Elephant's Foot Adenium
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Elephant's Foot:
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Desert rose is a genus of succulent, unarmed, woody perennials in the dogbane family (Apocynaceae). They are native to the dry areas in sub-Saharan Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. They are cultivated for their thick trunks and brightly colored flowers.
As a succulent from the dry tropics, desert rose is winter hardy in zones 10–11. In other areas, it must be protected from winter rains and cold. Once temperatures drop to 55°F at night, bring plants inside to a well-lit place and reduce watering. The plants may drop their leaves and go dormant. If that happens, reduce watering or stop it altogether until the leaves begin to regrow. Provide a sandy or gravelly potting mix to provide sharp drainage; wet soil can lead to root rots. Because these plants store water in their succulent stems, they can withstand drought. A drought-stress may drop its leaves, but the leaves regrow when water is again available. Desert rose is propagated from seeds or cuttings. The most desirable cultivars are grafted.
Plants can reach 15' in their native habitat but seldom grow that tall in a garden or as a houseplant. They have swollen caudices, branches with clusters of shiny, green leaves at their tips, and 2-inch wide, tubular flowers in white, pink, red and variegated forms. The flowers are reminiscent of those on the Mandevilla vine, which is a distant cousin. The caudex acts as a water storage organ and helps the succulents survive long periods of drought. Some of these caudices can be 20 to 30 inches wide. As these caudices can develop fantastic shapes, the plants are popular as specimen and bonsai plants.
These are ideal plants for drought-tolerant gardens, as well as very sunny, hot spots on patios. They are attractive houseplants or greenhouse subjects. The leaves and stems contain a latex that can cause rashes. Keep the latex out of your eyes. Do not ingest the leaves, flowers or stems.
VIDEO Created by Laura Barth 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:
- A. obesum
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
- A. obesum
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Adenium
- Family:
- Apocynaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Some species can provide a salve used for snake bites and scorpion stings. A tea from the roots can be used to treat fever. In larger doses it is a purgative and can prove toxic.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Arabian Peninsula, Tropical and Southern Africa
- Distribution:
- cultivated worldwide, especially in SE Asia and Florida.
- Wildlife Value:
- The plants attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Houseplant
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Succulent
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Irregular
- Multi-stemmed
- Multi-trunked
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Very Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gray/Silver
- Fruit Type:
- Follicle
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit consists of two, oblong, woody, hairy, follicles which are tapered at both ends and attached at the base. They are brown to grey-brown in color. They are full of small oblong seeds with tufts of dirty white to light brown hairs at both ends.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Red/Burgundy
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- They have tubular flowers with five petals and up to 2 inches wide. The stamens are usually held deep within the flower. The color ranges from white to deep red with pinks and lighter reds in between. Some forms have light-colored throats. There are many variegated flowers as well.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Fleshy
- Leathery
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Oblanceolate
- Spatulate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are carried in clusters, at the end of the branches. In some species, they are 6” long. They are generally grey-green to bright green in color, leathery in texture and ovate or a variation on that form. The venation is pinnate and reticulate.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Gray
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- The leafless grey-green to gray stems or branches arise from the caudex. They can be straight or twisted. They are fleshy to help with water preservation.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Patio
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Specimen
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Heat
- Humidity
- Problems:
- Contact Dermatitis
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
