Tag Archives: Desert Rose

In a Vase on Monday – Foreign Affairs

All of the plants in the vase this week are, to me, foreign versions of common plants grown further north. The pink and white flowers are Desert Roses, from the deserts of Africa and the Arabian peninsula and a succulent to boot. White and green flowers are from a tropical Begonia that shoots up flowers about three feet tall and then we have the giant Dianthus. Tropical foreigners from my garden.

Desert Roses (Adenium obesum) are a mad thing. This is a red one frying on the pavement and finding its happy place. It doesn’t look much like a typical rose bush.

The Begonia in the arrangement is Lotusleaf. Definitely the biggest Begonia I have ever seen. It is a common roadside plant in Central America and pretty indestructible once established in my garden.

A closer view.

Draping over the edge of the vase, Desert Rose (Adenium obesum); green seed heads and white, frothy flowers are from Lotusleaf Begonia (Begonia nelumbifolia); pink flowers are Giant Dianthus; chartreuse leaves are a coleus of some sort, and the deep green foliage in back is from a Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsa). The vase is a thrift store find.

We are transitioning into warmer weather here with the weather guessers trumpeting dire warnings about a violent hurricane season. After a while I realized they really have no idea.I am still planting a few new things, tempting fate!

Here’s to enjoying spring and seeing a few new vases this Monday. Follow this link to visit Cathy and see the vases in the comments section.

Six on Saturday – Cardinals and Roses

My garden tour this Saturday included visiting Mrs. Cardinal, who is still sitting in her nest and checking out the flowers on my Desert Roses. Having grown up gardening in the Deep South, a bastion of summer humidity, I have never grown real roses as fungus and I just don’t get along. In South Florida, Desert Roses (Adenium obesum) can be easily grown in containers and thrive on benign neglect. At long last, I have roses.

Mrs. Cardinal in position:

Desert Rose in pink:

Desert Rose in red:

These plants are from the desert of the Arabian peninsula and are considered succulents. The trunks can take unusual forms. They prefer dry conditions and rarely need water. I have enjoyed these plants in containers, they are evergreen, have interesting forms and flower regularly. They are available in many colors and some people collect them. I prune mine occasionally and water and fertilize if it crosses my mind. Mostly they sit in the blazing full sun and bask.

That’s it from South Florida this week. We are enjoying a cool, dry spell of spring weather and it is a beautiful day. I need to get outside!

To see more SOS posts, visit Jim’s blog, Garden Ruminations and follow the links in the comments section.

In A Vase on Monday – A Rose by Any Other Name

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The only roses that could possibly smell as sweet around my garden are on the Portmerion china. I am way too far south to grow real roses. The roses in my vase came from the Desert Rose. The Desert Rose (Adenium obesum) is a relatively common container plant in my neighborhood. Considered a succulent but enjoying regular water and frying sun this is a perfect plant for South Florida. I throw out my cat’s water bowl on the rose every morning and it has rewarded me with abundant flowers.

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The vase is a crystal rose bowl from my mother’s vast collection. I had picked some other flowers to join the arrangement, but decided these were so pretty on their own they just needed a little fine textured foliage accent. The foliage in the vase is some maturing seed heads from my Dill Plant and Asparagus Fern.

Ironically the only thing in this arrangement that smells at all is the Dill seed.