Adenium / Desert Rose (Red) - Adenium obesum

About Adenium / Desert Rose (Red)

Adenium (Adenium obesum), from the Apocynaceae family and commonly called Desert Rose, is an evergreen to drought-deciduous succulent shrub that blooms almost year-round. It's a popular low-maintenance plant, valued for its colourful red flowers and its unusual, thick swollen stem and shiny leaves — many growers use it for bonsai.

Growing Conditions

• Sunlight: A minimum of 4 hours of direct sunlight; low light causes leggy growth and duller blooms.
• Soil: A coarse, very well-drained potting mix (roughly 65% perlite, with sand, rock and a small proportion of top soil or coir works well for mature/bonsai plants; a standard well-drained, organic-rich mix is fine in the first year).
• Water: Water only when the top 2-3 inches of soil are dry — overwatering is the most common way to kill this plant. It can tolerate 15-20 days without water.

Planting & Placement

Best grown in a pot (minimum 30 cm, or a shallow bonsai-style planter); should not be planted directly in the ground — use raised mounds or beds if needed. Reaches under 1 metre in height, depending on age and pot.

Care

• Fertilizer: Established plants need little feeding; a phosphorus-rich fertilizer 2-3 times a year, especially around the dormant period, supports flowering.
• Pruning: Minimal — remove dead or damaged growth as needed.

Flowering

Blooms almost year-round with good light, producing red flowers even as the plant naturally sheds and regrows leaves through the year.

Note: This listing ships a young nursery plant. Growth and bloom timing vary by climate, care, and region - we don't promise a fixed timeline. Toxic if ingested (contains cardiac glycosides similar to Oleander) - sap can also irritate skin; keep away from pets and children.