Worth knowing:
The exotic Desert Rose blooms on a bizarre looking, water-retentive succulent stem (caudex), which it developed by means of adapting to its dry natural habitat. It pleases every plant lover with a rich blossom that covers the whole plant with up to 5 cm big, white or pink-red coloured flowers.
Natural Location:
The natural habitat of the Desert Rose are the steppes of Arabia and Africa.
Cultivation:
Seed propagation indoors is possible throughout the year. Spread the seeds onto finely sieved potting compost or cactus earth that contains about 25% sand and is moistened with a water vaporizer. For a light germinator you don’t need to put any potting earth on top. Cover the seed container with clear film to prevent the earth from drying out, but don’t forget to make some holes in the clear film and take it every second or third day completely off for about 2 hours. That way you avoid mold formation on your potting compost. Place the seed container somewhere bright and warm with a temperature between 20°C and 25°Celsius and keep the earth – preferably with a water sprayer – moist, but not wet. The first seedlings will come up after one or two weeks.
Place:
The Desert Rose is accustomed to strong direct sun and needs a full sunny place for cultivation. Indoors it should be kept at a window to the South. During summer you can move the plant outside at a temperature of at least 15° Celsius and with as much sunlight as possible to produce a rich blossoming.
Care:
As a succulent plant, the Desert Rose can endure long dry periods once it filled up the water-storing trunk. It more likely takes damage from too much watering and waterlogging. Therefore, a permeable substrate of 30% garden soil and 70% filling, like perlite, clay granulate or coarse sand, and a proper drainage is recommended for cultivation. During the growth period and blossoming, you may give fluid fertilizer for cactus plants once a month. Repotting should only be done in spring after sprouting, while you should wait a few days before watering the new pot for the first time. July would be the best time for pruning the plant back to half sized shoots.
During the winter:
The Desert Rose is not frost-hard and should be kept during winter on a sunny window sill at a temperature of at least 15° Celsius. At lower temperatures – never less than 10° Celsius! – it will draw back into hibernation and also shed the leaves. From autumn on, you should keep the earth almost completely dry and water only every couple of weeks to encourage the hibernation. That way, the plant will gather its strength for a rich blossoming next year. With beginning of the growth period you may start slowly increasing the watering accordingly. When you move the plant outdoors in late spring, it should be kept initially in a half-shaded place for a couple of days to get accustomed to the sunlight. Later it can stay in the full sun.
Picture credits:
- © Sandeep Handa - Pixabay -
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- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
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- © Sabine Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
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