Adenium socotranum (Caudex)

The name of this species comes from the Socotra desert, south of the Arabian peninsula, where the first specimen was found. It is undoubtedly a very peculiar caudex plant which makes it extremely sought after by collectors: it has a rounded bulge at the base, a characteristic that often, especially at a young age, allows it to be easily distinguished from other Adenium; in addition to giving the plant an absolutely peculiar appearance, it acts as a water reserve to be exploited for long periods of drought. From the stem, which tends to elongate and take on truly extravagant shapes as it grows, leaves of a beautiful emerald green branch off, rich in whitish veins, which widen at the tip and arrange themselves in a radial pattern around the body of the plant. In summer its large, typically pink flowers pleasantly contrast against the lively leaves, a characteristic that has earned it the common name "Rose of Socotra". Perhaps not many know that this species is by far one of the largest of the genus: Adenium socotranum can reach two meters in diameter in the wild and exceed 3 meters in height, like a sort of giant baobab that will certainly not go unnoticed!