If you are looking for a rare plant to add to your collection, dessert roses are the best bet. Their compact size and colourful flowers make them an ideal plant for home decoration. These roses belong to the indoor plant category and have been used as ornamental pieces for ages. Shop for these dessert roses at The Jungle Collectives and bring home a colourful delight.

About Adenium

With an average height of 1 to 3 feet (30 to 90 cm), this plant flaunts thick, twisted stems adorned with fleshy, lance-shaped leaves. What adds to the beauty of these flowers is the ombre effect of their petals in the shades of pink, red, and white.

These plants have a unique growth habit called “caudiciform,” meaning they develop a swollen base or caudex over time. This part of the plant stores water to sustain periods of drought. You can create an appealing Bonsai using these roses, as they are stout and produce flowers all around the year. You can also call them Desert rose, Sabi Star, Desert azalea, and Japanese frangipani, being their popular names. 

Benefits of having Adenium

• The good luck plant:

Adeniums are known as “wealth plants”. In Chinese culture, the swollen root/ base of this plant is supposed to indicate prosperity. It is said to attract positivity, love & abundance of wealth. Getting a dessert rose for your home & office helps make the ambience greener and filled with optimism.

• Bonsai potential:

Are you aware of Bonsai, an integral part of Japanese and East Asian flowering culture? It is the art of cultivating and shaping miniature trees in aesthetic pots to make centrepieces. As Adeniums are stout plants, they can be converted into cute Bonsai to completely elevate the look of your proximity.

• Tolerance to wide pH range:

Amidst the plants that only survive in soils of particular pH, making them hard to nurture, Adeniums can grow in soils ranging from acidic to alkaline ones. This quality makes them easy to adopt for you.

• Year Round blossoms:

The prime benefit of getting a dessert rose home is its year-round blossoms. You do not have to stress about the juvenile phase.

How To Care and Maintain Adenium 

• Caudex care:

The Caudex of Adeniums is susceptible to rot when overflooded with water. If you notice your plant caudex has swollen up, it is indicative of excessive watering. Another reason for its rotting is overhead watering. Water your plants only twice a week to prevent your dessert rose from damage. While pouring water into the plant container, make sure you are not watering overhead; slide it slowly from the sides.

• Use the right kind of containers for the adenium plant:

Are you using plastic containers for potting your Adeniums? If yes, then you need to stop now. Plastic containers are non-porous, which leads to slower air circulation. Instead, use terra cotta or wooden containers, as they are porous and also an eco-friendly alternative.

• Disease prevention:

Adenium plants are most susceptible to being infected by measly bugs, spider bugs, aphids, and plant scales. Also, you can witness stem and root rot due to fungal infestation. To know if your plant is infected, look for yellow or brownish spots on the stems and caudex. If it’s present, that indicates pest infestation. To protect your dessert roses, treat them with organic insecticides or wipe them off gently with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. You can buy organic neem oil from the Jungle Collectives to keep your greens pest free.

• Nutritional requirement of Adenium:

Adenium plants require a balanced supply of macronutrients such as,

• nitrogen, 
• phosphorus, 
• potassium

          and micronutrients like, 

• iron, 
• manganese, 
• Zinc is needed for healthy growth. It is recommended to use a water-soluble, slow-release fertiliser with a balanced N-P-K ratio of 13-13-13.

• Make sure you are watering your plant correctly:

Adenium plants can easily thrive in soil with low moisture; as the name suggests, these are “Dessert roses”. If your plant is placed in hot temperatures, you can water it once daily. If you are at room or lower temperature, watering plants after every 2 days is recommended.