Desert Rose
Adenium Obesum
Desert Rose
Adenium Obesum
The Desert Rose (Adenium obesum) is a striking ornamental plant commonly grown in gardens and containers across Barbados. Although native to the dry Sahel regions of Africa, it thrives in the island’s warm, sunny climate. The plant is a succulent shrub with a thick, swollen base known as a caudex, which stores water and gives it a distinctive, sculptural appearance. Depending on growing conditions, it can remain evergreen or drop its leaves during dry or cooler periods.
Desert Rose is best known for its beautiful, trumpet-shaped flowers, which are usually shades of pink or red with a lighter center, resembling those of frangipani. Its leathery green leaves cluster at the tips of the branches, adding to its bold tropical look. In Barbados, it is mainly grown as an ornamental plant for patios, rock gardens, and decorative pots, where its drought tolerance makes it easy to care for.
While admired for its beauty, Adenium obesum is poisonous. Its milky sap contains toxic compounds and should not be handled carelessly, especially around children or pets. With bright sun, well-drained soil, and minimal watering, the Desert Rose remains a popular and eye-catching feature in Barbadian gardens.
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Adenium
Species: A. obesum
Binomial name: Adenium obesum
Adenium Obesum
The Desert Rose (Adenium obesum) is a striking ornamental plant commonly grown in gardens and containers across Barbados. Although native to the dry Sahel regions of Africa, it thrives in the island’s warm, sunny climate. The plant is a succulent shrub with a thick, swollen base known as a caudex, which stores water and gives it a distinctive, sculptural appearance. Depending on growing conditions, it can remain evergreen or drop its leaves during dry or cooler periods.
Desert Rose is best known for its beautiful, trumpet-shaped flowers, which are usually shades of pink or red with a lighter center, resembling those of frangipani. Its leathery green leaves cluster at the tips of the branches, adding to its bold tropical look. In Barbados, it is mainly grown as an ornamental plant for patios, rock gardens, and decorative pots, where its drought tolerance makes it easy to care for.
While admired for its beauty, Adenium obesum is poisonous. Its milky sap contains toxic compounds and should not be handled carelessly, especially around children or pets. With bright sun, well-drained soil, and minimal watering, the Desert Rose remains a popular and eye-catching feature in Barbadian gardens.
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Adenium
Species: A. obesum
Binomial name: Adenium obesum
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