Name: Adenium Obesum
From: Aden, Yemen, where it is noative: Obesum means fat or plump
Common Name: Karoo Rose, Desert Rose, Impala Lily, Sabi Star or Adenium
Family: Apocynaceae containing Nerium, Vinca, Plumeria, Allamanda
Native to: S Arabia, Uganda to Mocambique, Kenya and Tanzania
Type of plant: up right stem, succulent type shrub, caudiciform
Height: a maximum height of 1.8 metres and 1.2 metres wide in the ground. In cultivation 1 metre high and 1 metre wide
Foliage: opposite, arranged in clusters at branch top to 3 inches long, ovate to oblong, narrowing at the base, upper surface glossy green, lower surface dull green.
Trunk: Is short, thick and fleshy, grotesquely swollen stem base, covered in smooth greyish brown bark
Sap: Hasa thick, gummy sap which contain a crystalline glycoside that is toxic to the heart muscle
Flowers: Borne in a small clusters at the top of the stems, pinkish-crimson, funnel or salver form, free flowering and very attractive. Range in size from 2 to 5 cm long with a spread of 4 to 6 cm. Colour range is increasing due to breeding from white, purple, dark and light reds.
Fruits: Two horn like seed pods about 8-18 cm long and 8-12 mm in diameter. When rip they split vertically, releasing a large number of cylindrical seeds 7-16 mm long and with a tuft of fine brownish hairs 2-4cm long at each end.
Cut off if you don’t want seeds, makes flowering longer.
Landscape uses: Large pots, full sun, indoors
Light Requirement: Best in good light indoors otherwise grows lanky. Best in full sun. Can be sensitive to cold weather. Drops leaves at 10c
Soil requirements: Best in well drained soil, needs good drainage. Can use Coir bark, course river sand, bark chips
Water Requirement: Water in summer, keep dry in winter
DO NOT PUT SAUCER UNDER POT. Allow water to drain away.
Fertilizer: Can be fertilized weekly with a soluble fertilizer or use Osmocote. Use a blooming fertilizer low in Nitrogen, high in Phosphorous and Potassium. Fertilize in growing season. Not winter
Propagation: Seeds, cutting and grafting
Pests: Red spider mites, peach aphids, mealy bug. DO NOT spray with oil based products e.g. white oil it burns the leaves.
Pruning: Plants can be pruned. If plant is grafted remove shoots below graft.
Re-potting: Lift plant up higher when re-potting to expose more of the roots and the fat bottom. Caudex will expand to create lovely bonsai looking plant. Small roots can be pruned to created a smooth base.
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