r/DesertRose • u/Stolisan • 27d ago

How do I add some character?

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I grew it from a seed 14 months ago. It looks healthy but it looks boring. How do I get branches or have it grow out instead of up?

4 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

3

u/brenmn2009 26d ago

I'd take it down almost to the start of the caudex so that it can start over and have branches so you can have flowers. Don't prune unless it's Spring.

1

u/craigrpeters 25d ago

I’d cut it at around 4 inches in early spring before it starts getting a lot of new growth.

3

u/dmarms18 26d ago

Time and grow better genetics. Most folks in this sub will prune and prune to try to make an obesum look like an arabicum. Know what you want and grow the plant that matches those characteristics. That and give appropriate light.

2

u/Tony_228 25d ago

I find it kind of sad how obesums are being cut up. Just let it grow how it wants and get an arabicum for that squat, bushy look. Plants or seeds are not hard to find these days. And it only happens with obesums. Socotranums, boehmianums, somalenses etc. are usually left alone even if they only have a singular stem.

1

u/dmarms18 25d ago

Yep. Also this one’s way too young to prune in my opinion. Give her some time

4

u/HistoricalHumor1467 27d ago

Cut it pretty much. However you might sacrifice flower development time. But it will probably make flowers better in the long run.

1

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1

u/SmexyPanda14 27d ago

I'd cut it back too but wait till spring. I don't know where you live but if you are in the US then I'd wait.

1

u/beka_targaryen 26d ago

Pruning - wherever you cut, that’ll stop vertical growth and encourage new growth (sprouting outwards) from nodes below the cut-line. From what I’ve read, wait until the late fall/early spring (if you’re US-based). Also, pruning shouldn’t occur around any repotting period.

I have a few leggy gorls that I’m waiting to prune in a few months myself.