How to Grow Desert Rose from Seed

 

Another name for desert rose plant is Adenium obesum,  the desert rose plant will add texture and color to any area with its brightly colored flowers, glossy green leaves and also is unique bulbous stem. The plant actually grows slowly by producing funnel-shaped flowers in clusters during the spring and summer. The plant is hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones ten through twelve, the plant will grow in wet, humid regions. The desert rose seeds germinate readily if given the proper care and it also grow well as a houseplant or outdoor shrub.

 

How to Plant Desert Rose Seeds

The following are the steps on how to plant desert rose seeds;

Step 1. Prepare your potting soil: You can mix one part perlite, one part sand and one part potting soil in a five gallon bucket. You need to add water slowly to the mixture until it is evenly moist but not soggy. Fill your plastic seedling tray with soil, tamping the media down slightly until it is about one inch below the tray's top.

Step 2. Spread the desert rose seeds: You have to spread the desert rose seeds over the surface of the media in the tray. Space the individual desert rose seeds two to three inches apart. Make sure you press the desert rose seeds down gently to ensure full contact with the soil's surface. 

Step 3. Apply fungicide to the desert rose seed: You need to put on a pair of gloves. Make sure you read all label directions and warnings on the package of the seedling fungicide. Dust the fungicide onto the surfaces of the desert rose seeds with a small paintbrush.

Step 4. Cover and water the desert rose seeds: Sprinkle about ¼ to ½ inch layer of soil over the top of the desert rose seeds, and then cover them completely. Use a spray bottle and lightly mist the soil's surface with water. You need to cover the tray with a clear plastic cover.

Step 5. Caring for the desert rose plant: Position a heat mat in a vicinity with bright, indirect sunlight and a constant temperature of seventy-five to eighty degrees Fahrenheit. Then turn the mat on and adjust its temperature setting to eighty-five degrees Fahrenheit. Then place the tray on top of the mat.

Step 6. Keep the soil moist:  You can remove the cover once per day, and then wipe away any condensation from its interior with a good paper towel or cloth. Lightly mist over the tray whenever the top layer of the soil begins to dry. Make sure you keep the media moist, but never soggy.

Step 7. Remove the cover from the desert rose seedlings: Watch for emerging sprouts three to seven days after planting. Remove the cover once the desert rose seeds germinate. Also remove the tray from the mat, and then put the mat away and replace the tray in its former position.

Step 8. Water the desert rose seedlings regularly: You can water the desert rose seedlings in the morning with a watering can when the top one inch of the soil becomes dry. You can pour the water directly onto the growing media, try and be careful not to splash the leaves. 

Step 9. Fertilizing the desert rose seedlings: You can fertilize the desert rose seedlings weekly with a 10-10-10 water-soluble fertilizer. Mix about ½ teaspoon fertilizer with one gallon of water, and then pour the fertilizer solution directly into the tray, applying it in place of a watering.

Step 10. Transplanting the desert rose: You can transplant the desert rose seedlings into individual six inch pots when they have develop about 6 true leaves, usually 4 weeks after germination. Fill a six inch pot three-quarter full of potting soil suitable for succulents or cacti. Extract one of the desert rose plant from the tray using a trowel to dig carefully around its roots and lift it upward. 

Place the desert rose seedling into the center of the pot, positioning the top of the root ball two inches below the top of the pot. Fill the pot with additional soil until the soil surface is even with the top of the root ball. Don’t plant the desert rose seedling deeper than it was previously growing. Fill the pot with water 2 to 3 times to moisten the soil completely.