Sabi Star Adenium obesum
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- a-DEN-ee-um oh-BE-sum
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Desert Rose is a succulent plant native to dry desert regions of Africa, Asia, and Tanzania. It is often used as a houseplant for its beautiful flowers and charming, tree-like shape. From the bulbous, often twisted base, thick succulent gray-green branching stems with few leaves appear. In the summer bell-shaped flowers are red to shades of pink. The leaves can be green to variegated.
Grow this plant in full sun in potting soil appropriate for cacti and succulents in a pot with several drainage holes. Allow the plant to dry between waterings but water during growing periods. Provide with fertilizer in spring to encourage blooming. Bring this plant indoors when outside temperatures reach 55 F and decrease water while dormant. Desert Rose is also used in bonsai.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Houseplants, Succulents, and Cacti", a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Adenium
- Species:
- obesum
- Family:
- Apocynaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Tanzania
- Dimensions:
- Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 9 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Houseplant
- Succulent
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Irregular
- Multi-stemmed
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Very Dry
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 11b, 11a, 12a, 12b
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Red/Burgundy
- White
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Bell
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- 2 inch across red to shades of pink bell-shaped flowers have white throats, 5 petals and 5 protruding stamens. Generally bloom in summer as a houseplant but may occasionally repeat.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Fleshy
- Leathery
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Oblanceolate
- Ovate
- Spatulate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 2-4 inch long leathery, fleshy, gray-green leaves appear at the stem tips in whorls. They can range in shape but are usually oblanceolate to spatulate. The venation is pinnate and reticulate.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Thick fleshy gray-green stems
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Problems:
- Contact Dermatitis
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
