Scientific Name
Adenium obesum subsp. somalense (I.B.Balf.) G.D.Rowley
Accepted Scientific Name
Adenium obesum (Forssk.) Roem. & Schult.
Synonyms
Adenium somalense
Scientific Classification
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Apocynoideae
Tribe: Wrightieae
Genus: Adenium
Description
Adenium obesum subsp. somalense, also known as Adenium somalense, is a succulent shrub or small tree, up to 16.4 feet (5 m) tall, with a swollen, often twisted trunk. The leaves are long, narrowly linear, reddish-green with prominent white midrib and veins with silvery highlight. The flowers are trumpet-shaped and range from white and pink to crimson red.
Photo via toptropicals.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. 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, make sure the soil is dry before repotting, then gently remove the plant from the pot. Knock away the old soil from the roots, making sure to remove any rotted or dead roots in the process. Treat any cuts with a fungicide and antibacterial solution. 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
Adenium obesum subsp. somalense is native to southern Somalia, Tanzania and Kenya.
Links
- Back to genus Adenium
- Succulentopedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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