PlantFiles: Adenium
Adenium oleifolium

A smaller, slower growing member of the genus, A. oleifolium is not as common in cultivation as A. obesum or even A. swazicum. The leave are olive grey (hence the name) and elongate with a slight wave on the edge if the plants are grown in harsh sunlight. They tend to do best in clay pots and thrive in a mineral rich, course sandy medium. Bonemeal is always welcome and plants can be fertilized with a kelp-based product when in leaf.
It naturally occurs in a summer-rainfall area (Kalahari Desert), so be very careful not to water much in winter - rather err on the dry side as plants can rot easily. A stone mulch on top helps to keep the soil temperature more even. Plants do not form as large a caudex as others in the genus and it forms mostly underground, but you can lower the soil level slightly every year to up the wow-factor on the fat roots.
Older plants bloom in the Fall and the deep pink coloured flowers contrast beautifully with the silvery grey stems and olive foliage. A keeper.