If you are in a hot, dry climate and you are looking for a way to bring more color to your outdoor spaces, planting some desert roses is a wonderful way to beautify your landscape.
This post will teach you what conditions desert roses need to grow successfully, how to plant and propagate them, and what you need to do to maintain them. We will also discuss how you may be able to grow these flowers even if you do not live in their ideal climate zones.
Jump to any section in the advanced jump below, or read on for our full growing guide for desert roses.
Jump to:
- What Are Desert Roses?
- Desert Rose Basics
- Where Do Desert Roses Grow?
- Why Grow Desert Roses?
- When Do Desert Roses Bloom?
- How Long Do Desert Roses Bloom?
- When to Plant Desert Roses
- Ideal Growing Conditions for Desert Roses
- How to Plant Desert Roses
- How to Propagate Desert Roses
- How to Care for Desert Roses
- Recommended Planting Combinations for Desert Rose
- Desert Rose Landscaping Ideas
- Recommended Desert Rose Varieties
- Frequently Asked Questions About Growing Desert Roses
- Where to Buy Desert Roses
What Are Desert Roses?
You might assume that desert roses are roses. But in fact, they are an entirely different type of flowering plant.
True roses belong to a genus called Rosa, which is part of the Rosaceae family. Desert roses, on the other hand, are in a genus called Adenium, which is part of an entirely different family called Apocynaceae.
In fact, desert roses do not even look like most true roses. Instead of numerous densely packed petals, these blooms usually feature five distinct petals and a simple, classic shape.
Desert roses are perennials, but their range for growing outdoors year-round is pretty narrow: just zones 10 and 11. If you live in zone 9, you may be able to keep them outdoors for part of the year and bring them indoors to overwinter. This can help them survive to bloom again the next year.
What if you are in a colder climate zone? You might still be able to keep desert roses as houseplants, though you will need to carefully control and monitor their growing conditions.
One of the coolest things about desert roses is that they live a really, really, really long time. We do not have a source on this, but we regularly see gardeners claiming that these plants can live for up to 500 years! That means that if you take good care of your desert roses, these perennials can literally bring you joy for your entire lifetime.
Desert Rose Basics
| Zones: | 10-11 |
| Blooming season: | Spring-fall |
| Expected height: | 2-9 feet (depends on variety) |
| Soil: | Sandy soil |
| Sun: | Full sun |
Where Do Desert Roses Grow?
Desert roses are native to the Arabian Peninsula and Africa. You will generally only find them growing outdoors in USDA zones 10-11 and similar climates. That means that they are not cultivated as widely as some plants with greater tolerance to cooler or more humid weather. Still, you may find people growing them as houseplants in much cooler climate zones.
Why Grow Desert Roses?
Here are some reasons to grow Adenium plants in your garden:
● These ornamental plants are deer-resistant, rabbit-resistant, and on the whole, pest-resistant. Chances are good you will not have to worry about any of these issues, even if you are growing your desert roses outdoors.
● Depending on the type of desert rose you get, and how you prune it, you could have a compact plant with a very manageable size to set on a patio table or a plant tall enough to tower over you and fill a large space in your garden. It is hard to overstate the versatility of this plant for landscaping in warmer climates.
● The desert rose plant can bloom for a long time each year if you have the right conditions.
● Desert rose is a long-living plant. In fact, if you take care of yours, there is a good chance that it will outlive you and maybe even outlive your children and their children. That’s a pretty amazing thought, right?
● If you want, you can prune the desert rose plant into a bonsai. Many people really get into this; it could be the start of a new hobby.
● Because they are so compact and elegant, desert roses can also make lovely gifts (try propagating yours from the cuttings and giving the new plants to friends and family).
● Desert roses are pretty low-maintenance. They may be a challenging plant if you have to grow them indoors, but they can be very easy outdoors if you are in the right zone.
When Do Desert Roses Bloom?
The bloom time for the desert rose varies, depending on the species of desert rose you are growing and the conditions.
These plants may bloom from spring into summer and even into autumn. In some cases, the summer heat gets too intense for them, and they might bloom in spring through part of summer, then stop blooming, and then begin once more later in summer or in autumn.
It is also possible for desert roses to bloom in winter in some scenarios. With ideal conditions, you could even enjoy year-round blooms.
How Long Do Desert Roses Bloom?
Individual desert rose blooms are ephemeral, wilting within about a week. But you will usually be able to enjoy months of blooms each year since these plants can keep producing new flowers.
When to Plant Desert Roses
Plant desert roses in spring.
Ideal Growing Conditions for Desert Roses
If you want to be successful in cultivating desert roses, meeting their sun, soil, and water requirements with precision is a must. They are trickier than a lot of plants in this respect.
How Much Sun Do Desert Roses Need?
Plenty of sun is a must for this desert plant, so you may want to pick the sunniest spot in your garden. If it gets to be really scorching in the afternoons though, a little light shade at that time of day may not go amiss.
What Type of Soil is Right for Desert Roses?
Soggy soil is a death knell for desert roses. This should not come as a surprise since they are desert roses. They thrive best in sandy soils or gravelly soils. It is vital that they be well-draining soils; heavy soils or clay soils will leave feet of these plants way too damp.
Of course, you also are going to want to be mindful of the pH. It is best for the soil to be slightly acidic; around 6.0 is a good pH to aim for.
How Much Water Do Desert Roses Need?
It might surprise you that during the growing season, you need to water your desert rose whenever the soil gets to be dry. In this sense, it is much like the other perennials in your garden, despite being a desert plant.
You will have to back off of this watering schedule during winter. The plant goes into dormancy during this season. Every 3-4 weeks, you will need to water it. Otherwise, you can just leave it alone.
If the base of the plant seems to be looking a bit less plump than it usually does, you might be leaning too far toward under-watering. But so long as it looks the way you are used to it looking, the plant probably has enough water.
Does desert rose like to be misted? We see this question a lot, but no, we see no indication that this plant appreciates misting. In fact, we would be surprised if it did. Remember, it comes from the desert, and deserts are not tropical. So, an arid climate rather than a humid one is preferred for these perennials.
How to Plant Desert Roses
These succulent plants make an excellent addition to an indoor or outdoor container garden, but you can also plant them in the ground if you are in zone 10 or 11. Here are the steps for ground and container planting.
Ground Planting
1. Pick a sunny spot with sandy, well-draining soil for your desert rose. If you are living in a part of the world where it makes sense to plant these perennials in the ground, you probably already have ideal soil conditions waiting for you. Thus, you likely do not need to make amendments beyond a controlled-release fertilizer.
2. Carefully remove the desert rose from the nursery container. If this is difficult to do, turning it on its side and lightly tapping around the outside of the pot may help you to loosen it and get it out.
3. Dig a hole for your desert rose.
4. Plant the desert rose and backfill the soil. As this is a succulent plant, it has a wide section at the bottom that is referred to as a “caudex.” This part bears a resemblance to the trunk of a tree. The bottom of the caudex should not go below the level of the soil.
5. Water well.
Container Planting
In most situations, it makes the most sense to grow this flowering succulent perennial as a container plant. Follow the steps below:
1. Choose a container that features drainage holes and which is made out of a material like clay or terracotta.
2. Put some rocks in the base of the container. This extra step helps to keep water draining efficiently from the pot (though it does not replace the need for a well-draining potting mix).
3. Start filling the pot with potting mix for cacti.
4. Remove the plant from its current container and then place it inside the new one. Fill in the potting mix around it. Again, do not cover the bottom of the caudex.
4. Water well.
5. Do not immediately put the container out where it will be fully exposed to the elements; wait a week. Keep the plant sheltered.
If you want to grow your desert rose as a bonsai, there are some additions and changes to the steps above that you need to follow. So, look up the specialized directions before you proceed.
You need to be mindful of potted desert roses to make sure they do not overheat. A particularly helpful user on this forum explains, “Also, know that containerized plants are not growing naturally. The roots are restricted, and the growing medium can become dangerously hot in full-sun exposures and stress or cook the roots, Take precautions, and try to keep root zones cool. Quick-draining grit-loaded mixtures allow water to just pour through, and pull fresh air into the root zone. Peat and sand-loaded soils retain too much water that soaks roots, stagnates, then rots roots. Leaves turn yellow.... blossoms/leaves drop. The plant eventually fails.”
So, keep all of that in mind both when you are choosing a potting mix for your plants and when you are deciding where to place them in your outdoor garden.
How to Propagate Desert Roses
The best way to propagate desert roses is by using cuttings. The reason why is that this gives you the most predictable results. If you use this method, you will get new plants that look like the parent plant.
Propagating desert roses with seeds can also yield new plants, but the new plants may have a different appearance. This has to do with the fact that many desert roses are hybrids.
Does anyone divide desert roses? As far as we can tell, no, this is not a thing.
Starting Desert Roses from Seed
Even though growing desert roses from seed can result in unpredictable-looking plants, it is not hard to do. Just follow these steps in spring:
1. Start by getting some small pots with drainage holes. Fill them with a sandy potting mix.
2. Put the seeds in a bowl of water for a few hours.
3. Sow the seeds on top of the potting mix, making sure each one has about 2” of space.
4. Add a thin covering of potting mix to the top of the seeds.
5. With a spray bottle, gently mist the potting mix to make it damp without dislodging the seeds.
6. Find a warm spot to allow the seeds time to germinate, checking on the potting mix sporadically. If it is getting dry, add more water. It should only take about 7-10 days for the seedlings to germinate.
7. Find a sunny location where the seedlings can continue to grow. Eventually, the seedlings will be well enough developed to transplant to their permanent homes.
Starting Desert Roses from Cuttings
For plants that look like their parent, use this method for propagating desert roses from their cuttings:
1. Use sanitized garden shears to remove cuttings from the ends of some of your desert rose plant’s branches.
2. Set the cuttings aside for a couple of days. You need them to get dry.
3. Dip the ends of the cuttings briefly into water and then into rooting hormone.
4. Pour a sandy potting mix into containers with drainage holes.
5. Use a spray bottle to get the potting mix moist, and then let the excess water drain out.
6. Insert your cuttings into the potting mix. Pat the potting mix in around the plants to hold them upright.
7. Every day, mist the potting mix to maintain consistent moisture.
Usually, when propagating plants from cuttings, there are strict instructions to never let the cuttings themselves get wet. But with desert rose, you actually want to moisten the cuttings with the spray bottle.
8. Continue this routine for 2-6 weeks. Within that timeframe, the cutting should develop roots.
9. After the cutting has had more time to develop, you can safely transplant it.
How to Care for Desert Roses
It does not take a lot of effort to maintain desert roses, assuming you have ideal conditions. If you do not, most of your time and energy will probably be spent adjusting the conditions rather than dealing with chores like pruning or staking. Still, it helps to know what you are doing with routine care and maintenance for these plants, so let’s talk about fertilizing, pruning and more.
How to Fertilize Desert Roses
Water-soluble liquid fertilizer can be healthy for desert rose plants. Dilute it so that it consists of 1 part fertilizer to 2 parts water. Then, apply it in the spring and later again in the summer. Another option is to go with a slow-release fertilizer annually.
We have heard some gardeners suggest using a balanced fertilizer, like a 20-20-20 fertilizer, while others recommend a high-nitrogen fertilizer. Still, others specifically recommend against a high-nitrogen fertilizer, saying it can lead to rot. We suggest starting with a balanced fertilizer. If that works, great. If not, you can try one with a higher nitrogen ratio.
How to Mulch Desert Roses
Desert roses often appreciate mulch. It helps to prevent weeds and regulate the temperature and moisture in the soil through the hot days of summer.
There are a couple of mistakes you can make mulching desert roses that you need to avoid, however. For one, make sure that you do not pile up the mulch against the plant, as this is sure to lead to rot. For another thing, you should choose a material like rocks instead of organic mulch. This, too, will help to prevent rot.
How to Stake Desert Roses
In most cases, desert roses will be able to support themselves. But in some cases, you might need to do some staking. If that is the case, it is just a matter of pushing stakes into the ground and using garden ties to attach the branches that need support to the stakes.
How to Prune Desert Roses
Pruning desert rose can be really quick and basic, or it can be elaborate and involved—it depends on the look you want to achieve and how much work you are interested in putting into it.
How to Deadhead Desert Roses
Most gardeners do not bother deadheading desert roses. There is no indication that pinching off the spent blooms does anything to encourage the plant to bloom more prolifically. But some people might do it just to keep the plant looking as tidy as possible.
When to Cut Back Desert Roses
Maintaining the shape of your desert rose and keeping it from getting leggy requires occasional pruning. You probably will need to prune lightly just once or twice a year. Hard pruning desert rose is optional but occasionally helpful.
Of course, if you wish to grow desert rose as a bonsai plant, then you will have a much more meticulous and precise pruning routine to keep it looking like a miniature tree.
One more thing—you may wish to put on gloves before you start pruning your desert rose. As they say, every rose has its thorns. In this case, there are no literal thorns, but there is an irritating sap. Avoiding direct skin contact with this sap is necessary if you are sensitive to it. It is extra important to keep it away from your eyes and mouth. Wash your hands when you are done working with the plant.
How to Overwinter Desert Roses
In most climate zones, it works best to either leave desert roses outdoors year-round or keep them inside year-round. But if you are in climate zone 9, you might be growing them outdoors but overwintering them indoors in containers.
Summer Winds Nursery gives very specific instructions about overwintering desert roses in this manner. The nursery explains that you need to bring desert roses inside if you expect frost but that it may actually be too warm for them in your house over the winter.
The site says, “If brought indoors and the temperature is over 55 degrees, dormancy may need to be forced by withholding all water until the leaves drop. Adenium plants may try to grow indoors over the winter if temperatures are too high (70 degrees or higher). Winter growth is NOT recommended, as dormancy will provide a stronger, more beautiful plant and structure.”
Are Desert Roses Vulnerable to Diseases or Pests?
The most likely diseases you are to encounter when you are growing desert roses are root and stem rot. Preventing these conditions involves making sure that the soil in which you plant the desert roses can drain well and that the plants themselves have sufficient space.
Discussing desert rose pests, the University of Florida says, “Desert rose can have issues with scale; keep a look out for these tiny pests so that should your plant start to suffer, you can address the situation quickly. As a member of the same family as Oleander, desert rose is susceptible to being munched on by oleander caterpillars. Plants may naturally droop a bit during winter, but they will re-leaf after the cold season has passed.”
Slugs and snails usually are not a problem for desert roses. This is probably because in most locations where you can grow them outdoors, slugs and snails are not all that prevalent.
Deer and rabbits usually are wise enough not to eat desert roses since they are poisonous. Problems with mammals should be few and far between.
Recommended Planting Combinations for Desert Rose
Which plants make great companions for desert roses? One idea is stonecrop. This is a fantastically versatile perennial that is a favorite among gardeners in many climate zones. As the name suggests, it grows well in rocky soils, just like desert rose. Make sure you are getting a type of stonecrop that is suited to your hot climate.
Another idea that can produce a lovely effect is planting some sage around your desert roses. Sage plants do well in sandy soil and can tolerate hot climates. They also love the sun.
Finally, any cacti that grow happily in your area can make fantastic companions for your desert rose plants.
Desert Rose Landscaping Ideas
Desert roses come in all shapes and sizes. So, they offer a myriad of possibilities for your landscape.
Naturally, if you have a rock garden or sandy soil, they work well for filling in gaps and adding color. They can look lovely grown in a row along a wall or used as focal points in your yard.
You also can put pots of desert roses on your patio or balcony or even set one in the center of your patio table for a decorative effect.
Recommended Desert Rose Varieties
What types of desert roses should you add to your garden? Here are some of our top recommended varieties.
● Picotee Desert Rose: For unique bi-color blooms, choose this variety. Most often, the flowers are white, but their edges are pink or red, producing a stunning effect.
● Adenium Arizona: This hybrid desert rose variety is a great choice if you want a compact plant suitable for your patio. The blooms may be red or pink.
● Double Desert Rose: Do you want a desert rose that actually looks rose-like? Then try this type of desert rose, which features spectacular double blooms.
● Adenium crispum: This type of desert rose produces white, pink, or red blooms. Sometimes, the flowers may even feature a mix of these colors with distinctive markings on the petals (i.e., pale pink blooms with darker reddish streaks). The leaves may be variegated.
● Adenium obesum “Amethyst”: This cultivar of desert rose has particularly unusual blooms that are a combination of bright red and a dark purplish-blackish color. It will truly become the jewel of your patio garden.
● Adenium obesum “Arctic Snow”: Here is a cultivar of the same species as “Amethyst” that instead produces white flowers in abundance.
● Adenium obesum “Golden Millionaire”: While red, white, and pink flowers are common on desert rose plants, there are some exceptions. One of them is the dazzling “Golden Millionaire,” which features yellow flowers with pinkish markings.
● Adenium obesum “Bejeweled”: These stunning double blooms bear a striking resemblance to true roses.
● Adenium obesum “Double Bel-Air”: For a truly striking look, go with this cultivar, which also has a very rose-like appearance. The petals are dark pink and are rimmed with light pink, emphasizing their shape and reinforcing the illusion that they are true roses.
● Adenium obesum “Peach”: As the name suggests, the flower color of this cultivar is a warm peachy hue.
● Adenium obesum “Double Noble”: This cultivar is an excellent choice if you want something really eye-catching. Although they are double blooms, the flowers still have a more “open” appearance, similar to single blooms. Hues may be white, pink, purple, or red.
● Adenium obesum “Double Black Steel”: The beautiful blooms of this cultivar are a really dark reddish-purplish hue that is close to black.
● Adenium obesum “Double Purple Charms”: If you are looking for vibrant purple flowers, look no further than this mesmerizing cultivar. The petals are dark purple around the edges and feature matching purple stripes across white.
● Adenium multiflorum: If you want a specimen that produces a profuse abundance of blooms, you might try this type of desert rose. The flowers feature light pink petals that are rimmed with dark pink, making each individual bloom stand out.
● Adenium obesum “Double Citrine”: These double blooms feature pale yellow petals and dark maroon-purplish markings for a remarkable contrast.
● Adenium obesum “Elegant Ballerina”: The pink stripes on these white or peachy petals give this plant a delicate appearance.
● Adenium oleifolium: You can find red blooms or pink blooms with this type of desert rose. The leaves have a glossy appearance.
● Adenium Somalense: One of the most unusual-looking cultivars of desert rose is this one. The base of this plant can be quite wide and bulbous, giving it a striking look that will catch attention anywhere in your garden or home.
● Adenium obesum “Arrogant”: It seems odd to claim that a plant could be “arrogant,” but if any plant had a reason to be, it would surely be this beauty. With its vivid red blooms, it will become the envy of your garden.
● Adenium obesum “Beauty Cloud”: A mixture of pink and creamy white hues characterize the blooms on this cultivar. Some people think that the mixture of colors on the petals creates an appearance resembling clouds, thus the name. We don’t think they look particularly cloudy, but they are gorgeous.
● Adenium obesum “Beautiful Dreamer”: Once you see photos of this beautiful cultivar with its pink and yellowish bi-color blooms, you will find yourself dreaming of having one of your own growing in your garden.
● Adenium obesum “Black Romance”: Those looking to bring dark beauty to their garden will want to plant this desert rose, which produces blooms in a deep red hue that is almost black around the edges.
● Adenium obesum “Triple Purple Aloha”: If you want a desert rose that features dark purple blooms, you will adore this breathtaking cultivar.
● Adenium obesum “Golden Carrot”: Here is a particularly unusual-looking cultivar. It is compact and features orange and yellow blooms in a tight group at the top of its carrot-like base.
● Adenium obesum “Good Night”: Not surprisingly, this is another cultivar of desert rose that features blooms that are almost black in hue.
As you can see, the diversity among desert roses is amazing. You can find some cultivars that look drastically different from one another. But no matter what you choose, you will have a beautiful, long-lasting plant that will become among the most cherished in your garden.
Frequently Asked Questions About Growing Desert Roses
Let’s conclude by answering some common questions about desert roses.
There are insects that sometimes eat desert roses, but that is all you have to worry about.
The answer depends on your location. If you are in the ideal geographical area for desert roses, they may be very happy growing in the ground. But if you are anywhere else, we highly recommend that you stick with containers for these plants.
We do occasionally see gardeners recommend using Epsom salt when growing desert roses, as they may benefit from the magnesium and sulfur content.
Yes, desert roses are toxic to dogs, cats, and other animals. In fact, in Africa, big game hunters have sometimes made poison arrows with the sap of the desert rose. Considering that, you do not want to let your pet get into these plants; even ingesting a small amount can kill them.
Absolutely not. Desert roses are very poisonous. See the answer above.
If the leaves of your desert rose are becoming discolored, that is usually a sign of overwatering and/or disease. If you cut back on the watering, that might be sufficient to perk your plant back up. If it has a disease, you will need to take steps to treat it before the plant can recover.
In general, no, desert roses are not rare. But some specific types of desert roses are rare, such as those with variegated leaves.
Yes. In fact, if your desert rose is not producing as many flowers as you want, it could be that you are growing it in too large a container. The abundance of blooms increases in root-bound conditions. Of course, you can go too far with this—keep it in moderation.
Desert roses are perennial bloomers that flower every year. They can reward you with decades of beauty without a lot of work.
Where to Buy Desert Roses
If you want to shop for desert roses, you will probably need to hop online to do it. You might be able to find some at your local nurseries if you live in zones 10-11. But if you are buying a desert rose in another climate zone, you will have more luck finding a wide range of cultivars online.
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