This plant is a twice bloomer, or re-bloomer, in the spring and in the fall.

It is a partial succulent. It has a thick stem, leathery leaves, and great flowers.

It needs full sun and plenty of warmth. It will not tolerate below 50°F.

Just remember, all parts of this plant are poisonous.

You can propagate it by stem cutting using bottom heat, or by seed.

An occasional scale or mealy bug will show up.

The desert rose is native to Arabia and Africa.

Great for an indoor plant or greenhouse collection. Summers nicely outside.

Zones 7 - 10. It will die down for the cooler months. Or bring in garage or cellar.

Q: We purchased a Desert Rose plant while on vacation in Florida. We brought it home to Tennessee and re-planted it as it had roots growing out of its pot. Now its leaves are tuning yellow and falling off. It is outside in morning sun and afternoon partial sun. What do we do to keep it from dying??

A: One of our favorite plants. We have it in a pot and bring it in, in the winter. In other words we treat it as a houseplant in SC and in northern FL where it is now. I doubt if it will over winter in Tennessee in the ground.

It may be losing its leaves because of the stress of the move or the stress of replanting it. Many plants do this. Ours does when we move it indoors in the fall or out in the spring.

It also could have too much water. This is a succulent plant and I water it once a month in the winter and about once a week or two weeks in the summer (although it is outside and generally neglected - rain and such). Well drained, of course. Sitting in water could rot the roots,

Do not give up on this plant. Ours has lost most of its leaves (by turning yellow and falling off) before and has come back.

Last fall, in one day a small caterpillar got to it and ate most of the leaves before I picked them all off and brought it in the house for protection and for the winter. It came back over the winter and bloomed constantly this spring.