American Adenium About Page
About American Adenium
I grow the plants most people say are difficult to grow.
My name is Michael White. I'm an ISA Certified Arborist, Kentucky Master Gardener, and the founder of American Adenium. I live and grow in Northern Kentucky — USDA Zone 6 — where winters regularly drop below freezing and summers bring the kind of heat and humidity that make growing plants extremely challenging.
I've been growing Adenium, Plumeria, and Pachypodium here since 1994. That's over 30 years of figuring out what works, what doesn't, and why. Most of what I've learned, I learned the hard way.
Why American Adenium Exists
If you've ever tried to source exceptional Adenium, Plumeria, or Pachypodium genetics on your own, you already know the problem. The best plants and seeds in the world come from Thailand, Taiwan, and other international suppliers. But getting them to your door is a different story entirely.
There are USDA import permits to secure. Phytosanitary certificates to obtain. Customs declarations to navigate. Duty fees to pay. CITES documentation for certain species. And then there's the waiting — sometimes weeks — while your order sits in inspection at a port of entry, hoping it clears without issue.
I've done all of it. I've built direct relationships with trusted suppliers overseas, learned the import regulations inside and out, and developed the systems to bring exceptional genetics to American growers without them having to deal with any of that complexity.
That's the whole point of American Adenium. You get access to the same quality genetics I use in my own growing operation — rare Thai hybrids, high-germination Adenium arabicum seed lines, cold-tolerant selections I've been sourcing and trialing for years — without the permits, the paperwork, the customs headaches, or the uncertainty.
I handle all of that. You just grow very nice plants.
What I Actually Know
I'm not a hobbyist who got lucky a few times and started selling plants. I came up through professional horticulture — ISA Certified Arborist since 2013, Kentucky Master Gardener since 2011, over three decades working with plants professionally and personally.
My background in the Navy as an Aviation Structural Mechanic taught me to be systematic. When something isn't working, you find out why. You don't guess. That mindset carried directly into how I approach growing — testing methods, documenting results, refining protocols until I consistently get the outcomes I'm looking for.
My Adenium germination rates with quality Thai genetics consistently run 90% or better. My overwintering survival rate is effectively 100%. Those aren't lucky numbers — they're the result of 30 years of paying attention and adjusting.
Zone 6 is where I do everything. If a technique works here — with our cold winters, variable springs, and humid summers — it works. I'm not sharing theory from a warm climate where any halfway decent care gets results. I'm sharing what actually works in conditions that challenge these plants every single year.
What You'll Find Here
American Adenium is built around three things: exceptional plants and seeds, the growing media I formulated specifically for cold-climate caudiciform growers, and honest education about how to succeed with these species regardless of where you live.
Desert Oasis Growing Media — I developed Desert Oasis Potting Mix and Desert Oasis Germination Mix after years of frustration with commercial cactus mixes that simply don't drain fast enough for Adenium and Pachypodium. Every component was chosen for a specific reason. It's what I use in my own growing operation.
Seeds and Plants — sourced directly from my international supplier network, inspected, and imported legally and properly so you don't have to navigate that process yourself.
Education — through my Growers Tips blog and Substack newsletter, I share what I've learned over 30+ years so you can skip the mistakes I made and get straight to growing exceptional plants.
If you grow these plants in a challenging climate, or you're just getting started and want to do it right, you're in the right place.
I'd love to help you succeed with these plants the way I have.
— Michael White ISA Certified Arborist KY-0847A | Kentucky Master Gardener | Founder, American Adenium
View my Shipping and Returns Policy