Adenium
'Desert Rose'
Adeniums are very easy to grow and care for. They thrive both outdoors in warmer climates, and indoors, with bright light, in almost any climate. Once acclimated to their new environment they are relatively carefree and can do well for short periods when neglected. Maintenance can generally be kept to a minimum, and they are not usually affected by insects or viruses.
Adeniums can bloom profusely over long periods of time. With new hybrids and species, the array of colors are almost endless. The stunning colors along with the exotic nature of growth on this plant make for some of the most amazing show pieces available anywhere. These are favored by bonsai growers and collectors worldwide.
Adenium Obesum (Desert Rose) flowers have a radiant hue that standout against its dark, lush leaves for an explosion of tropical color. The trunk is a shade of light grey with a unique shape. The trunk is wider at the bottom, many times providing an amazing contortion of exotic shapes, while the top is narrow, giving it a pyramidal shape.
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Adenium (‘Desert Rose’) brings a tropical look wherever it is planted with its large flowers that begin to bloom in the early spring and last well into fall.
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Adeniums (‘Desert Rose’) store water in their wide trunks and are highly self-sufficient allowing them to survive heat waves and droughts with very little attention. They are the perfect hands-free blooming plants for busy gardeners.
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Adeniums (‘Desert Rose’) are low maintenance plants that go well with any project. They can be kept small as an indoor bonsai and will amaze everyone that sees them.
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Adeniums (‘Desert Rose’) can also be kept in a larger container for an accent tree that will bring a tropical island vibe to any space.
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Adeniums (‘Desert Rose’) are an excellent choice for foundation plantings and for framing entryways.
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Adeniums (‘Desert Rose’), when planted in the ground, grow to about 6 feet tall, allowing them to fit almost anywhere, even under utility lines or by the pool.
The possibilities are endless. Simply decide where yours will look best and prepare for up to six months of exquisite blooms.
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ABOUT ADENIUMS: Adenium obesum is a species of flowering plant in the dogbane family, Apocynaceae, that is native to the Sahel regions, south of the Sahara (from Mauritania and Senegal to Sudan), and tropical and subtropical eastern and southern Africa and Arabia. Common names include Sabi star, kudu, mock azalea, impala lily and desert rose.
Description: It is an evergreen or drought-deciduous succulent shrub (which can also lose its leaves during cold spells or according to the subspecies or cultivar). It can grow to 1–3 m (3.3–9.8 ft) in height, with pachycaul stems and a stout, swollen basal caudex. The leaves are spirally arranged, clustered toward the tips of the shoots, leathery in texture, 5–15 cm (2.0–5.9 in) long and 1–8 cm (0.39–3.15 in) broad. The flowers are tubular, 2–5 cm (0.79–1.97 in) long, with the outer portion 4–6 cm (1.6–2.4 in) diameter with five petals, resembling those of other related genera such as Plumeria and Nerium. The flowers tend to be red, pink & white; often with a whitish blush outward of the throat.
Uses: Adenium obesum produces a sap in its roots and stems that contains cardiac glycosides. This sap is used as arrow poison for hunting large game throughout much of Africa and as a fish toxin.
Cultivation: Adenium obesum is a popular houseplant and bonsai in temperate regions. It requires a sunny location and a minimum indoor temperature in winter of 10 °C (50 °F). It thrives on a xeric watering regime as required by cacti. Adenium obesum is typically propagated by seed or stem cuttings. The numerous hybrids are propagated mainly by grafting on to seedling rootstock. While plants grown from seed are more likely to have the swollen caudex at a young age, with time many cutting-grown plants cannot be distinguished from seedlings. Like many plants, Adenium obesum can also be propagated in vitro using plant tissue culture.
This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. (source: Wikipedia)
It's as Easy As 1 - 2 - 3
to Plant & Care for Your Adenium
1. Dig Your Hole
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Select a site with full to partial sun and well drained soil for your Adenium ‘Desert Rose’
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Dig each hole so that it is shallower than the root ball and twice the width.
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Loosen the soil around the planting hole so the roots can easily break through.
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Using your shovel try dragging it along the sides and bottom of the hole.
2. Place Your Plant
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Separate the roots of your Adenium ‘Desert Rose’ gently with your fingers and position them downward into the hole.
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The top of the root flare where the roots end and the trunk begins should be about an inch above the surrounding soil.
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Make sure the plant is sitting vertically in the hole. .
3. Refill the Hole
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Water well to remove any air pockets.
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Remove debris like stones and grass and break up any dirt clumps.
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Water your Desert Rose 'Adenium' again after the transplant is completed.
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After completion, try not to over water. Water only when the soil starts to dry out.
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IT’S THAT EASY!
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