging for a month or two before it started growing rootlets around the bottom. I put it in a pot, and one root grew fat, looked like a golf ball. All the other rootlets grew, but stayed small, as feeder roots.

Melissa

your cuttings started to root when they where hanging?? please tell me how you did it!
thanks
mike

Sometimes a cut part of a plant, or a healed part, will form little rootlets, more like bumps, along the edge. I would show a photo, but the computer people seem to have emptied the computer of all sorts of things, including my photos, hahaha. I was putting an awful lot into this public machine....

ill have to try that thanks