Desert Rose (Adenium Obesum) Profile - Grow & Care Guide

Desert Rose (Scientific name: Adenium obesum) is a succulent perennial plant with a plant height of up to 2 meters. The base of desert rose is hypertrophy, the fleshy stem is short and thick, and needle shaped or obovate leaves alternate at the top of some branches of the stem. The front of desert rose leaves is dark green, and the back is light green and rough.

Desert rose has high ornamental value. Due to the unique climate conditions in the desert, this unique desert flower - desert rose grows. The shape of desert rose is like a blooming rose bouquet. It not only has a unique ornamental, but also represents the eternal love. The flowering period is from late spring to autumn. The pollen is red to red, forming umbels. 2 ~ 10 flowers are collected in the branches in the shape of five-star funnel. However, the whole plant of desert rose is poisonous. If livestock or children eat stems, leaves or milk by mistake, it will cause heart diseases such as accelerated heartbeat and arrhythmia.

Desert Rose Picture

Desert Rose Characteristics

Desert Rose flowers are red-shaped like small trumpets, which are very beautiful. Umbelle 35 into the cluster, bright like brocade, the four seasons bloom constantly. Desert Rose got its name because it was near the Desert and was as red as a rose.

Desert Rose leaves are alternate, obovate, acute at the top, 8 cm -- 10 cm long, 2 cm -- 4 cm wide, leathery, glossy, dark green on the underside, grayish-green on the back, entire. Racemose, terminal, with more than 10 flowers, trumpet-shaped, 6 cm - 8 cm long; Corolla 5 lobed, rose, pink, white and multicolor, etc. Desert Rose is in bloom from spring to winter. The Desert Rose flowers are red, rose, pink, white and so on. Greenhouse cultivation in southern China is easier to produce fruit. Desert Rose seeds have white pubescent, which may aid its flight dispersal. 

Popularly known as "Desert Rose" or Adenium Obesum, the flower is native to northeast Africa. The White Horse Flower is of the same family as them. Its flowers are bright red, polyflowered varieties are red outside and white inside, all shaped like small trumpets; The flower diameter is about 4 cm long, the color is very delicate; The SAP in the stem contains slight toxicity. Therefore, children and pets should be careful not to swallow it if they plant desert rose in pots at home. Its growth habits are similar to those of the "wine bottle orchid" planted by everyone. Leaves like long teaspoons round near the top, like a small umbrella; The leaves below the stem fall off, leaving marks. Celestial flower belongs to oleander family succulent plant, all have arc tuber or root tuber, fat and fleshy, stored a lot of water and nutrition, therefore drought resistance and poor. Desert Rose likes heat and hates cold. Sometimes Desert Rose leaves its leaves in winter to reduce water evaporation and help keep out the cold. Itself into the "hibernation" state, so it should not be more water and fertilizer.

Desert Rose Habits

Southern flowering for the Gregorian calendar from spring to summer, good light like warm; Therefore, in the warm and humid growth period, sunshine is necessary to promote photosynthesis. Long-term overshade easy branches and leaves soft hanging and very difficult pregnant flowers. Enough sunshine can make Desert Rose flower bud differentiation normal. Desert Rose likes a high temperature, dry and sunny environment. Desert Rose is heat resistant, cold resistant, drought resistant, avoid water wet. Calcium-rich, well-drained sandy loam is suitable. The temperature in winter is not lower than 10℃.

Desert Rose is a succulent perennial plants up to 2 m tall. Desert Rose likes a dry, high temperature, ventilation, sufficient sunshine environment, heat resistance, not cold. Desert Rose is drought resistant but not water wet, each watering amount can not be too much, if the water is more, it is easy to cause root rot, while the branches are long. Better sunshine helped Desert Rose to bloom. The roots hypertrophy into fleshy roots. Desert Rose has stout stem, green leaf color. (Read More about saving root rot desert rose.)

Desert Rose is a type of fern called a cypress, which is very tolerant of drought. In the dry season, Desert Rose turns yellow and wilts, like dead grasses. When water is supplied, the leaves and branches will stretch again and turn green. The fern was first named in Long's literary collection Desert Rose, which says: "Yes, in his eyes it was not a rose, but a lichen. No matter how beautiful a lichen is, how beautiful can it be? All he saw was a handful of ugly, odorous, low-grade plants in a big bowl." In fact, the name comes from its likeness rather than its ability to actually blossom like a rose. (Read more about saving yellow leaves desert rose.)

Desert Rose Care

Desert Rose Lighting Requirements

Don't think that a delicate Desert Rose can't accept strong sunlight. In fact, a good sunlight environment will help Desert Rose bloom. In addition to its peak growth, Desert Rose needs plenty of sunlight to survive the winter, even when it is dormant.

Desert Rose Temperature

Desert Rose flower likes to grow in a high-temperature and ventilated environment. In summer in the south, that is, in its growing period, the average temperature of Desert Rose is around 30℃, making it very suitable for growing in the south. In winter, because of its poor cold resistance, Desert Rose should be planted indoors and kept dry, so that its beautiful flowers can bloom again in spring and summer.

Desert Rose Watering

Desert Rose flower should be grown in a humid environment. Even during the growing period, water should not be excessive. Before each watering, make sure that the surface of the potting soil is completely dry. Do not water Desert Roses when they are dormant, as this will only make them more susceptible to cold damage and wilt.

It should be dry rather than wet during the growing period. Summer high-temperature period, according to the condition of the soil after the dry surface can be watered. Generally 3 days of watering once, the pot can not water, otherwise the root is easy to rot. Nitrogen fertilizer should be applied 2 ~ 3 times in the vigorous growing season in spring, and compound fertilizer containing calcium and phosphorus could be applied twice before flowering. Winter drought season, Desert Rose comes into the dormant period. If the temperature is lower than 10℃, then leaves, at this time should control watering, keep the soil dry. (Raed more about watering Desert Rose.)

Desert Rose Fertilizer Care

The annual spring and summer rainy seasons are the growing season for Desert Rose, so a little fertilizer should be added at this time to supply the nutrients consumed during its growth. However, due to the rapid growth rate of Desert Rose, slow-acting fertilizers, such as decomposed compost, are preferred. As for autumn and winter, Desert Rose is dormant, where its growth is very slow or even stops. Therefore, fertilizer should not be applied during this period. (Read More about How to Feed Desert Rose (Fertilizer Requirements.)

Desert Rose Pruning Care

Desert rose pruning is mainly carried out during the growth period, specifically between April and October. Timely and correct pruning can promote the germination of more branches and is also conducive to flowering. In addition, pruning should also be done after flowers, which can help restore and help to overwintering.

Desert Rose Repotting Care

It is not suitable to repot for desert roses at all times. It is best to do it in spring. At this time, desert roses are in the growth period, have strong vitality and can quickly adapt to the new environment. The survival rate of desert roses will be higher. It is not suitable to change pots in summer, because the temperature is high, it is easy to lead to maladjustment and decay, and the temperature is too low in winter, The vitality of the plant decreased, and it was not suitable for survival. (Read more about repotting desert roses.)

Desert Rose Indoor Care

Summer basin soil to keep moist, otherwise, the leaf easy to dry roll, the rest of the season rather dry not wet; Water every week or every ten days in winter is enough.

In cultivation, the branches of Desert Rose are easy to grow empty, which affects the plant shape, so the plant shape can be changed by grafting. The branches of Desert Rose can be cut off at a certain height according to a certain shape of the plant, and then the upper end of the cut branches can be grafted with split grafting. The grafted plants are beautiful in shape, compact and ornamental after flowering. If you have more branches of Desert Rose, you have more flowers. If you want to have more flowers, you have to find ways to leave more branches.

Desert Rose Propagation

Desert Rose flower is commonly propagated by cuttings, grafting and layering, and can also be sown. Sowing and cutting are the main methods for propagation in Desert Rose.

Desert Rose Cutting Propagation

It is best to choose 1-2 years old branches in summer, and the top branches are the best. Cut Desert Rose into 10 cm long, and insert them into sand bed after drying the cut, and root for about 3-4 weeks after insertion. Grafting, with oleander as rootstock, in the summer use of split grafting method, after the survival of the plant growth robust, easy to flower. Layered, often use high altitude layered method in summer, cut off 2/3 on robust branches, reuse plastic film after filling with moss first, take root about 25 days, cut potted after 45 days. Sowing in summer, germination temperature 21℃. (Read More about Desert Rose Propagation Methods.)

No matter Desert Rose flowers, leaves, stems, or Desert Rose shape, are elegant and chic, natural and generous, have a unique style, especially suitable for family indoor and balcony decoration. When flowering, most of the leaves fall off, full of flowers, beautiful posture. In cultivation, the branches of Desert Rose are easy to grow empty, which affects the plant shape, so the Desert Rose shape can be changed by grafting. The branches can be cut off at a certain height according to a certain shape of the plant, and then the upper end of the cut branches can be grafted with split grafting. The grafted Desert Roses are beautiful in shape, compact and ornamental after flowering. If you have more branches, you have more flowers. If you want to have more flowers, you have to find ways to leave more branches.

Desert Rose Sow Propagation

It is better to use the method of sowing on demand in spring, so as to manage the seedlings after emergence. Be sure to disinfect the substrate before sowing. After the emergence of seedlings, pay attention to the substrate should not be too wet, otherwise, root rot may cause a large number of seedling's death. Cutting with growth exuberant season had better. Cut branch segment into 10 cm or so, dip the lower end in water, dilute the mucus in the incision place, in case of celiac and influence hair root. Desert Rose can be inserted into the sand bed or directly into the sterilized culture substrate and can take root in about 15 ~ 30 days. When propagating, it is recommended to propagate by sowing, so that the roots of the plant can naturally expand to form a good plant shape. Cutting seedlings can not, but also greatly reduce the ornamental value. (Read more about getting seeds from desert rose.)

Desert Rose Disease Care

Sometimes there are leaf spot hazards of Desert Rose, which can be sprayed with 50% topujin wettable powder 500 times liquid. Insects have scale insect and roll heart insect harm, with 50% kill borer pine emulsion 1000 times liquid spray kill. The main pest is scale insects. In severe cases, all leaves of Desert Rose fall off, plant growth points necrotic, or even plant death. Attention should be paid to the observation of family cultivation, but once found, wipe it with a cotton swab with water. It can also be used in the egg-laying period and incubation period with 40% oxidized diego cream 1000 ~ 2000 times, or 50% killed boreal pine cream 1000 times spray 1 ~ 2 times. When carrying out pest control, attention should be paid to the safety of the medication.
Read More:

How To Save Desert Rose Brown Spots Leaves

Desert Rose soft rot is one of the major diseases harmful to Desert Rose. Desert Rose has gorgeous flowers, lush flowers, short and strong plants, especially the ancient and vigorous rhizome, which is an excellent succulent plant in tropical areas. It has been introduced into China for more than 10 years and grows well, but the occurrence and harm of soft rot often cause the death of the whole plant.

1. Symptoms: Soft rot is a major disease of Desert Rose. Water stains soften Desert Rose near the surface, which is white or pale yellow at first and turns dark brown at last.

2. Causes: Desert Rose soft rot is mainly caused by high temperature, stuffy heat, poor ventilation, or water accumulation in the basin in summer.

① high temperature and sultry summer and poor ventilation or rain is the key factor causing the occurrence of the disease.

② During the growth of excessive watering, tubers and roots in a state of suffocation, the root absorption capacity recession.

(3) When the pot or seedling transplanting is too deep or too much soil raised in the rhizome, is conducive to the disease. High humidity at the base of the stem is conducive to the propagation and invasion of pathogens and promotes the occurrence of diseases

Prevention and control methods:

(1) Choose sandy loam with good drainage and medium-fertility for cultivation. Three portions of coarse sand, one portion of leaf rot soil and a small amount of Desert Rose ash can be used for cultivation. Do not use garden soil as seedling soil.

(2) In order to prevent the occurrence of soft rot early, we should start from fixed planting seedlings of Desert Rose, first of all, the pot soil disinfection for planting desert rose flowers, and the soil must be used.0.5% to 1% formalin solution for disinfection, each level of mutual transmission. In general, the depth of the neck of the young seedling is slightly exposed above, the neck of the mature seedling stem is exposed above about 1/3, and the old tuber is exposed above 1/2. (Read more about the best soil for desert rose.)

(3) Watering: usually watering can not be too much, so as to avoid the basin soil is too wet, especially in the early stage of the pot to pay attention to less watering, hot weather with the micro tide is good, from early September can be appropriate to water more water.

(4) Drug control: every 1 month or so, should be sprayed with agricultural streptomycin 1000 times the liquid or 150 ~ 200 times the Bordeaux liquid. 

Desert Rose Distribution

Desert Rose is originally from Kenya and Tanzania in Africa. It is now distributed in Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and other North African countries.

Desert Rose Uses

Ornamental Value

No matter flowers, leaves, stems, or their shape, are elegant and chic, natural and generous, have a unique style, especially suitable for family indoor and balcony decoration. When flowering, most of the leaves fall off, full of flowers, beautiful posture.

Desert Rose is elegant, unique, natural, and unique in flowers, leaves, stems and shapes. Desert Rose is especially suitable for the indoor decoration of families and balconies, and is a good product for indoor cultivation.

Desert Rose blooms twice in spring and autumn in the south. Desert Rose flowers can be seen in spring, summer and fall if they are properly maintained. When flowering, most of the leaves fall off, full of flowers, its graceful posture, ancient tree vigorous, elegant and chic. Roots, stems, leaves and flowers are of high ornamental value and are popular for high-grade indoor cultivation.

Landscaping

Desert Rose flower is a short plant with ancient, vigorous trees and plump roots like a wine bottle. They bloom twice a year. desert rose flower are bright red and beautiful. Desert Roses look like trumpets and are very unique and loved by people. Southern planting layout of small courtyards, simple and dignified, natural and generous. Potted ornamental, decorative indoor, the balcony has a unique style.