08/30/2022
How to Grow and Care for Desert Rose Bonsai
Along with being an especially easy house plant to care for, the desert rose bonsai is a unique species that can be trained to grow in various shapes. After dropping its leaves in the winter, this succulent tree comes back in the springtime with bright, beautiful flowers in shades of red, pink, and deep purple blooming on small stems attached to its bulbous trunk. As an indoor plant, it can be grown in a container like other popular houseplants or trained as a bonsai tree. It's a slow-growing plant, growing about 12 inches per year. Since this plant is toxic to humans and pets, be sure to grow yours in an area safely away from children, cats, and dogs.1
Botanical Name: Adenium obesum
Common Name: Desert rose, Sabi Star, desert azalea, Japanese frangipani
Plant Type: Succulent tree
Mature Size: Up to 9 feet high and 4 feet wide outdoors; 2 feet high indoors
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Soil Type: Sandy, free-draining soil
Soil pH: 6.0
Toxicity: Toxic to humans, dogs, and cats1
Plant Care
In terms of water, treat your desert rose bonsai like the succulent it is. Its bulbous stem (or caudex) holds water, so allow the soil to dry out between waterings to avoid root rot. Your plant will probably need less water during the winter months when there's less light and it's not actively growing.
When the soil is slightly dry and it's time to water your plant, do so thoroughly. Ensure the pot has plenty of drainage holes on the bottom. You can take your bonsai outside for a soak or water it in the bathtub where excess water can run freely from the pot.
Fertilize this plant once per month in the growing season using a standard houseplant fertilizer diluted to half strength. You can stop fertilizing in the winter if the plant goes dormant, but continue to fertilize every other month if it is still actively growing new shoots.
