Desert Rose Bonsai Care Guide

Desert Rose require a warm location to thrive. It will not withstand an area lower than 10 degrees C in temperature. In temperate climates, Desert Rose can be kept outdoors in a sunny spot from May to September. 

As a succulent Desert Rose do not need a lot of water. let the soil dry out between waterings only as frequent as every seven to ten days. 

From Spring to Autumn, feed your Desert Rose with liquid fertiliser at half the advised strength. 

Wear gloves when working on this plant – it can seep poisonous milk sap! Adenium can be pruned all through the year. Cut off damaged parts and trim long shoots after flowering. Make the cuts clean above junctions and leaf nodes.  

We recommend using wires with a thickness that matches the thickness of the branch: if the wire you choose is too thick you will damage the bark. If it is too thin, it won’t be effective.

Repotting your tree is an important way to provide a fresh and suitable soil mix and ensure appropriate root health. Repot your Desert Rose in the late Spring every two to three years. This is succulent so be sure to let the soil dry out before watering after you have repotted. 

Trees that are ready for repotting will require root pruning, a suitable new pot and appropriate soil mix.

When repotting, do not cut back the root mass by a large amount, and choose a well-draining soil mix that has a neutral or slightly higher PH value of 5-6 but not over 7. We tend to use a mixture of different speciality bonsai soils on our trees. Every species is different so please contact us for free soil-mix advice or to take advantage of our repotting service.