General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Shrub
Cactus/Succulent
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Dry Mesic
Dry
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 10a -1.1 °C (30 °F) to +1.7 °C (35 °F)
Plant Height: Up to 4 feet or more
Plant Spread: 2-3 feet or more
Leaves: Deciduous
Fruit: Dehiscent
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: Pink
Red
White
Bi-Color: Pink and White, Red and White
Bloom Size: 1"-2"
Flower Time: Late winter or early spring
Spring
Late spring or early summer
Summer
Late summer or early fall
Fall
Late fall or early winter
Underground structures: Taproot
Suitable Locations: Xeriscapic
Houseplant
Resistances: Humidity tolerant
Drought tolerant
Toxicity: Other: All parts of the plant have toxic qualities.
Propagation: Seeds: Provide light
Start indoors
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem
Layering
Other: Rooted cuttings take a long time to form the thick caudex base.
Containers: Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
Needs excellent drainage in pots

Image
Common names
  • Desert Rose
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Adenium obesum subsp. obesum
  • Synonym: Adenium arabicum

Photo Gallery
Photo by Rainbow
Location: Baja California
Date: 2018-08-16
Location: Glendale, AZ
Date: 2019-05-01
Desert Rose (Adenium)
Location: Parchur, Andhra Pradesh, India
Date: 2021-01-19
Location: North Louisiana
Date: 2022-10-28
Photo by Rainbow
Location: Sun Lakes, AZ
Date: 2023-09-22
Adenium obesum Dark Red
Location: Baja California
Date: 2021-02-12

Date: 2017-08-21
This is T G Corley's adenium from the Philadelphia Flower Show du
Location: North Louisiana
Date: 2020-04-01
Photo by Rainbow
Location: My garden
Date: 2020-07-05
Hybrid  Double Rose
Location: 2019 Flower Show in Philadelphia
Date: 2019-03-02
Imagine it in bloom!         exhibited by Thomas G Corley
Location: North Louisiana
Date: 2022-11-05
Location: North Louisiana
Date: 2017-02-19
Location: North Louisiana
Date: 2022-10-29
Location:  North latitude    GPS Latitude              16, 1' 40.202" East longitude    GPS Longitude             80, 13' 53.124"
Photo by Rainbow
Location: Fairchild gardens Miami FL
Date: 2023-03
this is labeled Adenium arabicum
Location: Backyard
Date: 2023-09-21
This IS a Desert Rose
Location: Baja California
Date: 2021-02-12
Aphids on arabicum leaf underside
Photo by Rainbow
Location: North Louisiana
Date: 2017-02-19
Location: North Louisiana
Date: 2020-04-01
Location: North Louisiana
Date: 2020-04-01
Location: North Louisiana
Date: 2020-04-01
Location: Baja California
Date: 2023-08-15
Photo by chhari55
Photo by Traijin
Photo by Rainbow
Photo by chhari55
Location: Parchur, Andhra Pradesh, India
Date: 24feb2016
new grafting by me first bloom
Photo by JedobaTX9b
Location: North Louisiana
Date: October 11 2022
Location: North Louisiana
Date: 2017-02-19
Photo by Rainbow
Location: Sarasota, FL
Date: 2015-04-30
At Selby Gardens.  Their tag uses synonym Adenium arabicum.
Location: South Ethiopia, near Turmi
Date: 2008-10-21
Location: North Louisiana
Date: 2020-04-01
Location: North Louisiana
Date: 2020-04-01
This plant is tagged in:
Image Image

Comments:
  • Posted by Baja_Costero (Baja California - Zone 11b) on May 19, 2022 8:52 PM concerning plant:
    This comment is about the former Adenium arabicum, a wide-bottomed Arabian form of the desert rose. This form is apparently considered a synonym of the type species of Adenium obesum, according to the CoL. I don't know the details. I will use the former name here.

    Adenium arabicum is a native of Yemen and Saudi Arabia, and it can be distinguished from the typical Adenium obesum based on a few features other than geography. The leaves tend to cluster at the top of stems and they are minutely pubescent. The stem is wider at the base and more bottom heavy in its general proportions.

    This plant has been used in hybridization with other forms of Adenium because of its shape (vegetative characteristics). When you raise it the right way, exposing the roots, you can arrive at a fascinating, otherworldly form where the difference between stem and roots blurs in a really attractive way. This is particularly popular in southeast Asia. Really old plants can be totally spectacular, almost unreal, especially in bloom.

    Like other Adeniums, this variant likes good drainage, full sun and warmth, regular water at a higher frequency during the leafy phase than during the leafless one. It does not tolerate cold but there's no problem in our zone 11 climate.

    However, our climate maxes out around 90°F and my plants do not put on much stem growth until we have temperatures in the 80s for several days. Otherwise the internodes are really short, which makes for an excellent form if your goal is for a fat-bottomed plant. Expect limited stem growth in cool climates.
  • Posted by Cipher (Arizona - Zone 9b) on Sep 21, 2023 1:09 PM concerning plant:
    This Desert Rose plant had beautiful red blooms in the summer but when we had a tremendous down pouring of rain at one period, I think it drowned the plant. At one point, the stalk and base of the plant was so soggy, it felt like mush. I was ready to toss it out. Instead, I cut off all the branches and most of the mushy trunk then left it alone to see what it looked like after drying out. This is the result after several months of doing nothing.
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