Desert Rose Rock Landscaping
In every yard, there are areas that especially challenge the gardener. If you have a particularly rocky patch or a slope that grass or soil just will not cling to, consider a rock garden instead. Most rock gardens are about 50 percent soil and 50 percent rock or gravel, so they need plants suited to this type of planting bed. One of the most spectacular is the desert rose. Does this Spark an idea?
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History
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Desert rose flowers range in color from deep red to pink to white. The desert rose (Adenium obesum) is native to the arid areas of Africa. This plant is related to the oleander and plumeria, and is considered a succulent.
Identification
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The desert rose is considered the camel of the plant world, since its bulbous stem can store water in the same manner as a camel's hump. This storage facility forces the rose into its unusual shape. The silver color of the stem helps to reflect the hot summer heat away from the plant. Its leaves are leathery in texture and form on the stem in a spiral pattern. The flowers have five petals in a tubular shape and range in color from dark red to white. They bloom for weeks in the spring and summer.
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Benefits
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The desert rose is a plant that doesn't like "wet feet." It needs the good drainage that comes from a sloped site, and does extremely well in a rock or gravel garden.
Considerations
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During the desert rose's growing cycle, it needs frequent water and fertilizer. In the fall and winter, the flower likes to go into a dormant period. Let it dry out completely between waterings during this time. It needs lots of direct sunlight. It is a slow-growing plant and has few insect pests.
Warning
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This plant thrives in climates where the temperature gets into the 90s, but doesn't do well in the cold. If you live in planting zones 1 to 5, you may want to make your desert rose a container plant, or dig it up and bring it inside for winter.
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References
- Photo Credit Flower of a red hybrid Adenium also called a desert rose image by Nassuvian from Fotolia.com desert rose image by Pat Lalli from Fotolia.com
