To give an idea for pruning, here is my thought:
Ken, in the past I always let the Adenium cutting dry and callouse. Anymore, I usually just stab the cut end into Rootone powder and plant immediately. However, the tall and lanky seed-grown plant that has large, double, red and black flowers I nicknamed 'GoBucs' after our Tampa football team (whose colors are red and black (plus pewter)). I cut it into three pieces, saving the caudex part for myself, but designating the two cut stems to my daughters, both of whom were born in the Tampa area, and both of whom are huge Bucs fans. These cuttings I =did= let dry and callouse before planting.
I have forgotten cuttings before and discovered them later all dried up. Others have simply gone dormant or lost most of the leaves. So I have decided that usually it is safer to just go ahead and plant.
I do not remove any leaves unless they would be below the soil line. This is only for succulent plants like Adenium. For most other plants I leave most of the leaves but trim away most of the leaf blade.
I don't know how long the cut/calloused Adenium stem can be stored, but I suppose a lot depends on the size of the cutting. Those cuttings I found dried up were a long time ago, but they were small cuttings, and may even have been succulent rather than woody stems. They had been stored outside in a situation that likely encouraged the drying-out process.
If cuttings are of reasonable size, dormant, kept inside out of sun, and at reasonable temperatures, probably they can be stored for a couple weeks at least, if not considerably longer. Certainly long enough to send through the mail if that is the purpose.
I know Plumeria cuttings are often sold dormant with the cut end having been dipped in wax after dry and calloused. I know they store that way for a long time, but how long I don't know. I have never tried anything like that with Adeniums (having no reason to), and don't know if it would work with them. But I would expect wax would prolong storage time.
Ron
