Adenium obesum

{{short description|Species of plant}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Speciesbox |name = Adenium obesum (Desert rose) |image = Adenium_Obesum_Flower_Side_Macro_Mar22_D72_23052-58_ZS_P.jpg |image_caption = |status = LC |status_system = IUCN3.1 |status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). |author2=IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group |date=2019 |title=''Adenium obesum'' |volume=2019 |article-number=e.T62541A149059021 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T62541A149059021.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref> |genus = Adenium |species = obesum |authority = (Forssk.) Roem. & Schult. |synonyms = ''Adenium coetaneum'' <small>Stapf</small><br/> ''Adenium honghel'' <small>A.DC.</small><br/> ''Nerium obesum'' <small>Forssk.</small> |synonyms_ref = <ref name="GRIN">{{GRIN | access-date=30 September 2010}}</ref> |subdivision_ranks = Subspecies |subdivision = See text }}

'''''Adenium obesum''''', more commonly known as a '''desert rose''', is a poisonous species of flowering plant belonging to the tribe Nerieae of the subfamily Apocynoideae of the dogbane family, Apocynaceae.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Schoch|first=C.L.|display-authors=etal|date=2020|title="Adenium obesum", NCBI Taxonomy: a comprehensive update on curation, resources and tools|url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Info&id=69375|url-status=live|access-date=27 August 2021|website=National Center for Biotechnology Information|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417021032/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Info&id=69375 |archive-date=17 April 2020 }}</ref> It is native to the Sahel regions south of the Sahara (from Mauritania and Senegal to Sudan), tropical and subtropical eastern and southern Africa, as well as the Arabian Peninsula. Other names for the flower include '''Sabi star''', '''kudu''', '''mock azalea''', and '''impala lily'''. ''Adenium obesum'' is a popular houseplant and bonsai in temperate regions.

==Description== {{Unreferenced section|date=July 2022}} It is an evergreen or drought-deciduous succulent shrub (which can also lose its leaves during cold spells, or according to the subspecies or cultivar). It can grow to {{convert|0.12|–|5|m|ft|abbr=on}} in height, with pachycaul (disproportionately large) stems and a stout, swollen basal caudex (a rootstock that protrudes from the soil). The leaves are spirally arranged, clustered toward the tips of the shoots, simple entire, leathery in texture, {{convert|5|–|15|cm|in|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|1|–|8|cm|in|abbr=on}} broad. The flowers are tubular, {{convert|2|–|5|cm|in|abbr=on}} long, with the outer portion {{convert|4|–|6|cm|in|abbr=on}} diameter with five petals, resembling those of other related genera such as ''Plumeria'' and ''Nerium''. The flowers tend to be red and pink, often with a whitish blush outward of the throat.

==Taxonomy== {{Unreferenced section|date=July 2022}} Some taxonomies consider some other species in the genus to be subspecies of ''Adenium obesum''.

===Subspecies=== * ''Adenium obesum'' subsp. ''oleifolium'' (South Africa, Botswana) * ''Adenium obesum'' subsp. ''socotranum'' (Socotra) * ''Adenium obesum'' subsp. ''somalense'' (Eastern Africa) * ''Adenium obesum'' subsp. ''swazicum'' (Eswatini, South Africa) * ''Adenium obesum'' subsp. ''Arabicum'' (Saudi Arabia, Yemen)

Adenium swazicum is a critically endangered African species native to Eswatini and Mozambique, growing up to {{convert|0.7|m}} tall.

Adenium somalense is also native to Africa, inhabiting Tanzania, Kenya, and Somalia, and reaching heights of {{convert|5|m}}, which makes it the largest of these four subspecies.

Adenium socotranum is native exclusively to the island of Socotra, and can grow to be {{convert|4.6|m}}, but despite its small range, it is of least concern regarding endangerment. It can swell up to {{convert|8|ft}} in diameter at the base.<ref>{{cite web|author=Siby Xavier |date=23 October 2024 |language=en |title=Meet the Majestic Adenium Socotranum: Socotra's Floral Gem |url=https://socotrabooking.com/meet-the-majestic-adenium-socotranum-socotras-floral-gem/}}</ref>

Adenium oleifolium is near threatened in the wild and is the smallest of these subspecies, growing at the tallest to {{convert|0.4|m}}.

Adenium Arabicum a species is a monoecious and self-sterile, common names include desert rose, elephant's foot, and Adan bush, arabicum is native to Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

==Ecology== Caterpillars of the polka-dot wasp moth (''Syntomeida epilais'') are known to feed on the desert rose, along with feeding on oleanders.<ref name="IFASpdf">{{cite web|title=Oleander caterpillar (Syntomeida epilais)|url=http://trec.ifas.ufl.edu/mannion/pdfs/OleanderCaterpillar.pdf|website=UF/IFAS|access-date=26 March 2018|date=August 2006|archive-date=11 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151211130256/http://trec.ifas.ufl.edu/mannion/pdfs/OleanderCaterpillar.pdf}}</ref>

In areas with year-round warm weather, they can bloom throughout the year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Is Adenium Obesum Poisonous to Dogs? |url=https://homeguides.sfgate.com/adenium-obesum-poisonous-dogs-76694.html |access-date=14 May 2022 |department=Home Guides |website=SFGate |language=en}}</ref>

==Uses== ''Adenium obesum'' produces a sap in its roots and stems that contains cardiac glycosides. This sap is used as arrow poison for hunting large game throughout much of Africa<ref name="Gurib-Fakim">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7FJqgQ3_tnUC |first=G.H. |last=Schmelzer |first2=A. |last2=Gurib-Fakim |title=Medicinal Plants |year=2008 |publisher=Plant Resources of Tropical Africa |isbn=978-90-5782-204-9 |pages=46–49}}</ref> and as a fish toxin.<ref>John 'Lofty' Wiseman ''SAS Survival Handbook, Revised Edition'' p. 240; William Morrow Paperbacks (2009) {{ISBN|978-1875900060}}</ref>

==Cultivation== [[File:Adenium obesum at the campus of Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute in Belur Math, Howrah.jpg|thumb|Flowers of Adenium obesum in West Bengal, India.]] ''Adenium obesum'' is a popular houseplant and bonsai<ref name="Ma-Ke_Adenium obesum ">{{cite web |last=D'Cruz |first=Mark |title=Ma-Ke Bonsai Care Guide for Adenium obesum |url=http://guide.makebonsai.com/bonsai_species_guide_training.asp?SpeciesID=5111&Name=Adenium_obesum |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121214051529/http://guide.makebonsai.com/bonsai_species_guide_training.asp?SpeciesID=5111&Name=Adenium_obesum |archive-date=14 December 2012 |access-date=11 May 2011 |website=Ma-Ke Bonsai}}</ref> in temperate regions. It requires a sunny location and a minimum indoor temperature in winter of {{convert|10|C|F|abbr=on}}. It thrives on a xeric watering regime as required by cacti. ''A. obesum'' is typically propagated by seed or stem cuttings. The numerous hybrids are propagated mainly by grafting on to seedling rootstock. While plants grown from seed are more likely to have the swollen caudex at a young age, with time many cutting-grown plants cannot be distinguished from seed-grown plants. Like many plants, ''Adenium obesum'' can also be propagated in vitro using plant tissue culture.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kanchanapoom |first1=Kantamaht |last2=Sunheem |first2=Sunisa |last3=Kanchanapoom |first3=Kamnoon |date=5 December 2010 |title=In vitro Propagation of Adenium obesum (Forssk.) Roem. and Schult. |url=http://www.notulaebotanicae.ro/index.php/nbha/article/view/4604/5093 |journal=Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca |language=en |volume=38 |issue=3 |pages=209–213 |doi=10.15835/nbha3834604 |issn=1842-4309 |access-date=26 January 2016 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.<ref>{{cite web |title=Adenium obesum |url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/426/Adenium-obesum/Details |access-date=23 February 2020 |website=RHS Plant Selector}}</ref>

==Symbolic and cultural references== The species has been depicted on postage stamps issued by various countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=Adenium obesum|url=http://stampdata.com/thing.php?id=11212|website=StampData|access-date=24 March 2020}}</ref>

==See also== * List of poisonous plants * ''Pachypodium'' - another caudiciform member of the Apocynaceae

==Gallery== <gallery mode="packed" heights="150px"> File:Bottle Trees, Socotra Island (9888518324).jpg|Close-up of stand of ''A. obesum var. socotranum'', Socotra File:Desert Rose, Socotra Is (17131661372).jpg|''A. obesum var. socotranum'', trunk of single extreme pachycaul specimen, Socotra File:Desert rose Adenium obesum in Tanzania 2259 Nevit.jpg|Group of plants growing in scrubland, Tanzania File:Adenium obesum - Marie Selby Botanical Gardens - Sarasota, Florida - DSC01083.jpg|Cultivated bonsai specimen with picturesquely contorted caudex and roots, Florida File:RCN Mother.jpg|Cultivated specimen in Thailand flowering profusely. File:Adenium Fruit 15+16cm Panorama Chennai Jun21 D72 20060+63 Pano.jpg|Large fruits on 30-cm tall plant, Chennai. File:Adenium seedling 2day Uthandi Aug21 D72 20609-21 ZP.jpg|2-day seedling with seed husk {{Convert|15|mm|in|abbr=on}}, Chennai. File:Adenium obesum plants at the campus of Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira in Belur Math, Howrah.jpg|Group of plants at the campus of Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira in West Bengal, India. File:Hoa và lá sứ Thái.jpg|Flowers and leaves, Thailand File:Fruits in Adenuim Obesum Plant on Terrace garden.jpg|Paired, follicular fruits on cultivated specimen, Bengal File:Adenium obesum pod and seeds.jpg|Single, dehiscent fruit showing seeds equipped with double pappus (tuft of hairs at both ends) File:Adenium Seed Pappus Black Uthandi Aug21 D72 20862.jpg|Single seed {{Convert|1|cm|in|abbr=on}} long with pappus File:Adenium Seed 1cm Macro Uthandi Sep21 D72 20923-929 ZP.jpg|Seed {{Convert|1|cm|in|abbr=on}} long, stripped of the double pappus which allows wind-dispersal File:Adenium Seedling 18day Uthandi Aug21 D72 20806.jpg|Seedling, 18 days old, {{Convert|3.3|cm|inch|abbr=on}} </gallery>

==References== {{Commons category}} {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{WestAfricanPlants|Adenium obesum}} * {{eol|5328452}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q311994}}

obesum Category:Flora of Africa Category:Flora of the Arabian Peninsula Category:Plants described in 1819 Category:Garden plants of Africa Category:Drought-tolerant plants Category:House plants Category:Caudiciform plants Category:Plants that can bloom all year round Category:Taxa named by Peter Forsskål