Desert rose is very popular because of its bonsai appearance and the possibility of forming interesting shapes of the canopy and thickened tree. It has bright flowers of different colors, and its maintenance is not so demanding.
Adenium is an ornamental plant species that, due to its beautiful flower, fully justifies its other name - desert rose. Desert, because it originates from the desert regions of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and South America. It belongs to the family of oleanders (Apocynaceae), and the most commonly cultivated species is Adenium obesum, in addition to which the species A. arabicum, A. multiflorum, A. socotranum are also popular.
These species are very popular in our region because of their bonsai appearance and the ability to form interesting shapes of the canopy and thickened tree. They have bright flowers of different colors and are not so difficult to maintain. Depending on the type and growing conditions, the first flowers appear in the second or third year of life, while only in ideal conditions they can appear after only eight months. The desert rose is decorated with large flowers from 5 cm to 8 cm, which remain open for a long period of time.
Substrate and culture vessel requirements
Unlike most houseplants, adenium does not tolerate heavy soil. The land in which it is grown should be drained and loose. Suitable substrate for succulent plant species, such as cactus, aloe, and others. If you do not want to buy soil, you can make it yourself: mix 2/3 of the sand with 1/3 of the soil with the addition of coarsely crushed brick or gravel.
Older plants do not require deep pots, but they should be as shallow as possible. Shallow pots contribute to better root formation, and thus to an unusual but beautiful appearance. Instead of plastic pots, it is desirable to use clay or porcelain dishes whenever possible. The desert rose does not like frequent transplants. Transplanting is done every two to three years, or in exceptional cases when the pot becomes small. Due to more frequent transplants, plants spend their energy on the development of the root system instead of flowering. Therefore, it is very likely that flowering will not occur in the year of transplanting. Desert roses respond best when transplanted in mid-spring.
The warmer and brighter
Adenium is very sensitive to low temperatures. At a temperature of less than 10 ̊ C, it shows the first signs of decay in the form of leaf rejection, and in the later stages, the plant dries out irreversibly. Ideal temperatures for growth and flowering range from 24˚C to 36˚C, and it can also withstand extremely high temperatures up to 49˚C in a short period of time. At high temperatures it stops its growth and flowering, until the temperatures return to the optimum.
It requires a large amount of natural light for flowering, which averages five to six hours a day, and even up to eight hours a day. Although it requires a lot of light, during the summer months, young plants (up to one year of age) need to be removed from direct sunlight in order not to damage the plant in the form of burns on the leaves and stem. A large amount of light is also needed for the flowers to be bright colors and shades.
With the movement of vegetation, it is necessary to start feeding. Feeding is done every 15 days with liquid fertilizers that are rich in phosphorus, magnesium and iron. In order not to damage the young roots, it is necessary to slightly moisten the soil before fertilizing.
As a succulent plant species, it does not require much water. Watering is done only when the soil is completely dry and it is necessary to adjust it to the season. During the winter, the plants are dormant and are watered on average every 10 days, while in the summer months when the soil dries faster, watering is done on average every three to four days.
As with most beautiful plants, it is worth mentioning that milky white juice from leaves and trees is very poisonous, so it should be kept out of the reach of children and pets, and in case of contact with white liquid, be sure to wash your hands with lukewarm water. i
Kod mene ti je svo cvece bonsai kad moj tata krene da kosi travu po dvoristu, Cudim se samo kako drvo ne uspe da pokosi....( üalim se ) A sto se tice cveca, e to je vec za mene jako bitna stavka u zivotu...Posto imam veliko dvoriste imam i dosta saksijskog ali i bastenskog cveca. Imam svega i svacega ali ovo nemam, a nisam ni primetila da ga kod nas ima u prodaji..Ali ako ga negde ima potrudicu se da je nadjem, jer mi se na prvi pogled vec svidela.