Adenium obesum, sometimes known as the desert rose, is a stunning shrub with succulent stems and vibrant red flowers. The Sahel areas, the area south of the Sahara (from Mauritania and Senegal to Sudan), as well as tropical and subtropical eastern, southern, and Arabian regions are native to this plant. The Desert Rose is also known as Kudu Lily, Impala Lily, Sabi Star, Desert Azalea, and Mock Azalea.
These plants demand attention from all angles. Older plants of the Desert Rose have greatly enlarged stems that resemble bonsai trees. While not in bloom, this succulent has intriguing compact clusters of narrow, green leaves that are also quite colorful.
However, there is a crucial factor to take into account when growing this plant, especially indoors. Children and dogs should never come into contact with its sap since it is harmful. It is advised that you wash your hands right away if you touch the plant and get sap on your hands.
Growing Conditions
Sunlight: full. Ideal for a window with sunlight. Water: Summer and springtime water. Winter requires less water, but the plant must still be sufficiently hydrated to keep its leaves. Maintain a temperature of at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit at all times; if you maintain 60 degrees Fahrenheit or greater throughout the winter, the plant might retain its leaves. Soil: A succulent mix with good drainage, ideally with a pH of 6.0 (We recommend Miracle Grow) (slightly acidic). Fertilizer: Use liquid or controlled-release fertilizer during the spring and summer as directed on the label.
Propagation
The usual method of propagation is seed. If your plant produces a seed pod, sow the seeds as soon as you can after the pod ripens to increase the likelihood that they will germinate.
The seeds should be as fresh as possible. Ask your seed source regarding freshness before purchasing if you don’t already have a mature plant to collect seeds from.
The containers should be kept as close to that temperature range as feasible; some gardeners utilize a heat source to maintain the pots at 80-85 F. After the seeds sprout, the plants should be prepared to be transplanted into pots in about a month.
Branch cuttings can be used to produce the desert rose, although the plants frequently lack the distinctive (and much coveted) bulbous stem.
How should a desert rose cactus be cared for?
I bought a gorgeous desert rose shrub last summer. To keep it from freezing, I moved it into a terra cotta pot and put it in a protected area. The thick stem is soft and mushy, I’ve just realized. What went wrong, and how can I prevent this from happening in the future?
A: Although it has an exotic appearance, the Desert Rose (Adenium obesum) actually requires very little care. The overall shape is reminiscent of a well-trained bonsai tree, with an expanded trunk base and twisted branches. Simple five-petal blooms with different hues of pink, white, red, and yellow bloom in the summer.
The Desert Rose grows well in full sun with frequent summer watering. You should drastically reduce your watering when the temperature drops to 55 degrees or less. It is best to use a terra cotta pot since it allows water to drain quickly. When repotting cacti, use a cactus mix and be careful not to use a pot that is too big.
You could wish to relocate your plant to a drier area if it is currently situated where it receives regular seasonal rainwatering. The plant will rot if the soil is left damp for an extended period of time.
Allow the soil to totally dry before giving the plant a good watering during the warmer months when it first begins to “wake up”. The planting mixture needs to be wet but not drenched.
What occurs when a desert rose is touched?
12 to 36 hours after exposure, the first signs of an Adenium obesum poisoning would show up.
Humans who have consumed desert roses may have slowed heart rate, low blood pressure, drowsiness, gastrointestinal issues, and dizziness as signs of poisoning.
The sap of the plant can irritate the skin and harm people if they are exposed to it while handling it.
When desert rose is consumed by cats, it can cause symptoms including a very upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, as well as loss of appetite, excessive drooling, weakness, abdominal cramps, and lack of coordination.
In more severe situations, you might notice dilated pupils, erratic heartbeat (either too fast or too slow), low body temperature, seizures, tremors, and ultimately death.
Anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, depression, excessive drooling, and mouth and throat sores are some of the signs of poisoning in dogs.
Furthermore, blisters and skin irritation can result from plant sap coming into contact with an animal’s fur.
Cactus rose: what is it?
A form of cactus that resembles a shrub is called a rose cactus. It can grow in the southern United States and can be found from Mexico to South America. The plant produces pink blooms that start to bloom in the early spring and continue all summer long. Ora Pro Nobis, Pray-For-Us, and Pereskia grandifolia are other names for this plant.
A rose cactus looks bushy in contrast to the majority of other cactus species. It can reach a height of four to twenty feet (1.22 to 6.1 meters). Additionally, the width of this cactus can reach 10 feet (3.05 m). As a deciduous plant, it sheds its leaves in the autumn.
Typically, Ora Pro Nobis leaves are waxy and dark green. The plant stems of this cactus are covered with long, pointed thorns. Because of this, it might be challenging to pick blossoms or shape a rose cactus to your liking.
Springtime is when blooms and fresh leaves first start to emerge. Pink, crimson, or infrequently white blooms are present. They have a bright core and four substantial petals. These blossoms develop into pointy, knobby fruit that resembles an apple or pear in the autumn. The fruit has seeds that can be sown again to produce new plants.
Can a desert rose be grown indoors?
Strong-trunked plants with colorful flowers known as desert roses flourish in hot regions. They can be kept indoors or outside in your yard.
How is a desert rose kept in bloom?
The lack of light may be the cause of desert rose plants not flowering because desert rose needs lots of sunlight. Put the plant in a location with at least five to six hours of direct sunlight each day, preferably more.
Fertilizer
Even though a desert rose doesn’t need much fertilizer, regular feedings make sure the plant gets the nutrients it needs to flourish. During the spring and summer, fertilize an outdoor plant two or three times with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer. During the spring and summer, fertilize indoor adeniums once a week using a water-soluble fertilizer that has been diluted to half strength.
Utilizing bone meal or a fertilizer high in phosphorus may also be beneficial to promote flowering.
Where should a desert rose be planted?
How to plant a rose in the desert
- Select a sunny location; in tropical and arid climates, a mild shade from the midday sun will prevent it from becoming too hot.
- Never “bury” a desert rose; always plant it so that the base of the caudex (stem) is at or just above soil level.
- The ideal soil is gravelly and well-draining, but a richer loam may do.
How old are desert roses?
The lifespan of a desert rose can reach 500 years. It has distinguishing qualities that allow it to endure through the ages. For instance, its stem has a base that is inflated and becomes even larger with time, sometimes reaching a diameter of two meters. The stem stores vital nutrients that supply the rest of the plant during various climatic conditions.
Measure the diameter of the stem to determine the age of a desert rose. This plant grows slowly; one year is equal to every millimeter. It is a seasonal succulent, and when not in season, it loses leaves. Fascinatingly, the plant receives enough nutrients even as other plants begin to wither from extreme weather.
What size can a desert rose reach?
A low-maintenance succulent called desert rose blooms in the summer with dozens of trumpet-shaped flowers in pink, rose, or white.
In retail garden stores, the desert rose (Adenium obesum) and its several hybrids are frequently seen. Flowers can be single, double, or even triple, and have an average diameter of 23 inches. The plants require six hours or more of intense light per day in order to maintain the abundant flowering.
Due to its sensitivity to temperatures below 40 degrees, desert rose typically grows in containers that can be carried indoors for the winter. Nevertheless, it makes a striking specimen for a deck or patio. This can be raised as a little shrub by gardeners in South Florida.
Your desert rose’s bottom trunk, known as the caudex, will enlarge and broaden over time, growing to a height of four to five feet.
Scale can be a problem for desert roses; keep an eye out for these small pests so that, should your plant begin to suffer, you can take immediate action. Due of its kinship with oleanders, desert rose is vulnerable to oleander caterpillar grazing. Plants may naturally droop a little in the winter, but after the cold weather has past, they will re-leaf.
Are arid roses poisonous?
A semi-succulent shrub or small tree up to 3 meters tall with thicker lower stems and a bulbous base that is used for garden ornamentation. The bark is grayish and smooth.
Flowers: Flowers range in length from 2.5 to 5 cm, are funnel-shaped, have five lobes, are grouped at the terminals of branches, and are white, pink, or red in color—often pale with a darker edge.
Leaves: The leaves have a leathery feel, are grouped near the extremities of the branches, and are organized spirally. They are 5–22 cm in length and 0.5–6 cm in width, and are obovate, oblong, or elliptic in shape with a rounded apex. Leaves may or may not have hairs.
Fruit/Berries: The fruit is a pair of tapering, grey or grey-brown, 15–16 cm long pods that are capped at either end with a tuft of long, silky, golden-brown hairs. The seeds are long, narrow cylindric seeds.
Symptoms: The plant is poisonous in all of its parts. Lethargy, low blood pressure, slow heartbeat, dizziness, and upset stomach are possible symptoms.
Can dogs eat desert rose?
From instance to case, the onset of symptoms will differ. Toxicity signs can include:
- Anorexia
- Depression
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- abnormal heartbeat
- Death
Other popular names for the desert rose include impala lily, kudu lily, desert azalea, mock azalea, and sabi star. The official scientific name of this flower is Adenium obesum, and it is a member of the Apocynaceae family. Even the sap that the desert rose generates is poisonous if consumed by your dog.
When ought my desert rose to be repotted?
Repotting time for desert roses. Repotting desert roses should generally be done during their active development phase in the warm seasonspringtime is particularly recommended. The roots will have a full season of root growth to expand and fill their new surroundings if they do this.
Roses – a cactus?
The rose cactus does not always look like what its name suggests. Although we are aware that cacti and roses are quite distinct types of plants, this particular cactus has flowers that mimic roses.
The rose cactus, or Pereskia bleo, is a fascinating plant with various uses, including keeping pesky animals out of your yard, using it for the therapeutic properties in its leaves, and devouring its oddly formed edible fruit. It is one of the few cacti with real leaves.
Pereskia bleo is a tropical and subtropical ornamental plant that is native to Central and South America. It features rich orange blossoms that bloom throughout the colder winter months and develop into oddly gorgeous fruits that are yellow or orange in color. The fruits have a waxy texture and appearance and contain tiny black seeds.
Like the majority of other members of the Cactaceae family, this plant prefers full sun to partial shade, as well as well-drained soils. The black spine clusters that run up and down the branches of the rose cactus’ woody base give it away even if it resembles other cacti. These spines, which develop from areoles, hurt to the touch.
The horticulture manager at Dart’s Arboretum Services Ltd. is Shannon Schmidt. Shannon worked in parks, public gardens, and tourism properties before joining Dart in 2012. Shannon, a native of the Finger Lakes region of New York State, adores island living, spending time paddleboarding in the sea, in canals, and with her two spirited Boston Terriers, Nollie and Ebbie, as well as her likewise spirited companion Chase! Shannon enjoys spending time swinging in a hammock with her favorite smoothie from Jessie’s Juice Bar and books from Books & Books. She has a Bachelor of Science in Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management from The Pennsylvania State University and a Diploma in Horticulture from the Longwood Gardens Professional School of Horticulture.