Adenium Socotranum

Adenium socotranum is currently the rarity of the group. It originates only from the isolated island of Socotra in the Indian Ocean south of the Arabian peninsula and east of the Horn of Africa. This is the giant of the group, with massive trunks up to 10 ft tall and 8 ft in diameter! For many years Socotra hosted a Soviet naval port and was off limits to most everyone, restricting the availability of plants and seeds. In recent years it is accessible, but the authorities are very protective of the natural resources and it is illegal to collect plant material of any type. Adenium socotranum occurs by the thousands in nature, but relatively few plants exist in cultivation. Occasionally seed becomes available from the few plants that are in cultivation, and nurseries and botanic gardens are starting to propagate this desirable rarity. But when the few plants do come on the market, they are expensive!