Adenium obese
Who has not ever fallen in love with the Desert rose? This extroardinary shrub-bearing plant has very colorful flowers, and its maintenance is not as complicated as it may seem, as you will see below.
Go ahead and expand your collection of cacti and succulents by adding a specimen. You will see how you do not regret it.
Adenium boehmianum
The desert rose belongs to the genus Adenium and, although the best known species – and the easiest to find – is A. obesum, there are some more that are just as interesting; such as A. boehmianum or A. multiflorum. They are native to South Africa, where they have a dry subtropical climate (with minimum temperatures that can reach 0 degrees Celsius, but without frosts) and, like all caudiciform plants, they have a slow growth, being able to be in the same pot for years.
But … it cannot be planted in any substrate, because it is very sensitive to rotting from excess moisture. To achieve a substrate that drains water well and quickly, the following mixture can be made: 30% perlite + 30% black peat + 20% coconut fiber + 20% vermiculite. Inside the pot it is recommended to put a layer of volcanic clay or clay balls; this way we make sure that the roots will not be in permanent contact with the water. Will appreciate a weekly watering throughout the growing seasonthat is, from spring to late summer.
Adenium multiflora
If you live in an area where winters are cold, with temperatures close to 2 degrees below zero, protect your plant with transparent plastic and suspends irrigation from September-October until the mercury in the thermometer remains above 10ºC. If winter is even colder in your area, protect your Desert Rose inside the homein a room where it receives a lot of light.
The subscriber, as we have seen this week, can be done taking advantage of the eggshells, tea or coffee grounds (cold), compost… Of course, you can also use a chemical fertilizer specific for cactus following the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Do you have any doubt? Get in contact with us.
