Adenium Problems

Growing Conditions

• Desert rose requires bright light year-round when cultivated as an indoor houseplant. Full sunlight is required when planted outdoors in containers or in a garden. When the desert rose does not receive enough light, the plant becomes leggy. Inadequate lighting leads to plant diseases. Desert rose likes well-draining, porous, medium soils. As a succulent, desert rose needs less water than typical houseplants. Overwatering the desert rose invites root rot and other fungal diseases.

Weather and Climate

• Desert rose thrives in temperatures ranging from 90 degrees Fahrenheit to lower than 40 F. Planting desert rose in a container allows moving it indoors during cold weather. Temperatures below 40 F damages the branch tips. Prolonged exposure kills the plant. A climate with a dry season encourages a seasonal dormant period in the desert rose, which the University of Florida recommends. When grown indoors, desert rose needs a temperate climate with average minimum temperature of about 50 F.

Diseases

• Root rot is a disease caused by fungi that wilts, yellows leaves and eventually kills the plant. Overwatering causes roots to sufficient and decay. Avoid root rot by using well-draining soils and adhere to the desert rose's strict water requirements. Fungal leaf spot is a disease occurring when the desert rose is exposed to extended periods of wet weather. Various shaped, colored and sized spots appear on the plant's leaves. Affected foliage withers and dies. Controlling fungal leaf spot starts by keeping diseased plants away from others and increasing air circulation to the infected plant.

Pests

• Spider mites are common desert rose pests. This small arachnid ranges in color from red to brown and green to yellow. Spider mites use their piercing mouthparts to ingest sap, bruising to plant cells. Small, light flecks on leaves are signs of spider mite infestation. Cutting off infested parts, washing the plant or wiping the leaves helps control spider mites. Mealy bugs are small, oval-shaped insects with bodies covered by a white, powdery wax. These pests have mouthpieces that puncture leaves of plants and feed on the sap. Indication of the presence of mealy bugs appears in the form of sticky honeydew that these the insects secrete. Black sooty mold often forms along the honeydew. Washing the plant with insecticidal soaps helps to control mealy bugs.