Adenia ISALOENSIS

Adenia ISALOENSIS - Isalo Adenia.

Can be grown in bonsai style!

Adenia is a genus of perennial deciduous succulent plants in the Passifloraceae family, comprising over 100 species originating primarily from tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Madagascar, and Southeast Asia.

Plants of the genus are distinguished by the formation of a massive spherical caudex or underground tuber of greyish-green color, capable of reaching 100 cm (40 in) in diameter. In natural conditions, a smooth cone-shaped grey trunk can reach 3 m (10 ft) in height. Long shoots extending from the trunk can be scrambling, sometimes with tendrils. The leaves are entire or lobed, often with stipules, alternate or oppositely arranged. The plant has rather dense, stiff, interlaced thorns.

The flowering period of the plant falls in July. Fragrant flowers in most species are small, unisexual, gathered in axillary umbellate inflorescences. The petal coloration is yellow, yellow-green, and white-yellow. The fruit is a cone-shaped, obovoid capsule or berry, often inflated, of yellow, green, or red color, containing rounded seeds.

The plant is low-demanding in care, growing quite slowly under indoor conditions. Many species demonstrate exceptional drought tolerance thanks to the substantial caudex in which moisture accumulates. It can be shaped beautifully as a bonsai. It looks excellent in a group of succulent plants, including ornamental flowering kinds.

Adenia ISALOENSIS is a relatively small representative of the genus. The trunk forms a swelling of round, or most often oval shape, 20-25 cm (8-10 in) in diameter. Branches are 1-1.5 meters (3.3-5 ft) in length. Flowers are pale yellow. In the natural habitat, it is distributed in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Seeds are soaked for 6-12 hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or fungicide with the addition of stimulants (SUPERthrive, HB-101, Aminozol, Epin, or Zircon), then sown on the surface of a moist loose substrate consisting of sand, peat, and perlite, and lightly covered with a layer of soil. The sowing is moistened with a spray bottle, placed in a propagator or covered with plastic wrap, and germinated in bright light but not direct sun at a temperature of 22-28 °C (72-82 °F). Seedlings require ventilation. Excessive moisture and drying out of the sowings must be avoided.

Under favorable conditions, the first seedlings appear in 15-25 days. The maximum germination period can exceed 40 days. Pricking out is carried out when 2-3 true leaves appear into separate small pots with light substrate and drainage.

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Indoors, placement on a sunny windowsill or under grow lights is recommended. In summer, keeping outdoors in a rain-sheltered spot is permitted. Direct light and high summer temperatures are tolerated well, as the plant is drought-resistant, but slight shading may be required in severe heat. In summer, the temperature is maintained within 22-28 °C (72-82 °F), with an optimum of 25-26 °C (77-79 °F). In winter, maintenance at a temperature of 12-15 °C (54-59 °F) (minimum 7 °C (45 °F)) is necessary.

Watering is carried out regularly after the soil dries out during the summer period, and very cautiously and moderately in winter. When the ambient temperature drops during the winter period, watering is discontinued. Stagnation of water at the roots is not permitted. From March to August, low-nitrogen fertilizers for cacti and succulents are applied once a month. During dormancy, fertilizing is not required.

A loose, well-drained, breathable substrate with the addition of sand, perlite, and crushed brick is used. Preference is given to a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. Repotting is carried out in spring once every 2-3 years by potting-on. Pruning of shoots is performed to give shape.

Propagation is carried out by seeds, which germinate under stable warmth. Propagation by cuttings rooted in a heated mini-greenhouse is also possible, but this method does not produce a caudex.