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Poisonous beauty
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The desert rose thrives in places where there is summer rain and dry winter
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Being drought resistant: the desert rose is a wise choice for water-conserving gardens.
ADENIUM OBESUM is a small, succulent tree with a caudex, which is a sort of big bulge under the branches. Its swollen, often twisted trunk is pale grey, the leaves are glossy and club-shaped and the flowers, which appear almost continuously, are trumpet-shaped, ranging from bright pink to crimson. It starts blooming when quite young and is a perfect choice for water conserving gardens, as it is drought-resistant.
Not finicky
Root rot or leaf loss occurs when the plant is over-watered. It looks like a bonsai, but is not one. It can be propagated by cuttings or by seeds and takes about six months or longer from seed to flowering. The desert rose is not a finicky plant, although it has earned that reputation. It normally grows in climates with summer rain and dry winters.
All parts of the desert rose are poisonous. It exudes a highly toxic sap, which is used by the tribal people in various parts of Africa to poison weapons and arrowheads. A. obesum contains cardiac glycosides that have been tested as cardiac drugs but are not in use because of the severe side effects.
PAULINE DEBORAH & RIDLING WALLER
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