All features at a glance

Characteristics

Systematics

• Botanical name: Adenium
• Order: Gentianales
• Family: Dog poison plants (Apocynaceae)
• Subfamily: Apocynoideae
• Genus: desert roses

Botanical

• Growth type: Bizarre, upright shrub
• Height: 30 to 100 centimeters
• Main flowering time: April to July
• Leaf: Strong green, ovate, with entire margins
• Flower shape: five-fold, terminal cupped flowers
• Flower color: white, pink, purple, red

origin

The desert rose is a steppe plant that thrives in the wild predominantly in the arid regions of Africa and Arabia. It is perfectly adapted to the drought and the great heat that prevail here.

In the wild, the Desert rose up to four meters high. It stores water in its thick trunk (caudex) and is therefore able to supply the evergreen foliage with liquid even during long periods of dryness. The caudex grows very slowly and develops bizarre shapes which, in addition to the attractive flowers, make the plant particularly attractive.

Location

Give the desert rose as warm and sunny a place as possible by the flower window. To prevent the succulent plant from aligning itself towards the light, turn the pot occasionally.

Substrate

The desert rose prefers loose soil with a pH value of around six. Pure Potting soil is not suitable. Mix it with around 50 percent sand. Alternatively, you can use the succulent plant in Cactus soil cultivate.

Watering and fertilizing

Since the plant stores water in its trunk, it is enough to water it sparingly every one to two weeks. Avoid waterlogging, however, as this will cause the trunk to rot and shrink the blooming beauty.

From March to October fertilize The desert rose with cactus fertilizer once a month.

Hibernation

The desert rose needs a drought from autumn to spring. Water even more sparsely during this time. The succulent plant then loses a large part of the leaves, however, this is not a cause for concern. On the contrary: this phase is very important because the pretty plant can only survive the winter months with little light through this resting phase.

From around March the desert rose sprouts again and forms the first buds. Now pour a little more and start adding fertilizers.

Repot

After the first bloom, place your desert rose in a one size larger flower pot. In the following years, the plant is only transplanted when the vessel has become too small.