Thai Mix Desert Rose

Thai Mix Desert Rose (Adenium arabicum 'Thai Mix') is a slow growing, shrub-like succulent with a swollen, trunk-like base called a caudex that stores water. It reaches 0.5m to 1m tall and about 60cm wide, and carries single, open flowers through spring and summer. It loves sun and heat, copes with drought, and is happiest in a pot or a dry bed beside cacti and succulents.

Why you'll love it

• A sculptural base. The fat caudex gives a young plant the look of a miniature tree, and the shape becomes more striking with age.
• Flowers from spring to summer. Single blooms open through the warm months. The colour varies: white with a pink edge, pure white, pink, and occasionally deep pink or red.
• Drought tolerant. Water held in the caudex carries it through dry spells that would finish most flowering shrubs.
• Made for pots. Compact and slow, it lives well in a container, and indoors too if the light is bright enough.
• Easy care. It asks for sun, sharp drainage and water only when the soil has dried out.

Where it works best

Dry beds beside cacti and succulents. Plant 60cm apart in gritty soil in a hot, sunny spot, where the caudex reads as a feature among agaves and aloes.

Pots and containers. A container of cacti mix makes watering easy to control, and in a cool climate you can move the pot under cover for winter.

Bright indoor spots. A sunny room or window with plenty of light will keep it going, though it flowers best in real sun.

Growing Thai Mix Desert Rose in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun and warmth. Outdoors it suits tropical, subtropical and arid gardens that stay frost free. It is frost tender, so in cooler or frosty climates grow it in a pot and shelter it through winter.

Soil. Use a cacti mix, or very free draining soil with some sand and small stones added. Wet feet and root rot are the usual causes of loss, so avoid heavy or boggy ground.

Water and feed. Let the soil dry out between drinks, and water a little more often in the heat of summer. Overwatering is the quickest way to lose it. A liquid fertiliser gives the best results.

Pruning. Very little. Winter leaf drop is just dormancy, and the plant bursts back into life in spring. Wear gloves when handling it, because the sap is toxic.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Thai Mix Desert Rose as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. It is slow growing and can reach 2m, but only after many years. These tubes have not yet flowered, so we cannot guarantee flower colour, because desert roses do not always come true to their parents.

Our grower supplies the tube stock, and supply comes and goes. If the tube shows as sold out, the grower has none at that moment: press the notify button on the page and we email you the day it returns.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• More succulents for dry gardens
• Succulents for hot climates
• Plants that suit pots
• Succulents in Australia: a complete care guide

Common questions

Which flower colour will I get?

We cannot say. The tubes have not flowered yet, and desert roses can be unpredictable. Expect white with a pink edge, all white, all pink or occasionally deep pink or red.

Is it safe around pets and children?

No. All parts of a desert rose, including the milky sap, are toxic if eaten, and the sap can irritate skin. Keep it out of reach of pets and children, and wear gloves when handling it.

Why did it drop its leaves in winter?

That is dormancy and perfectly normal. Cut watering back until spring, then resume as new leaves appear.