Adenium obesum (Desert Rose)

Scientific Name

Adenium obesum (Forssk.) Roem. & Schult.

Common Name(s)

Desert Rose, Mock Azalea, Impala Lily

Synonym(s)

Adenium coetaneum, Adenium honghel, Nerium obesum, Adenium arabicum, Adenium arboreum, Adenium micranthum, Adenium socotranum, Adenium somalense, Adenium speciosum, Adenium tricholepis, Cameraria obesa

Scientific Classification

Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Apocynoideae
Tribe: Nerieae
Subtribe: Neriinae
Genus: Adenium

Description

Adenium obesum is an evergreen or drought-deciduous succulent shrub or small tree that grows up to 10 feet (3 m) tall. With age, the stem base becomes 3.3 feet (1 m) or more in diameter and sometimes spreads over the rocks in its natural habitat. Leaves are spirally arranged and clustered toward the tip of the shoots. They are leathery in texture, up to 6 inches (15 cm) long, and up to 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide. Flowers are tubular, with five red and pink petals, often with a whitish blush outward of the throat. They are up to 2 inches (5 cm) long and 2.4 inches (6 cm) in diameter. The long finger-like double fruits are grey to pale grey-brown and sometimes fringed with pink.

Adenium obesum (Desert Rose) — *Photo via gardenweb.com*

Hardiness

USDA hardiness zones 10a to 11b: from 30 °F (−1.1 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).

How to Grow and Care

These are not difficult plants to grow well, provided they get enough sunlight and warmth. However, like all succulents, they cannot tolerate sitting in water, and if you err, do it on the side of too little water. Use a specialized soil mix designed for cacti and succulents.

Repot as needed, preferably during the warm season. To repot a Desert Rose, ensure the soil is dry before repotting, then gently remove the plant from the pot. Knock away the old soil from the roots, removing any rotted or dead roots. Treat any cuts with a fungicide and antibacterial solution. Next, place the plant in its new pot and backfill with potting soil, spreading the roots out as you repot. Leave the plant dry for a week or so, then begin to water lightly to reduce the risk of root rot.

Learn more at How to Grow and Care for a Desert Rose (Adenium obesum).

Origin

This species 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.

Subspecies, Varieties, and Forms

Photo Gallery

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