Adenium obesum seed
LATIN NAME: Adenium obesum
COMMON NAME: Desert Rose, Impala Lily, Sabi Star
The desert rose is one of the most striking and sculptural plants you can grow, and it seems almost too beautiful to be real. It grows as a slow, succulent shrub or small tree, with a thick, swollen trunk and branches that are smooth and grey, storing water against the drought of its native lands. From the tips of the branches come clusters of huge, trumpet-shaped flowers in vivid shades of pink, rose, red and white, often with a deeper throat, and they appear over a long season, most abundantly in summer. The contrast of the swollen trunk and the brilliant flowers makes the desert rose one of the most admired plants of the warm world, a living sculpture that rewards patience.
The desert rose belongs to the periwinkle family, Apocynaceae, and it is native to the hot, dry regions of eastern and southern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, where it grows on rocky, sun-baked ground. It thrives in warmth, full sun and excellent drainage, and it is grown as a bonsai and container plant throughout the warm world.
Positive & Encouraging Seed Germination Guide
Growing a desert rose from seed is easy and very exciting, and it is the best way to grow a plant with a thick, swollen base, called a caudex. The seeds germinate readily in warm, moist conditions, so sow them in late spring or summer in pots of very free-draining compost, about a centimetre deep, and keep them warm, bright and lightly moist. Germination usually begins within one to two weeks, and the seedlings grow fast in warmth. Give them full sun, warmth and excellent drainage, and let the compost dry out between waterings. In a few years your seed-raised desert rose will develop its swollen trunk and reward you with its spectacular flowers.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The desert rose has a genuine and growing place in both phytochemical and horticultural research. Like many members of the periwinkle family, it contains cardiac glycosides and other potent compounds, and researchers have studied these for their biological activity, including their traditional medicinal uses and their toxicity, which is well documented in plant-safety research, so all parts of the plant should be handled with care. In horticulture, the desert rose is one of the most popular succulent plants in the world, and researchers have studied its cultivation, its flowering, its grafting and its value as a bonsai and container plant, as well as the breeding of new colour forms. For a plant of such sculptural beauty, the desert rose has a steady and interesting record of research.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
Ecologically, the desert rose is a keystone of the dry landscapes where it grows. Its brilliant flowers feed bees, sunbirds and other pollinators, and its swollen trunk stores water and gives shelter for small animals and insects in the harsh, dry lands.
Its economic value is considerable. It is one of the most popular and valuable succulent plants in the world, prized as a bonsai, a container plant and a garden plant in warm, dry climates, and it has a major place in the nursery trade, with rare and highly-coloured forms commanding high prices. For a grower, the desert rose is a high-value, high-demand plant, and for a gardener in a warm, sunny spot it brings living sculpture and breathtaking flowers.