Scientific Name
Adenium obesum subsp. swazicum (Stapf) G.D. Rowley
Common Name(s)
Summer Impala Lily, Impala Lily, Swazi Lily, Desert Rose
Synonym(s)
Adenium swazicum, Adenium boehmianum var. swazicum
Scientific Classification
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Apocynoideae
Tribe: Nerieae
Subtribe: Neriinae
Genus: Adenium
Description
Adenium obesum subsp. swazicum, also known as Adenium swazicum, is a dwarf deciduous succulent shrub with a basal stem that produces several greenish to greyish branches. It grows up to 28 inches (70 cm) tall. The basal stem is short, swollen, sometimes partially buried, and up to 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter. Leaves are glossy green, up to 4 inches (10 cm) long, and up to 1.2 inches (3 cm) wide. They are clustered at the ends of the branches. Flowers are showy, pink to deep reddish-pink, usually with a darker throat, up to 2.8 inches (7 cm) in diameter, and appear mainly from late summer to fall.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 10a to 11b: from 30 °F (−1.1 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
This is not a difficult plant to grow well, provided it get enough sunlight and warmth. Like all succulents, Desert Rose 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. 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 subspecies is native to Swaziland, southern parts of Mozambique, and South Africa (Mpumalanga and northern KwaZulu-Natal). The main habitat for this succulent is open, dry woodland and grassland.
Links
- Back to genus Adenium
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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