Desert Rose Care: How To Grow This Succulent At Home

The Desert Rose (Adenium obesum) is a slow-growing flowering succulent native to Africa and the Middle East. This tropical desert plant is known for its beautiful, rose-like flowers. Its unique appearance—its thick trunk, delicate leaves, and gorgeous flowers—makes it a must-have for both outdoor and indoor gardens.

Desert rose care is easy. This plant requires warm temperatures, lots of sunlight, and careful watering during its growing season. Plant your desert rose in the spring, as it can’t tolerate frost and freezing conditions.

In warmer regions, this plant can be grown outdoors, and in cooler regions, the desert rose will thrive well as an indoor flowering plant. So, without further ado, let’s explore how you can grow and care for the desert rose plant.

Desert Rose Care

Water

The desert rose plant will benefit from consistently moist soil during its growing season (spring and summer), but make sure the plant isn’t soaked. Water the plant only when the soil dries out, and use containers with enough drainage holes.

In the cooler months, this plant goes dormant, so for better desert rose care, reduce watering to once or twice a month. However, young plants should be kept consistently moist. Once established, this plant is drought-tolerant.

Also read – How to Water Indoor Plants?

Light

Desert rose is a sun-loving plant and thrives under full sunlight; therefore, select a spot where it can receive maximum sunlight throughout the day. If grown outdoors, make sure that the plant isn’t growing in a shaded area but is protected from scorching sun, as it can harm the leaves.

For better desert rose care, you can also shift the potted plants outdoors; however, make sure to place the plant in partial shade before introducing it to the full sun.

Soil

Due to its nativeness, this desert plant thrives in desert-like conditions and therefore prefers sandy soil. Make sure that the soil is well-draining and has a neutral to slightly acidic pH.

Temperature & Humidity

For better desert rose care, keep the plant in a warm temperature range between 60℉ to 90℉ (15℃ to 20℃). The desert rose plant should be protected from cold drafts and temperatures dropping below 50℉.

Moreover, this plant loves a dry and hot climate, so humidity is not important for the desert rose.

Fertilizing

You can feed the desert rose plant during its growing season with a liquid fertilizer well-suited for succulents and diluted to half its strength. Do not fertilize the plant during its dormancy.

Pruning

The desert rose plant should be pruned after its dormancy to remove cold-damaged foliage. This also encourages new growth, keeping the appearance of the plant clean. You should also remove any long and wayward stems to keep the plant growth vertical.

Repotting

You can repot the desert rose plant when it becomes root-bound. This can be done once a year or every two years. If you want to keep the small size of the plant, do not repot it; if not, here are the steps you can follow to repot your plant –

• The ideal time to repot the desert rose is during late winter or early summer when the plant produces new growth.
• Gently remove the plant from its pot after making sure that the soil is completely dry. Trim any dead or rotted roots and remove excess soil from the root ball.
• Place the plant in a new pot with a suitable and well-draining potting mix, and backfill the plant as well.
• Water the plant deeply to balance the repotting shock; however, don’t let the plant sit in water.

How To Propagate The Desert Rose Plant?

Desert rose can be propagated easily through stem cuttings. Here are the steps you need to follow to propagate the plant –

• Before propagating the desert rose, make sure to wear protective gloves to protect your hands from the toxic sap of this plant.
• Use sharp pruning tools and snip a 5 to 6-inch cut from the tip of the branch.
• Let the cutting dry out for 1-2 days.
• Dip the cut end in some rooting hormone and plant it in a well-draining potting mix with sand or perlite.
• Water the cutting daily, ensuring that it isn’t soaked in water. Do this until the cutting establishes roots (usually takes 2-6 weeks).

Types Of Desert Rose

The desert rose has many different varieties, each with its unique characteristics. Here are some of the famous and common varieties of the desert rose plant –

• Adenium obesum subsp. Somalense: This variety of the desert rose is native to Eastern Africa and features bent branches with narrow leaves. Moreover, it produces beautiful trumpet-shaped pink, red, or white flowers.
• Adenium obesum subsp. oleifolium: This desert rose variety is native to South Africa and is known for its tuberous stem, green, narrow, blade-like leaves, and tubular flowers that come in colors such as red, pink, salmon, etc.
• Adenium arabicum: Native to the arid regions of the Arabian Peninsula and Africa, this variety of desert rose plant is known for its thick, woody stem, which resembles a mini tree, and beautiful clusters of pink or white blooms.
• Adenium obesum subsp. Swazicum: Also known as summer impala lily, this variety is native to Swaziland and is comparatively shorter than other varieties.

Benefits Of Growing The Desert Rose Plant

There are many benefits of growing desert rose at home, such as –

• Air Purification – The desert rose is an air-purifying indoor plant that helps remove harmful toxins from the air to create a healthy indoor environment.
• Symbolism – This Feng Shui Plant represents resilience, prosperity, and endurance. Growing the desert rose at home can bring positive vibes to your space.
• Low-maintenance – Desert rose care is very easy, and this plant can be grown even by a beginner, making it a great plant for novice gardeners.
• Unique Appearance – The unique bonsai-like appearance of the desert rose creates a stunning display in a garden setup.

Common Problems With Desert Rose

The desert rose plant can be affected by some common plant problems if it is not taken care of properly. Here are some problems that this plant faces –

• Yellowing Leaves: This is a common problem with this plant, caused by root rot. Overwatering can lead to root rot. Therefore, make sure to water your plants correctly. Moreover, remove any yellow foliage from the affected plants and also remove damaged roots.
• Posts: Houseplant pests such as spider mites can affect the desert rose plant. These sap-sucking pests can also cause yellowing foliage. To get rid of these pests, use neem oil or any other insecticide.
• Lack of Blooms: Desert roses might not bloom due to a lack of sunlight. Make sure that your plant gets at least 6 hours of bright and direct light daily. Moreover, use a fertilizer that is rich in phosphorus and potassium to promote flowering during the growing season.
• Toxicity: The desert rose plant is toxic to both pets and humans; therefore, it should be kept away from children and pets.

Conclusion

The desert rose plant is one of the most unique plants that you can grow in both an outdoor and an indoor garden. Moreover, desert rose care is easy, making it an ideal choice for beginners. So, make sure to grow these succulent plants and create a stunning garden, further improving your gardening skills.