PlantFiles: Desert Rose
Adenium obesum

I have 2 DR plants. One is on my front porch, the other in a window at work. Neither one is flowering. The front porch desert rose faces south so it has gotten lots of sun. It has also gotten too much water. There are 2 bases in the pot. One has rotted (soft) but the other has lots of leaves, just doesn't bloom.

The other work plant faces west so it gets lots of afternoon and late evening sun. It seems to dry out fast, and gnats gather in the drip tray. This one also does not bloom.

I've read all the postings on this so I think I'm well informed. I'm wondering what I need to do to get my plants to bloom. It's almost time to bring the porch DR inside and I have nowhere to keep it where it would get sun. Do I need to get a lamp?

Both plants are in the same pot I bought them in, which is a wide brimmed shallow pot. Should I repot with cactus soil and rocks?

I really want my plants to thrive so any help is appreciated.

I have had my DR since 1999. When I bought it from K-Mart, it was about 12 inches tall and I had no clue what to do with it... It was just going to be the center piece for my kitchen table. Well, without full sun, it sheds it leaves and I'm left with a bulb with a few sticks poking out of it. It took me five years of doing different things and trying different conditions before I got it figured out... My DR is now 5ft 7in tall and a super huge prolific bloomer. These were the keys to my success:

1) Needs FULL sun. That means ALL day.
2) When over-wintering, do not let the temperature fall below 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
3) Do not water on over-wintering unless the stems become kind of gummy and even then, only water lightly.
4) Use a very sandy, well-draining soil.
5) In summer during the growing season, water generously. In Virginia, temps can reach 95+ Fahrenheit so watering every day or every other day is important. On cooler weeks, once every 2 or 3 days is fine.
6) Fertilizing is less important than with other plants. I use a teaspoon of Epsom Salts to the gallon once a week in Spring and Early Summer, but then not at all during bloom time and then once a month or every other week after the last bloom has dropped.
7) Bring indoors when temps start to reach into the low 60's Fahrenheit as the Fall/Winter approaches.
8) Leave near a sunny window in winter but avoid drafts... I wrap the pot with a sweater in the Winter and that seems to work well.

If you follow these guidelines, you will have success with your DR's growth and blooms. See the pics of mine :)

I have seven different varieties and 30 plants started from seed. Cuttings dont have the swollen caudex only seedlings. I also grow several varieties of plumeria along with my adenium. I found both low maintenence for me. When starting from seed, soak seeds for 3 hours before planting in pots. Use a seed starter soil and place seeds on surface just barely cover the ends of the seed ONLY. Place in plastic bag (mini hot house) in sunny window temp should stay around 70 and in 5 to 10 days you will see your seedlings. I use fish emulsion and an epsom salt mixture of 1tbsp per gallon of water. I keep a time release plant food on surface during growth months.

I love my 2 plants. Both have bloomed in summer and this is my 3rd year to own them. Now the one which wintered over in my greenhouse suddenly has its leaves turning yellow from the bottom up. I can't see any bugs and I have watered it sparingly during the winter. The soil is dry up to 1 inch down. Today is the second day of spring. Could it think it is time to go dormant?

Very easy from seed..(start them in late spring to early summer).i live on the gulf coast of alabama...zone 8b/9a....started them last week of april in greenhouse...by late may they were 2 inches tall ...(grow very fast in hot weather)..i used miracle gro moisture control mix to start them...in 7 cm terra cotta pots ...drains well..so water as soon as they dry out the first 4-5 months.....winter inside..near window...min temp at nite no lower than 40 degrees....water only when stems get soft ....these plants are pretty easy...just DONT OVERWATER THEM IN COOL WEATHER...LEAF DROP IN WINTER IS NORMAL

In the Tampa Bay area the Desert Rose grows very well. So far I've never noticed it bothered by insects. It gets watered once weekly. It's so very hot here I've offered it a little extra water during summer months, but only a little in the morning hours. the Desert Rose can be quite expensive in the nurseries, but I've discovered it propagates easily through cuttings (no special care) and recently it produced large 4 inch + seed pods. Although we've grown it from cuttings before, now's our chance to try growing it from seed. I've seen it planted tightly as a border along a sidewalk along with other plants. That's my goal! It is very sensitive to cold. Almost lost it once during a rare freeze in southern Florida. It came back, but it needs to be taken inside or well protected below 45-50 degrees.

Every bungalow in our complex here has one of these outside in a pot. The swollen root covers most of the surface of the top of the pot, so the normally nightly downpours can't be overwatering it. I haven't seen any care from the management for them, and all are a healthy-looking 3-4 feet high and wide, mostly full of flowers now--end of July. We're in Roi-et, northeastern Thailand. The pods are strange-looking. They don't hang down. They grow out stiffly, horizontally, about 9-10 inches.

I found this plant at the local Wal-Mart. I was pleased the plant had the swelled base and had a very attractive balance to it's growth. Due to it's size I decided to make it Bonsai. So far, the plant has been in full to partial sun outdoors on the deck and is exhibiting new growth.
I cannot wait to see it's blooms. When this happens I will post another picture of the plant.
Is this somewhat like the nervous dad in the waiting room pacing the floor in anticipation of the new baby?
I don't think so, but it's still exciting.

The desert rose gets bugs very easy! After the first day I got bugs, I dont know what kind though. I also went to Homedepot and got it on clearence for six dollars then I went to Lowes for a lamp and saw the same brand of the desert rose on sale for fourteen dollars!

I have a few of these, and they do really well outdoors here in South Florida with the short, dry winters and long, rainy summers. I keep mine in glazed ceramic pots, in a medium that's about 1/4 rich soil, 1/4 perlite, and 1/2 limestone rocks since they are prone to rot if the substrate retains water. At Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden they keep several in the ground, in raised beds that are filled with rocks, and along a drier hill in the garden.

They can also grow indoors or in shady spots, but really appreciate full sun and will grow quickly in it. I've never seen full sun burn the leaves on these, but I imagine that would happen to plants that aren't used to it.

Hi just a note I bought several plants in 6" containers several years ago that had been hit by frost at Lowes so yes got for .50 each a few died but 6 grew and I kept two put in 5 gallon pots next to pool and do nothing. water once in awhile both are 3' and and always just full of flowers, Don't love them they will do fine like orchids good luck.

im from north queensland in australia, and the desert rose grows absolutely wonderful here. it flowered about 4 months ago then 4 big seed pods came out. one has split open but im still waiting on the others. if anyone can help me with how to plant the seeds it would b a huge help. this is the first plant i have ever had in my life so im yet to develop my green thumb so to speak. lol

I bought one of these about 6 months ago on clearance at Lowes. At the time, the plant had no leaves at all, but I could clearly see it was still alive. It wasn't being cared for properly in the Lowe's plant department, and it was the only one they seemed to have, so I bought it, placed it in some sun and watered it. It's been thriving very well so far, still haven't seen any blooms, however the plant/succulent is just beautiful even without blooms. It's got very shiny leaves, and the way it seems to have grown is just amazing, the way the roots wrap around the stem. I really enjoy this plant and recommend anyone get one so long as you care for it correctly. :)

This is a beautiful plant that can be grown either in containers or in the ground. We have ours in containers.

We were told when we received them that if we keep turning (once a week) the container a 1/4-inch, that the bulb (caudex) will start to spiral. We turn ours about once a month and it is doing great.

Watering has already been covered by most others, so I'll just add this note....

Oleander caterpillars LOVE this plant! Two weeks ago, one of ours was a healthy vibrant blooming plant. The oleander caterpillars have it completely defoliated. We are told that it will come back though, just looks ugly right now.

We found this quite amusing in that there is an Oleander bush about 20 feet away that they didn't touch!

One of my favorite plant. I used to grow many of them when I was in Indonesia, about 20 of them, different varieties and flower colors and size. One of the easiest plant to take care of (in Indonesia). Need lots of sunlight, love the heat, let the soil dry between each watering, might need to be watered more on very hot days. I have several after I moved to the U.S 2 month ago, still worried about winter time because I live in zone 7b. Hopefully they will survive.

They support gardeners like me.

This is my first time cultivating by seeds. I saw the seeds ten days ago, and I have not seen any germination. I just saw them, I did not soak them in water, but I do not see any development.

I have a beautiful one that was given to me, and bought one at the Flowers Festival in Aibonito, PR.

I need further assistance with the seedlings. You may contact me at alypl@yahoo.com

Beautiful hardy plant that seems to bloom non-stop. Almost lost it in an unexpected freeze last year and thought it was dead but it came back from the root and is more beautiful than ever this year! I bought this plant at Walmart (believe it or not) but can't locate another one anywhere yet.

Wasn't impressed when my husband brought home this ugly duckling, but the unique shape has really grown on me. Bloomed twice for me last summer. Unfortunately, I left it out during one of our hardest freezes this winter. All of the branches were killed. I immediately cut the soft parts off. The stump, or caudex, was still firm. I nearly threw it away last week, after about 6 weeks of staring at the bare, ugly stump, but I noticed it is coming out again! You may find that your frost-nipped plants are not really dead, but only dormant.

This is my third year growing my Adenium. I'm excited to report that this past fall in about october I noticed a seed pod forming. It is now almost February and the seed pod is over a foot long and still showing no signs of ripening. I did a lot of digging and read that the flowers are pollinated at night by moths, and that the pods usually hold 50 to 60 seeds. Also, that most commercial bought plants are sterile. Obviously not the case with mine. I'm excited to see what happens when the seed pods break open. I'm not sure if it is because of our dark winters in Michigan that is making the gestation so long for the seeds or if this is normal. Hopefully they will ripen soon so I can have seedlings by spring.

I bought a samll desert rose (6" tall) in KMart, Davie, FL as a tourist visiting the area somtime back 15+ years ago. I took it back home to New Jersey and kep telling my husband we needed to move to FL for the sake of the plant. I have been in FL for 6 yrs and the plant has grown so much. I found something a bit diff lst week, I seed pod! I have never seen one on any desert rose I've seen before, it is a strange pod, sticking out like to giant bug. What do I now? how do I propagate them? why does mine have them and the others never get them, I've asked even at garden cneters and they have never seen the pod before.....

I grow this in a pot, which is taken inside during the winter - desert rose is not winter hardy in zone 9. The pot also serves to give the excellent drainage required. I place it in full sun, on a raised rock, where it does not get water from the automatic irrigation system. Native to Africa, Desert rose is a succulent related to plumeria, with thick fleshy branches, and a large, fat base. Although it can survive with neglect, regular fertilization will make it much happier.

loves texas heat as long as it gets enough water. I have it in a self watering planter that I fill up about once every couple of weeks. Flowers are beautiful. Wish they lasted longer.

The picture that I added to the database was my first adenium. This plant has been grown and flowered inside a western window. I have since added three more to my collection. Hope they will do the same. 8>)))

Delightful plant! Easy to grow. Place outside in mild shade to sunny spot during summer, then inside for dormancy in winter. Enjoy loads of bloom in summer, will bloom, but not as heavily indoors. Constantly fertilize with weak solution. During dormancy, WATER SPARINGLY (you gotta love it--easy for those who don't have a lot of time!) Still trying to perfect the overall culture of this plant, but with as little knowledge as I have had have enjoyed much success with it.
Have been purchasing from local nursery and Lowe's/Home Depot, but am beginning to tap internet sources. Currently have about 5 unidentified varieties: solid scarlet with white throat, broad scarlet edge with white star throat, thin scarlett edge which fades/white star throat, lovely heavy blooming pink (all of these have broad leaves), and a scarlet/white with narrow leaves. Also, started some from a seed pod very successfully. EASY to do this as well, and the seedlings are fascinating; none have bloomed so far.
IMHO, this plant is an undiscovered treasure!

I have four of these beauties. One with red flowers, one bicolor, one yet unknown and one with variegated leaves that also has not yet bloomed. Being from Minnesota, they are grown under plant lights from approximately October to May and are moved outside for the rest of the year. Because of the constant light, they don't lose their leaves and I water when they look dry. The two bloomers are covered with flowers (I start using orchid fertilizer when they are moved outside) and I expect the others to give me a show this year. A few days ago I received 25 mixed Adenium seeds from an ebay auction. After only three days, 13 of them are up already! Wow! I just scattered them on the top of porous succulent soil (I have hundreds of succulents and use 1/2 perlite, some small rock and Miracle Gro potting soil as a mix) let the whole (bonsai) pot sit in water for a couple of hours and set this under the lights. I cant wait to see what I get from this mix! Happy Growing!

I saw this plant looking half dead at a Lowes in NC, and brought it home with me, as I am a huge sucker for foundering plants. Little did I know that it is just in a dormant state. From all I have read this should be a really enjoyable plant. I had it on a small sunporch, and have since moved it inside, because two of the branches are drooping! I figure its either because of the cold, or maybe I have over watered it. Im hoping a grow light in an inside room, and left to dry out a bit, will do the trick. I love succulents, so Im excited about this plant. I dont care if it is picky, it stands to be a wonderful houseplant, and I cannot wait for its first bloom!

Shrub to 2 m high with thick caudex and many short branches;leaves at ends of the branches.

A terrible house plant. It's a constant battle to keep mites,mealys off the leaves. It should be treated like a plumeria or pachypodium-grow outdoors for the summer and let go dry and dormant with leaf drop for the winter. They are one those common inexpensive plants, (when small) that ironically become very expensive when large.Such is the difficulty of growing one for the long term....
EDIT 2009: I have learned more since last wrote.They are tricky indoors,but it seems hybrids are more managable,faster growing too. Nothing has changed on the price of large plants indicating their status as desireable. I dont think I could afford one I bought two years ago due to growth!

I have one of the common bright pink and white ones and just decided this evening that I have to have more (many more!) of these beautiful, hardy, vigorous plants! I bought a baby in a 6" pot cheap cheap at Lowe's (a rescue) early this spring and it's all ready 18" around the base of the caudex and 2 1/2' tall.

It's had one or two blooms at a time since bringing it home, but since repotting from clay into 14" plastic (because it was screaming that it was thirsty all the time) and watering more frequently, it's loaded down with buds and blooms and I'm just transfixed by it's beauty!

I'm pretty new to caudex plants (I also have a Buddha Belly or jatropha podagrica) and was a bit hesitant since they seemed to me to be temperamental, but I'm now a true believer. I have it in full sun all day long on the back patio, and it just seems to love it there. The caudex seems to push itself up and out of the soil as it wants to and so it seems to be growing up as well as down into the soil...I've trimmed the roots as they become exposed, but am now contemplating allowing them to grow and gnarl as they want...I've seen some beautiful photo's here at Dave's that seem to be grown that way.

Regarding seed propogated Adeniums, these are the ones that DO produce the caudex (base, foot). Ones that are done from cuttings will not.

This is the main reason new varieties are grafted. With seed sown ones, the flower color can be hit or miss. With the grafts, you get the nice caudex produced by the host seedling, and a flower color that is true to the donating parent plant.

I've never seen anything like this plant before. I absolutly love it. It's kind of odd to me. But, it's an excellent plant. It's growing right now in my house. It's still just a baby. I live in Arkansas. It's doing just fine. I definatly recommend this plant! :-)

I have about 10 Adenium obesum and am VERY fond of them. You really have to watch the watering on these or you'll cause rot (I know from experience!). Two suggestions on these: it the plants are seed propagated, they supposedly will not produce the caudex that give the plant so much character. Secondly, I've heard that if you leave the caudex exposed, it will stop grow (the caudex, not the plant). The caudex should be covered until it's reached a good, plump size and gradually exposed each year.

I have had two Adenium obesum for a year now. I live in FL in zone 9b, and the Summer sun really dries them up in a hurry when they are in full sun. Last Summer we had a lot of rain and I almost lost one to root rot, but thankfully to the knowledge of The Plants Database, I realized it had gotten too much water from the rain, and I quickly placed both inside in a sun-room. They wintered very well and I did not water them except for one cup of water a month. This Summer they are doing very well and I am keeping them out of the rain and in full sun. This is tricky, because if you leave home and it is suppose to rain, you have to remember to take the plant to a cover where the rain will not over-water it! How they take the heat with little water is beyond my imagination. One of my most unusual plants that I own. Jamespayne

These really are beautiful plants and I just got a new one at Lowes in Lynchburg, Virginia!

I would like to add that cool but above freezing temps will kill them. We were doing a lot of remodeling this past year and many of my orchids and my Adenium were in a bathroom for several months of the winter. Alas it did dip down to 45-50 in there a few nights and I lost the Adenium and really stressed some of the phals (lost a few too).

So, don't leave it out too late in the fall if you live below Zone 10. I nursed my dead one along for months because I thought it had just gone dormant! When the "foot" starts to rot, you know it is dead.

For scale and mealy bugs, I use light-weight horticultural oils like EcoOil or Sun Oil. They are fantastic for scale on citrus and very gentle. Large plants need to be dragged outside for spraying as the stuff can be messy but as soon as they stop dripping you can bring them back.

Spraying with the diluted oil is much faster than q-tips and alcohol. This oil is now so popular that it is sold in lots of feed stores and garden supply stores. I used to have to order it from Gardens Alive at great expense.

I used to be a propagator for one of the largest mail order companies in the U.S. and have grown literally several thousands of species of ornamentals covering the entire range of plants one would would likely see. This is my absolute favorite plant, I just love it. I had one that got about 3 foot tall, multibranched, i'll try to post a photo. It was spectacular in bloom, the flowers almost completely obscured the rest of the plant. I had it from 6 inch pot size until it fit into a 36 inch pot when I lost it (I was overwintering it in a fertilizer plant and it got a whiff of Command herbicide and did not recover).
Here are my growing observations and experiences.
1. It did well in a mix of sand and peat lite mix, 2:1.
2. It seemed to respond to a half rate of soluble fertilizer in the water about two times a year when it was growing.
3. 50 degree or less temperatures would darn near kill it. Before I discovered that, I left it out in the fall. Long before it would freeze, the leaves would drop off and several inches of the branches would die back.
4. I abused it real bad as far as watering and care. I put it through cycles of growing for 3 months or so, then shutting off the water, the leaves would fall off, then followed a couple month dormancy, followed by watering plus the highest temperatures and brightest light that I could get. It would put a new flush of leaves, then a set of blossoms followed by a few seed pods. When the seed pods split, it was time to shut off the water and go through the cycle again.
5. It gets mealy bugs terrible and also mites occasionally.
6. I tried different insecticides for the mealy bugs and darn near killed the plant a couple of times. I will not spray insecticides on this plant today. If there are problems I hand clean all the leaves with a cotton swab and alcohol. I just got a new plant six weeks ago. It was dormant, I watered it in a 80 degree window, the leaves popped out, so did mealy bugs. Once a week I have gone over the plant and the big time infestation is now gone completely as near as I can see.
In my experience this the single most enjoyable, beautiful, yet carefree plant that I have ever grown. There should be one in every house.
Drawbacks: Poisonous sap, can get pretty large in time, it has to cycle through no leaves, has small list of management issues as outlined above.
Plusses: Unequaled floral display,lovely deep green shiny foliage, tough, takes abuse, visually interesting elephant foot and branch structure even when foliage is gone, you will have the only one on the block.

If you have scale problems with these plants, remove all the leaves (they do grow back after a few months, better than ever!) and leave outside all summer.

A succulent member of the Oleander family, Adenium obesum originates in East Africa. It prospers there in locations where it rains frequently in the summer, but is very dry in winter.

Planted in containers (clay pots are recommended), "Desert Rose" requires a soil mix of sand or brick chips mixed into regular soil, or a cactus mix. Permit the soil to dry completely between waterings. Water infrequently during winter.

The best time for propagation either by seed or cuttings is in the spring. Seeds germinate easily in a mixture of sand/soil. If propagating by cuttings, cut end shoots and let dry for a day or two, but be careful of the toxic sap. Stick shoots into a pot of moist soil and keep the soil moist.

In our experience this plant has been resilient! We bought two plants on clearance last summer which had maybe five leaves each. After battling white flies in house over winter (zone 6) and scale this summer on our porch, they have grown about five inches each and have close to twenty leaves! Not bad for a cool, damp summer! (temps below 90F all summer)

We are expecting a period of dormancy again but hoping one day to coax it to bloom.

SURPRISE! it bloomed in August!

I have a plant that is pretty tall, but only has a single stem with 9 leaves at the tip (in a pot, I am in zone 6). I don't know if I should pinch it back to make it branch or if it will it branch later, when it gets bigger/older.

Remember not to water this plant if it is dormant, else it will rot!! Dormancy is signaled by the loss of leaves/flowers.

This is one of the interesting succulents that does not ask a lot of work.

Can be cultivated as a bonsai plant - really a splendid thing. (I have no pictures of this but in my collection I have one 25cm high in a bonsai pot and a large stone next to the plant, is really good-looking.)

A most amazing specimen, one of my favorites!!! One item of note, although it can be propagated by cuttings, only seedlings will develop the coveted bulbous base. Best wishes!

I received seed from a local grower whose plant set seed, supposedly self-sterile. I will give more info about starting from seed stage as they develop.

In Zone 8, this plant has to come indoors when the weather gets cold, so it is restricted to containers here. I read a recommendation to use cactus potting soil and water lightly. The plant does well for me in a sunny window year round, but I know of other growers who let their plants summer outside.

Another one of my favorite plants. Mine blooms almost constantly - 9b/10a area - it likes the heat and is happy in sandy soil.