The genus Adenium is usually seen as comprising 5 distinct, but closely related species; but it has also at times been treated as one species (Adenium obesum) with six subspecies[].

Common Name:

General Information

Adenium oleifolium is a succulent, deciduous shrub growing up to 40cm tall. It has a thickened tuberous rootstock that can be 50 - 80cm wide and 15 - 30cm long
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local medicinal use. It is grown as an ornamental[].

Known Hazards

An arrow poison is prepared from the latex, or from a decoction of the extremely bitter tuber[].
The plant contains cardiac glycosides and can cause death when ingested[].

Botanical References

Range

Southern Africa - Namibia, Botswana, S. Africa.

Habitat

Grassland with bushes, on stony ridges and limestone rock outcrops or in loose sand at elevations from 700 - 1,200 metres[, ].

Properties

Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	0.40 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of semi-arid and arid areas of the subtropics and tropics, found at elevations up to 1,200 metres. Plants are intolerant of frost[].
Requires a sunny position in a very well-drained soil[]. Established plants are very drought resistant[].
A slow-growing plant[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A salve prepared from the plant is applied to snakebites and scorpion stings[, ].

A tea made from the root sap is used to treat fever and colic[, ]. In larger doses it is purgative and toxic[].

Several cardiac glycosides have been isolated from the plant. In trials, an alcohol tincture of the root produced restlessness, generalized tremor, rapid breathing, convulsions and death[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - germinates readily and rapidly at temperatures around 27 - 35°c[, ].
The plant is easily propagated from stem cuttings. Take 10 - 22cm long cutting, seal the ends or dip them in a rot-preventing mixture. They can also be dusted with a hormone powder and then left to dry out for about a week. Plant the cuttings in a very well-drained, sandy compost, but start watering only after root development is noticed[].
The plant can be grafted onto the roots of Nerium oleander. Such grafted plants are more tolerant of moisture in the soil[].

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