Desert Rose – A Standout in Florida Gardens

“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” That famous quotation from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet comes to mind whenever looking at a stunning Desert Rose in the local landscape.

Desert Rose (Adenium obesum), also called Sabi Star, Desert Azalea, Japanese frangipani, and Impala lily – just to name a few. It is not a rose, nor does it grow in the desert. Its early native habitat is Africa, the Middle East, and Madagascar making them ideal for arid and hot climates – thus the desert name. 

Desert Roses are slow-growing succulents – think cactus or aloe – with thick, swollen stems that retain water and a bulbous base - this is also the first thing that will draw you to a potted desert rose. The Desert Rose bonsai appearance is part of its appeal, and they are often grown as bonsai plants.

The flowers resemble trumpet-like rosettes, which come in stunning single or double petals in shades of pinks, reds, oranges, purples and snow whites and some hybrids are variegated accompanied by glossy green leaves. Some cultivars are fragrant – just like a rose. The bark of a Desert Rose is usually grey or brown with vertical cracks up and down. 

The blossoms are beautiful, and the “tubby stems” add to its dramatic presentation in both container form or in the landscape. They hold their own compared to other tropical beauties in the landscape.

Desert Roses are part of the Dogbane family which includes plumeria, oleander, milkweed, periwinkle, and allamanda and known for their milky sap. Desert Roses are now commercially propagated in nurseries and by hobbyists in thousands of garden settings worldwide using seeds, cuttings, air layering and grafting methods.

The bright Florida sunshine is ideal for Desert Roses to flourish and produce their stunning blooms. According to the University of Florida, Desert Roses are one of the best patio plants because they do well in containers with the added bonus of being a drought tolerant succulent and easy to maintain.

In some Asian countries, such as Thailand, Desert Rose is a popular ornamental container plant. It is considered a lucky plant signifying good luck and longevity and often given as a housewarming gift. The swollen trunk represents abundance, promising wealth or opportunities for good luck in the years ahead. It is a very common practice for cuttings or seeds from the original plant to be given out as gifts and passed around in the Asian family. 

You might ask how long it will take for the cutting to start rooting. Desert Rose is a very slow growing succulent, and it will all depend on the health of the original plant. Just like plumeria cuttings, the Desert Rose cutting has to be allowed to dry out and callused before you plant it in potting soil and perlite. It should take root in about two to six weeks but don’t expect much from a small cutting of about six to eight inches. 

But if you come across a mature desert rose in someone’s garden that is over five feet tall with striking double petals in a deep shade of purple or black – I might seriously consider knocking on the door to ask for a cutting. 

Desert Roses don’t ask much from their human handlers. They don’t ask for much water or much fuss. With plenty of sunlight, it will delight you with new growth and once established in the container or out in the garden, it will bloom all summer long. They are relatively disease and pest-free free, with overwatering its biggest problem.