Hello, aspiring gardener! I am the Desert Rose, Adenium obesum. While you see a beautiful, sculptural plant with stunning flowers, I am a survivor, engineered by millennia of evolution to thrive in harsh, arid climates. To help me flourish in your care, you must understand my nature. Let me guide you through my needs from my own point of view.
My most fundamental need is also the one most often misunderstood. I possess a large, succulent caudex (my swollen trunk) which is my personal water reservoir. When you water me too frequently, my roots sit in moisture they are not designed to absorb so quickly. This leads to rot, a death sentence for me. The key is to mimic the desert downpours I am built for. Water me deeply and thoroughly until water runs from my pot's drainage holes. Then, you must let my soil become completely dry before even thinking about watering me again. In the winter, when I am dormant and have likely dropped my leaves, I need almost no water at all. My caudex will feel slightly soft when I am thirsty; this is your cue.
My roots demand two things above all: excellent drainage and plenty of air. A standard, moisture-retentive potting soil is a suffocating, waterlogged prison for me. I require a gritty, fast-draining mix. A perfect home for me would be a blend of cactus and succulent soil with added perlite, coarse sand, or even small pumice stones. This ensures water flows through instantly and oxygen reaches my roots. My pot is equally important. Always choose a pot with ample drainage holes. A terracotta pot is an excellent choice as it is porous and helps wick away excess moisture from my soil, keeping my roots happy and healthy.
I am a child of the sun. To grow strong, produce my woody stems, and bloom profusely, I need abundant, direct sunlight. A minimum of six hours of direct sun per day is my requirement. A south-facing window is ideal indoors. Without enough light, I will become "leggy," with weak, elongated stems stretching for a sun I cannot find, and I will refuse to flower. I am also a heat-loving plant. I thrive in temperatures between 65°F and 90°F (18°C - 32°C). I am extremely sensitive to cold. Temperatures below 40°F (5°C) will damage me, and frost is fatal. Please bring me indoors well before the first chill of autumn.
My growth and flowering are tied to a natural cycle. During my active growing season, which is spring and summer, I appreciate being fed. A balanced, water-soluble fertilizer diluted to half-strength, or one specifically formulated for flowering plants, applied once a month will support my growth and flower production. However, as the days shorten and temperatures drop, I enter a period of dormancy. This is my time to rest. I will likely drop my leaves to conserve energy. During this time, you should stop fertilizing me entirely and drastically reduce watering, as outlined in section one. Do not be alarmed by my bare appearance; this is a natural and necessary part of my life cycle.
Pruning is how you can help me achieve my classic, tree-like form. The best time to prune me is at the beginning of my active growing season, in early spring. When you cut back a branch, I will typically respond by producing two or more new branches from just below the cut, creating a fuller, bushier appearance. Repotting is only necessary every two to three years, as I actually bloom best when slightly pot-bound. When you do repot me, it is an opportunity to slightly raise my caudex above the soil line each time to showcase my beautiful, sculptural form.
