Fluorescent Reds

[David Clulow]

One of our members recently asked how to get these deep, velvety textured almost fluorescent reds.  I have explained before you must use a deep purple Adenium swazicum, such as my A. swazicum #6. as the pollen parent.  However, this is the last of the line, I don't make these crosses very much now, as the resultant seedlings are invariably pollen sterile and almost, but not quite impossible, to get pods to form.

The pod parent of this one was a very good standard red raised from Mark Dimmitt's seeds. This brilliant colour is fairly standard for this cross.  The seedlings are fairly slow growing and take two to three times the usual time to flower.  I usually get my seedlings to start flowering in as little as eight months from seed, these crosses invariably take over two and even up to three years to flower.  So in order to propagate these, it is easier and quicker to graft them

David in Venezuela