Hi,
I received a desert rose from a friend as a gift about a month ago and I have been very scared of killing it.
I live in California and I have no windows in my house that face south. I recently moved my desert rose from my west-facing kitchen to my back yard to get more sun. In a few days, the leaves started getting gold and brown spots. I attached photos for reference. Some of the leaves also fell off. I am not sure if it is a fungus, an infestation, or if the sun burned the leaves? I removed the sick leaves and sprayed the plant with an insect killing soap, because it is the only thing I have at my house right now. Should I also get a fungicide? I know desert roses do not normally like being sprayed so I am a little hesitant and I really do not want to make things worse.

[email protected] I will let some other members here respond because I am relatively new to adenium as well. I had adeniums I've had for years. They thrived with my neglect the moment I decided to pay more attention to them (i.e. repotting) then they start having issues.

Sometimes sudden change of location (indoor to outdoor) or temperature (shade to full sun) causes them to shed leaves.

I'm more curious about the moss cover on the top soil and the pot. If it is well draining or not. Desert roses do not like wet media.

Paging @teamcll @drdawg @2ManyPlants I'm curious too on your diagnosis.

See if you find any fine webbing on any of your leaves/stems. You might have a spider mite problem. This is fungal, insect, or bacterial in my opinion. Since I grow my Adeniums in full Florida sun, I really don't know the impact on leaves when putting the plant in full sun. Generally speaking though, you should acclimate a plant grown without sun and then into full sun.

Thanks Ken! I grow mine outside too. Too much rain is messing them up.

Paging @deepsouth too, you have more desert roses than me.

@deepsouth would definitely be more versed that me, but I also agree with Ken about acclimating. It also looks to me like it could a combination of mites, and fungus.

Those leaves are sunburnt. It looks like you didn't properly acclimate your desert rose to the sun before setting it into the new location. As long as the caudex isn't showing the same signs and it is getting enough water, it should bounce back and start growing nicely.

Perhaps so, but until proven otherwise, it think there may be a combination of factors here, @hlutzow.

looks like a combination .....

skip the fungicide for now....

remove the moss - replace with rock or pebbles - the moss will retain too much moisture

pull the plant from the pot ...wash off roots .....check the roots and caudex below the soil line for *anything* that is not white ...if roots are tan, brown or black ...it means you have root rot
will need to remove roots that are not white ....root rot will spread and will reduce the plant to mush

ensure pot has drainage hole .....repot with a fresh, fast draining - chunky, gritty potting media ...containing mostly inorganic material like rocks, pebbles, lump charcoal, sharp sand & perlite .....

the largest upper leaf looks like a type of Phytotoxicity (leaf damage) or leaf burn, after using insecticide, on a sunny hot day

that and a couple of other leaves look very much like a spider mite attack (pale nearly green-less leaves) ....
as mentioned by @drdawg ...look closely for "very fine" spider like webbing ....

if spider mites are present - treat with either insecticidal soap or a "summer" neem oil .....normal neem oil is too heavy for summer use ...follow label instructions for how much and reapplication intervals ....spider mites are treatable but its necessary to stay on schedule with treatments

the "blotches", margins and/or tips browning, on leaves may indicate either too much water or not enough

when using insecticidal soap ... do not use insecticidal soap in direct sun ...(the worst that "can happen" is skeletonized leaves)
spray on ....allow to dry .... then spray / wash-off < dont skip the wash-off cycle
once dry, the soap (fatty acids) is no longer effective

I agree with every comment, James, made.

@adaria9yahoocom hope you have the chance to review the responses. Please keep us posted on what you decide and post updates of pictures here.

Hope you are able to save your desert rose.

I don't know how far it's true , I lately read that if adenium is overwatered the leaf will turn yellow from the tip and if it is underwatered leaf will start yellowing from the bottom ( near the stem )

@Aashna, I read the same thing too. And if then leaves come off easy, there is no cause for concern.

GigiPlumeria said:@Aashna, I read the same thing too. And if then leaves come off easy, there is no cause for concern.

@gigiplumeria
It must be true then