How to make Adenium-Bonsai from seedlings? Part II

From last article, I have already introduced you about Arabicum Bonsai. This time I would like to start discussing about “How to make Arabicum Bonsai from seeds”. Here below are steps:
Our Best Thai Socotranum-Bonsai form with great multi-branch
form and perfect root base.

1. Seed Sowing: The Bonsai basic that you need to know is how to create the branch and root. These are 2 main things that you should focus in.

For Branch, you need to know what kind of Arabicum seed hybrids that can perform the Bonsai characters. From my experiences, I like to select hybrid come from Ra Chi Nee Pan Dok (RCN), mixed RCN hybrid, or RCN mixed with Thai Socotranum (especially with Thai Socotranum: Golden Crown or GC. Golden Crown is the most popular of Thai Socotranum with the best branch styles and nice root base.

Why so I use RCN as hybrid leader to make Bonsai? The reason is that RCN can give tiny & multi-branches and more branch internodes or joints. RCN itself cannot give root base well as Bonsai trend so this root base must come from root creation yourself following with Bonsai Methodology. This is why I focus on RCN as hybrid lead and seed harvested from Mother Plant can give more multi-branches than F1, F2, and F3… etc.

For root, you need to create or make yourself based on Bonsai knowledge. You will see how to create root below. From my experiences, not all of seedlings can give grade “A” seedlings. You can get Grade A seedling depending on amount of your growing seedlings. When you harvest seeds, you should put them in the shade and make sure they are dry, not get any moisture.
Seed sowing following with Bonsai style is different from normal seed growing. We need to select the baby seedlings have perfect and healthy forms to do this. For media, I used Sand, Coconut powder and rice husk powder mixed together in order to easier pull baby seedlings up from this media to do the root creation for next step.

2. Root Creation: This is the next step after selecting baby seedling come from seed hybrids can perform multi-branches style. Naturally, taproot (middle main root) will start coming out from seedlings first and go down to the media which help stem get straight up to retrieve the sun light. After that seedlings will create the branch roots periodically also help stem hold with media when getting larger and better absorbs water and food from media.
For Bonsai, this is totally different. The great thing for Bonsai making is focused on how to change from single main root to become with branch roots instead. You have to make at least 7-8 branch roots around the caudex in horizontal level mostly start working with seedlings come up with 2-3 young leaves.

New trend 2008 of Arabicum-Thai Socotranum, we like to focus
more on multi-branches, not muscular form, with many
shorten branch internodes, tiny branches, short caudex and
spread root base.

How to make Arabicum-Bonsai from Seeds? (PART 1)

Hi Arabicum Fans;

Most Arabicum growers are pretty worried about how they could start growing Arabicums like bonsai form from seeds.This way could take time but we will be prouder of making this ourselves. You can save time by getting ready Arabicums as bonsai form and maintain them later but this will be expensive way. TodayI would like to share the idea how to create Arabicum followed with Bonsai class. It’s not similar to 100% Bonsai form just look like.

Our Arabicum: RCN X Thai Socotranum : Golden Crown Collection

Arabicum-Bonsai grown from seedsThis way is appropriate with the beginner because they will notice how the plant developing from baby to young seedlings and Giant size. You also understand the arabicum nature, natural growing and the arabicum methodologies. I guarantee this will be more fun.

Unfortunately, growing Arabicum following with Bonsai development takes longer time, you must be patient and mentally calm. This could help growers know how to plan growing and maintaining the Arabicums each step based on what the plant form should be on that time. You also have to know what tools or equipments you need to use for each step. You can also use bonsai experiences with Air-Layering and rootstock to apply with Arabicum-Bonsai seedling growing.

The Arabicum hybrids we can mostly use for Bonsai sowing are Arabicum: Ra Chi Nee Pan Dok and mixed hybrid but need to have RCN as leader like RCN X Petch Na Wang, RCN X Lop Bu Ri (LBR). For this time, I do the handed cross pollination between RCN and Thai Socotranum: Golden Crown (GC) by using RCN as pollen. As we knew, GC is the best Thai Socotranum hybrid with nice root base and paralleled branch form.

Here below are the Arabicum-Bonsai processes:
1. Seed sowing focused on hybrid usuage2. How to create root around bottom caudex3. How to organize the root with bonsai discipline (angle technique)4. How to raise the caudex size as we need5. How to maintain shape or form as Bonsai class

I will talk about these things later. You can share the idea to me via my email.
Thanks a lot and have fun with Arabicum growing.

Suan Luang, The Biggest Adenium Contest in Thailand 2007

Hi Adenium Lovers;

Today I would like to present the "Suan Luang" 2007 Adenium Contest (The Biggest Adenium Contest in Thailand dedicated to our Majesty King Phumibol). Suan Luang Rama IX Park , a new and sizable metropolitan public park, was born out of the aspirations and fervent desire
of a group of His Majesty the King'loyal subjects to create and dedicate a park as a token of homage and honour to His Majesty on the occasion of His Sixtieth Birthday Anniversary in the year B.C. 2530 (A.D.1987), with the fullest co-operation of the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority. There are 3 main contest classes categorized by hybrids (Obesum, Arabicum and Thai Socotranum) and plant height (30cms, 50 cms and over 50 cms or Giant


The Grand Champion and the 1st and winning
award at Suan Luang contest with our RCN Mother plant.

Size). There is only one biggest award
"The Best Show award" means the Grand Champion plant selected and judged from each of 1st ranking from each contest class.
There are over 100 Adenium plants to join this contest.

We won the Grand Champion (The Best Show) with our Arabicum : Ra Chi Nee Pan Dok (RCN) or "Queen of Thousand Flowers" aged 35 years and also won the 1st winning award of RCN contest class.


The 1st Winning Award of Thai Socotranum with
30 height contest class, we use Golden Crown to join this contest

Here, only RCN is seperated from other
Adenium Arabicum Contest Class. The most exciting contest class is Adenium Arabicum contest with 25 cm height because many adenium players can bring them easily and not long maintaining. We also got the 1st and 2nd winning award with Thai Socotranum 30 cm height contest class. We took the best of Thai Socotranum : Golden Crown to join this contest.

Our Golden Crown has been maintained since baby seedling harvested from NSD Nursery (The owner of Thai Socotranum : Golden Crown and great partner) and for 3 years.

They also have the over 50 cm height-Thai Socotranum contest class. We took our Petch Ban Na (PBN) mother plant to join and won the 3rd winning award. She is 15 years old. We have trained her for 5 years especially with her roots like "Anacondra".


The 2nd Winning Award of Thai Socotranum
with 30 cm hieght Contest class

For the Arabicum with over 50 cm height class, we won the 2nd and 3rd winning award. We took the Arabicum: Petch Na Wang (PNW) and Petch Muang Kong (PMK) motherplants to join this contest. Both of them are over 15 years.


For the Arabicum with over 50 cm height class, we won the 2nd and 3rd winning award. We took the Arabicum: Petch Na Wang (PNW) and Petch Muang Kong (PMK) motherplants to join this contest. Both of them are over 15 years.

This is the most honour reward to usDon't worry if you did not come to this contest because I made the VDO for you to watch, please enjoy and hope you to visit 2008 Suan Luang Contest. Take care... Adenium Lovers

Another Factor to grow with nice seedlings

Hi Arabicum Lovers;

Growing up seedlings with nice form is not difficult anymore. I told you that the controlled factors are Media, Minerals, Fertilizer, watering and uncontrolled ones are climate, moisture, diseases.

There is another important thing : Mother plant sources. We don't wanna waste time without knowing what seed resource is come from. Mostly I can get about 70% seedlings look stable with mother plant hybrid.


Siam Black Pearl Mother Plant, the newest generation of
Black Arabicum (More)


Our Winning Arabicums and Thai Socotranums Collection at backyard

Actually I also like the weird or strange seedlings look different from mother plant. Few can be new hybrid as well. Another thing to think about is the age of mother plant.
From my experiences, I have found that seedlings come from mother plant's age over 7-10 years can represent more beautiful form and stronger seedlings from young mother.

I like to grow seedling with natural thing, not like to boost up with chemical fertilizer. Yes, baby seedlings can grow bigger but they would be lost form, longer branch and hard to maintain the form especially in the rainy season.


Some of our selected form prepared and maintained for incoming
contest form

Thai Socotranum : Golden Crown

Hi Thai Socotranum lovers;

Today I would like to show many forms of Thai Socotranum: Golden Crown. Golden crown or GC is one of the most popular and best form in Thai Soco group. The special characters is middle main stem around with parallel side branches. This look like King Crown.

We have developed new style with shorter neck caudex and wider root base. We called this as "Dwarf GC". Please click the right photo to watch them.

Here on the left photo is our Golden Crown with 1.5-2" caudex, aged 7 months. Normally, Thai Soco seedlings are pretty hard to define with hybrid because the form will show up distinctively when they are about 6 months up.

GC form always change in a better shape every 2-3 months. Sometimes, bad form of young seedlings can perform better form than nice seedling form. This is very challenge to grow them.

Arabicum : RCN Air Layering

Air-Layering propagation is most likely to be useful for perennial herbaceous plants and shrubs. Growing a plant from a cutting produces a clone of the parent plant or mother plant. For revegetation, plants already growing successfully in an area can be replicated.

These are the reasons for loving RCN Air-Layering.
* As you know RCN is the most popular in Arabicum in term of productive flowers
,especially hybrids, this method can reproduce true to parents unlike sowing
from seeds.
* Plants mature in a shorter time
* New plants are the same as the parent plant


With this method, roots can be produced on stems above the soil. Layering is basically a method of getting a branch or stem to produce roots while still being attached to the parent plant. When the roots are established, the branch is cut and the new plant is potted or planted into the ground where it starts growing as a new plant. This is a method of propagation that is asexual, or vegetative rather than sexual, as is the case when propagating from seed. Two main benefits of asexual or vegetative propagation are: New plants are capable of reaching maturity much faster than when propagated from seed. When layering though, it may take a long time for roots to start growing in some species. Some plants such as hybrids will not reproduce true to parent stock when propagated from seed, in fact, some of these kinds of plants will not even produce viable seed. Asexual propagation in such cases is the only way to get new plant starts. After the new roots are well formed, cut just below the area to sever from the parent plant. This is a great way to obtain bonsai specimens. Plant in pot or in the ground. Layering is an easy way to create "perfect rootage" on a tree with a one-sided or unattractive root system.



So...if you are real fan of Arabicum: RCN and love to have TRUE blood or hybrid from mother plant so you should not miss it coz all of our RCN Air-Layering are made from my first original Mother Plant. That means you can get 100% TRUE hybrid RCN.

Ah!!! Dwarfs

Hi Arabicum lovers;

Today I would like to show you some of my Dwarf varieties. I pretty believe that the best factor very important to help seedlings become with the nice form is HYBRID from Mother plant you sow.

There are 2 kinds of seedlings:
1. Seedling followed as Mother Plant Form As we know. some seedlings can be mutant from sowing. If you would like to get this kind of seedling, you should know the mother plant form and source.

Form means "what you want your seedling will be look like". Source means "how much true hybrid you get". This can help you save sowing time and better than sowing seeds without knowing hybrid you get.

2. Mixed Seedling HybridThis kind of seedling can make by hand crossed pollination. You can imagine what new seedling form would be like. The best thing is to know what mother plants you wanna cross.

Two Crossed Hybrids should come from each nice motherplants. Not only crossing with Arabicum x Arabicum, but now we can cross Arabicum x Thai Socotranum.

For this time, I would like to talk about Arabicum x Arabicum first. Mostly I would like to use Arabicum:RCN (The best Arabicum as most productive form) as male and use Arabicum:PNW as female because RCN stamen is very strong and faster move into pistil than

other Arabicum stamen. RCN herself is hard to perform Dwarf or chubby form but RCN is good for productive flowers and especially with branch internodes. Most popular form of PNW are Multi-Branch and Muscular Branches but few flowers.
Below photos are what we crossed 1. RCN X PNW (Multi-Branch) - we have new F1 charactered like Bamboo or Medusa style with many internodes




around branches and shiny leaves with red border. 2. RCN X PNW (Muscular) - We have new F1 charactered like Rhinozaur, shiny and thicker leaves. 3. RCN X Black Giant - This is our sucess because F1 is pretty stable now. We named this as "Siam Majestic" or Black RCN. OK, I think this is enough for sharing idea. Have a great day,, my adenium friends in this planet.