Here’s a detailed description of the Adenium plant, commonly known as the Desert Rose:
🌺 Adenium Plant Overview:
Common Names: Desert Rose, Mock Azalea, Sabi Star
Scientific Name: Adenium obesum
Family: Apocynaceae (Dogbane family)
Native To: Arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa and the Arabian Peninsula
Type: Flowering succulent shrub or small tree
🌿 Growth Habit:
Form: Thick, swollen trunk (caudex) adapted to store water
Height: Typically 1–3 feet tall in containers; up to 6–10 feet in the ground under ideal conditions
Growth Rate: Moderate to slow, depending on care and climate
🍃 Foliage:
Leaves: Glossy, leathery, dark green; shape varies from narrow to oval
Arrangement: Clusters at the tips of branches
Deciduous Behavior: May shed leaves in winter or during drought
🌸 Flowers:
Color: Bright pink, red, white, or bi-color; often with contrasting centers
Shape: Trumpet-shaped, 5-petaled, resembling plumeria or azalea
Bloom Time: Spring through fall; can bloom year-round in warm climates
Attracts: Bees and other pollinators
🌞 Growing Conditions:
Light: Full sun; essential for flowering and caudex development
Soil: Well-draining, sandy or cactus mix
Water: Drought-tolerant; allow soil to dry between waterings
USDA Zones: Hardy in zones 10–11; grown as a container plant elsewhere
⚠️ Toxicity:
Warning: All parts of the plant are toxic if ingested; sap can irritate skin and eyes
Used In: Traditional poisons in some African cultures
🌱 Care Tips:
Watering: Reduce in winter when the plant goes dormant
Fertilizer: Balanced fertilizer during growing season; low nitrogen enhances blooms
Pruning: Can be pruned to shape; promotes branching and flowering
Propagation: Best from cuttings or seeds; cuttings retain parent traits but may not form a prominent caudex