Adenium obesum varieties and care differences

Choose a desert rose by flower color and form first, then compare foliage, size and flowering. Single, double and triple flowers occur among selections and hybrids.

Plant coveredAdenium obesumDesert rose · indoor and outdoor

Check the species, variety, group or trade name

Plant names and labels

Taxonomy
The exact target is Adenium obesum. Cultivated desert roses can also be hybrids with other Adenium species, so keep pure A. obesum separate from hybrid material and retain the plant label.
Group
Compare flower color and form, including single, double or triple flowers, along with foliage, plant size and flowering performance. These are choice groups, not a complete cultivar list, and hybrid labels can be unreliable.

Compare visible shape, pattern and size

How the varieties differ

Selection-level differences include red, white, pink or yellow flowers, single, double or triple forms, green or variegated foliage, plant size and the amount or season of flowering. No complete named-cultivar list is established.

Change care only for a named difference

Care differences

The shared baseline for A. obesum and the discussed hybrids is high light or full sun, a sharply draining cactus or succulent mix, dry-down between waterings and protection below about 55°F. Flower color and a cultivar name do not establish a different watering or feeding schedule.

Treat an unverified identity as uncertain

Limits of plant labels

Sources