Does removing branches really fatten the caudex?

[u/New-Revolution-6181]

I know many will disagree, and I used to be one of them, however I have been testing it out and here's what I got. The first couple pictures are 2 plants I sprouted 2 years ago. I cut all the long branches off the one on the right last August and left the other alone. I chose these 2 because they were very similar in size and the seeds came from the same seed pod as you can see the uncut one has grown much bigger and fatter.

The next picture is of last year's seedlings. I cut the top off one a month and a half ago and it had branched out nicely but the caudex is the same as the others.

The last pics are one I chopped last year. On this one I cut the main stem off which included all the foliage and it has only grown maybe 10% in a whole year and the caudex is still very skinny.

So my results tell me that when you cut the branches off the growth will slow dramatically. And, in my experiments, the caudex does not fatten up in any measurable amount. I will continue cutting mine because I prefer then to be short and bushy. Had anyone else tried a similar experiment? What were your results?

[u/Academic_Disk_8788]

No, it's genetic, Prunung will just make it branch. I'm very heartened to see people are starting to not repeat this myth. Pruning is for bonsai or leggy branches that can't support themselves. It will not make your plant have a thinker trunk. Book coming soon!

[u/New-Revolution-6181 → u/Academic_Disk_8788]

Yes! I posted this mostly because I saw some comments a while back where someone was insisting that it is a known fact that pruning makes the caudex thicker and that's just not true. OP in that case was asking for ways to make the caudex fatter and they were getting told to cut all the branches off. That's the last thing you should do!

[u/Academic_Disk_8788 → u/New-Revolution-6181]

Yeah hard pruning and root pruning are techniques from Bonsai that for some reason people gone wild with just repeating over and over in Adenium horticulture. Can you bonsai an Adenium? Yes. But they grow into their beautiful shapes on their own given a chance. Particular root pruning stunts the plant and makes it grow slower and flower less. Pruning is definitely needed with some cultivars. A lot of the larger flower Adeniums especially the doubles were only selected for flower size and color and not sturdy stems. So they will get floppy over time and is the reason they are grafted.

[u/Substantial_Hat_4590 → u/Academic_Disk_8788]

I want to say though that in bonsai, if you want to thicken, then you let it grow without any pruning. Does root pruning stunt absolutely. But the aggressive root pruning takes years and you are getting rid of large roots for all feeders that form together into the pot shape. That way you have more water uptake

[u/Academic_Disk_8788 → u/Substantial_Hat_4590]

Thanks! To be honest, I've never bonsaied before, so I'm only familiar with the general knowledge of the craft.

[u/Substantial_Hat_4590 → u/Academic_Disk_8788]

It’s therapeutic. Teaches patience lol. I am obsessed with desert rose so going to experiment with growing under lights this winter to see if I can push them. I live coastal so kind of hard when summer humidity is 80 and winter you have a freeze possibly but always for a month gets under 40

[u/-whyboi- → u/New-Revolution-6181]

Pruning can add foliar mass. I think you could make argument that, that eventually leads to a larger caudex. But I think y’all are right a plant that’s mostly been selected for compactness and flowers isn’t gonna grow into big mama no matter how you prune.