Repotting Desert Rose Made Easy

The most common Desert Rose (Adenium obesum) is a perennial succulent tree native to the Arabian Peninsula and Africa’s sub-Saharan regions. This small tree can grow about 9′ tall in its natural habitat. Nonetheless, its growth is easily controlled, making it an excellent container plant, while repotting desert rose is also crucial.

It forms a thick, swollen trunk or caudex that is quite attractive when kept as a container or bonsai. Twisted, greyish-green or brown branches grow from the trunk, from which spirally arranged, fleshy, leathery grey-green leaves grow.

Don’t let a desert rose’s striking appearance fool you into thinking it’s a fussy plant, especially when putting on a stunning floral display. In reality, nothing about it is high-maintenance, including repotting desert rose requirements. It will happily live in the same container for years and will not punish you with abnormal growth. If you want to grow the plant, you should refresh the soil and move it to a larger container every couple of years.

Continue to read the whole article to know why, when, and how you should be repotting desert rose.

Repotting Desert Rose – Why ?

You might wonder whether it is necessary to repot your desert rose plant. Well, if you have one in your plant collection, then it’s safe to assume that a repot is in your near future, and more than likely, multiple times.

Smaller Sized Plants

Is your desert rose plant growing to the size you want it to? If you answered no, we recommend repotting desert rose every year or two until it reaches your desired size, as overall growth slows once the plant becomes pot bound with the rose mixture.

Overgrowing Roots

Have the roots of your desert rose plant gotten into the container, or has the thick, swollen stem (caudex) overcrowded it? If you answered yes, it’s a good indication that you should repot. Roots of desert roses have been known to pierce plastic pots and even split or crack ceramic or clay pots. 

Rot Infection

When the caudex retains too much water, it causes root rot in desert roses. Pimples on the caudex that feel soft when lightly squeezed are an early indication. Yellowing leaves caused by fungal stem rot can extend to branches and roots, resulting in fungal root rot. The solution is to remove unhealthy roots. Repotting Desert Rose Plant is the best solution in case of root rot.

Season for Repotting Desert Rose

Any plant’s growth is at its peak in the spring and summer. During the winter, the plants go into dormancy or a minimal growth phase. Repotting the desert rose during the cold season will therefore shock it. 

As a result, the best time to repot the plant is during slightly warmer weather, when it is actively growing, for adenium, spring and summer. 

Repottingdesert rose during this time allows the roots to grow and establish themselves before the winter dormancy period begins.

Stepwise Guidance for Repotting Desert Rose

Select the Container

These plants prefer wide, shallow pots that allow the soil to dry quickly and allow the caudex to spread and expand. This container also emphasizes the trunk and roots’ exciting appearance.

Use clay or ceramic pot with a depth of no more than 4 inches and a width of 6 to 12 inches. Look for a cactus-specific pot for repotting desert rose.

It would be best if you avoided plastic pots. When replanting, make sure to use cactus soil that drains quickly and goes no deeper than the caudex’s original soil line.

 Choose the Right Soil 

These desert plants thrive in a gritty, fast-draining soil with a pH of around 6.0 and some water retention. You can use a commercial cactus mix, but you may want to add perlite for drainage and a little peat moss for water retention. Because peat moss is acidic, it aids in maintaining the proper pH level. It is very crucial to prevent your plant from excessive drainage.

Removing the Plant for Repotting

Wiggling the plant slightly while retaining a firm grip on the base can help you extract it. Remove the plant from its container, breaking it or cutting it away from the root mass if necessary. Remove any disease, including rot infected or broken roots, with a sterilized shear, and discard the extra soil from the root ball. Use a pair of gloves for extra safety while repotting desert rose.

Planting in the New Container

You should fill 1/3 of the container with succulent potting mix. Before repotting desert rose, you must first comprehend the adenium’s caudex and its critical role in repotting. The bottom stem has a thick, engorged, and swollen portion. 

Repot the plant, so the caudex is visible above the soil level. Fill the remaining pot with potting mix once you’ve finished.

“Lifting” refers to the process of encouraging an above-ground bulbous caudex. However, it would be best to wait until your plant is at least three years old before lifting and exposing the caudex. If your plant is of the appropriate age, you should position it an inch or two (2.5-5 cm) higher above the soil line than it was previously.

Post-Repotting Care

If you expose the caudex, keep in mind that the freshly exposed area is prone to sunburn, so gradually expose the plant to direct sunlight over several weeks. Place your plant in its new container, then backfill it with soil, spreading the roots out as you go. After repotting desert rose, don’t water the plant for a week or so to allow any damaged roots to heal properly, then gradually resume your regular watering schedule.

Additional Tips for Repotting Desert Rose

Putting a Layer of Gravel

For decades, a layer of broken pot shards or gravel at the bottom of planters has been advised. We now believe that this advice is outdated. You may damage the roots of your plants if you have rocks at the bottom of your planter. Furthermore, the gravel just takes up growing areas that the plant could otherwise use.

Frequency of Repotting Desert Rose

You may never need the repotting Desert Rose because of its slow growth. It may be fine in a 12′′ inch pot for the rest of its life if firmly established. Even so, a little Desert Rose should not be placed in a large container. It will result in a lot of root growth but little foliage and bloom. When repotting desert rose, go up to the next larger pot size. You should do repotting of desert rose no more than once every two or three years.

Repotting Desert Rose in Ground

You absolutely can if you reside in an area with weather similar to the sub-Saharan regions where Desert Rose calls home. Desert Rose thrives in a bright, dry, full-sun environment. 

Note: Adeniums planted in the ground require good drainage to avoid excess moisture and the risk of root rot. To improve drainage, add additional perlite to ordinary potting soil. 

If you live in a region that isn’t consistently warm throughout the year, you should grow your Desert Rose in a container as an indoor plant during the winter.

Repotting Bonsai vs. Repotting Desert Rose

Repotting Desert Rose bonsai is identical to repotting any other form of bonsai in general. You’re potting in a technique that will assist you in managing the plant’s height and width by limiting root growth. To achieve the ideal effects, you may need to clip away extra root development and harshly prune and train the plant’s top.

Caution while Repotting Desert Rose

The milky sap of the desert rose is poisonous, and in some areas of Africa, many tribal communities even use it  to produce poison arrows for game hunting. Handle the plant using gloves and safety goggles, and wash your hands if you come into touch with the sap while repotting desert rose. To be safe, keep the desert rose away from children and dogs, especially if they have a habit of nibbling or playing with plants.

(Also Read- Pruning and Repotting Bonsai)

Conclusion

It is not unusual to get nervous when repotting desert rose; you might be worried about doing more harm than good by repotting the wrong way or at the wrong time. But it is not an arduous task, so better not to worry and follow these tips as mentioned earlier. Keep a few things in mind A plant’s growth is slowed when it is kept rootbound. Repotting desert rose should be done in late winter or early spring, preferably as soon as new growth appears. It is very similar to repotting other bonsai.