Adenium obesum or Desert rose

A succulent from eastern Africa and southern Arabia, Adenium obesum looks like a small tree with a swollen trunk and branches.
Oblong and fleshy leaves reach 3 to 6 inches long and are clustered at branch ends.
Pretty flowers with five rounded petals appear in early summer, normally pink, but nowdays there are many varieties of different colors.
While there is no spines, plant still can be dangerous for pets and kids because it produces a poisonous milky sap.
Usually adeniums grow slowly, producing 1 to 2 inches of new growth each year. To be happy desert rose needs full sun and moderate humidity and prefers well-drained sandy loamy soil. Inside, adenium grows best with four or more hours a day of direct sunlight. If it's impossible - you might want to use artificial lights. At winter time they would require temperature about 10° lower then during active growth period.
Allow the soil to become dry between thorough waterings from spring through fall; water less often in winter. As a fertilizer - bone meal can be used once a year for established plants only in spring time.
Although you can propagate Adenium obesum from cuttings, but if you want real swollen trunk and nicely formed tree - it's better to grow them from seed. With fresh seeds germination takes little time in warm humid conditions. Little seedlings have funny fat stem and are joy to watch growing.
I currently grow three adeniums from seeds and looking froward yet to see the flowers.

Copyright 2005-2011 HPlants.com. All rights reserved. Privacy policy and site info