Adenium crispum occurs in a band of sandy soil near the coast of southern Somalia. (It has not been formally published as a full species, but as A. somalense var. crispum Chiov.) In nature the fusiform caudex is subterranean. Most of the root system arises from near the top of this caudex. In cultivation the caudex is raised above soil level, and the caudex reroots from the bottom. The stems are thin and rarely exceed a foot tall. The small flowers are very distinctive and serve as the best identifier: most clones have quilled petals (curled longitudinally). And most notably, the nectar guides extend well onto the petals, often all the way to the tips. (The flowers of some A. somalense have nectar guides onto the petals, but the petals are only slightly or not at all quilled.) The anther appendages often extend beyond the throat. Flat-petaled and solid red-petaled plants are known. It is not widely cultivated, probably because it is very cold-sensitive and intolerant of hot, humid weather.