The Best Way To Propagate Desert Roses To Multiply Your Blooms

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There's no such thing as too many flowers, especially when it comes to the desert rose (Adenium obesum). Through propagation, the process of growing a new plant through seeds or cuttings, you can multiply your desert rose as much as you'd like, filling your home or garden with the beautiful, flowering succulent. Though it is not hard to grow a desert rose from fresh seeds, growing one from cuttings is faster and more approachable.

Like most succulents, the desert rose is low-maintenance, and it will continue growing as long as the plant is kept above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, making it a great houseplant. By propagating the plant, which features pink or white flowers up to 3 inches in diameter, you can add its unique beauty to other areas of your home or even liven up your front porch, but make sure to take it inside during the winter. The desert rose grows best in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 11 to 12, and the parent plant and its propagated children must receive at least six hours of direct sunlight to keep flowering. Even if this is your first time growing desert roses, you can propagate these plants like a pro with the right tools.

One mistake too many people make when propagating plants is a lack of preparation, as this often-skipped step is necessary to maintain the health of your plants. Begin by sterilizing your pruners with alcohol or a 10% solution of bleach, rinsing them thoroughly before using them on a plant. If you do not sterilize your tools between uses, you can transfer diseases from plant to plant unintentionally.

Once your tools are clean, locate a Y-shaped fork in the desert rose plant's branches and take a cutting from the tip. For the health of the parent plant, rub powdered cinnamon, which helps prevent fungal infections, on the open wound. Set the cutting aside to dry for a few days until the cut end hardens into a callous, then dab rooting powder on the end and stick it into a growing medium, such as perlite mixed with soil. Alternatively, you can use a seed starter soil such as the Miracle-Gro Seed Starting Potting Mix. By using a starter or another well-draining growing medium, you are encouraging the plant to grow a strong root base, which will result in a healthier plant.

You might be wondering about how to water your new cutting, as hydration is an important step in the growing process, but succulents frequently fall victim to root rot caused by overwatering. To avoid this, consider adding mineral grit to your succulent soil. During the initial stages of the desert rose propagation process, after you have placed it in its growing medium, water the plant once, making sure it drains properly. Refrain from watering for around one to two weeks, then give it a light watering every day for six weeks.

At the six-week mark, your desert rose should be rooted and ready for proper potting in succulent soil. Desert roses grown from cuttings tend to have thick trunks, resembling a money tree (Pachira aquatica), but the desert rose's pink flowers set it apart from other houseplants. Place your rooted cutting in a sunny spot and watch it grow into a full plant with a long summer blooming period. If you enjoyed the process and like the results, you can repeat it many times, creating an endless supply of desert roses to keep for yourself or gift to friends and family.