What is wrong with desert rose

Watch Reply
More
Mark unread Print Skip to new
Verukajone1 Hialeah, FL(Zone 10a) Mar 26, 2016

Hello,
New to this forum and hope you can help. I bought a desert rose from home depot a few days ago. I was so focused on the emerging buds that I really didn't pay attention to anything else. Upon further inspection, I'm worried that the plant is infested with something. The stems have portions that look like the skin is cracking. Sorry, have no other way to describe it. Also, there are brown spots/bumps all over plant. The base of the plant looks crackly also and has brown spots/bumps. Some of the leaves have a white powder/dust on them. A few leaves at the bottom have turned yellow. Is this normal? Is it infested? If so with what? Can I cure it or should I just return/dispose of plant? The desert rose sits on my balcony and I'm afraid it might infect other plants if that is the issue. I love that the plant is bushy and has many buds, I would hate to loose it. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Thumbnail by Verukajone1 Thumbnail by Verukajone1 Thumbnail by Verukajone1
Post #10212385
Quote
Pistil Lake Stevens, WA(Zone 8a) Mar 29, 2016

Hi- I was waiting to see if someone with more experience than me would answer, but no such luck.
I will try:
I have one Desert Rose, I got it from Logees nursery a few years ago. I just looked at the plant. The bark looks like yours, with linear slight cracks. I think this is normal. Mine also has little bumps on the bark, these seem normal too. I enlarged your photo as much a possible and I think they are the same. However little brown bumps could also be a kind of insect called "scale". Look at photos of this on the internet, then get a magnifying glass and look closely, I think it will be obvious.
Now about the yellow leaves, mine loses lower leaves like this, I don't worry about it. The powdery stuff could be just pesticide residue, I would wash off the plant with a sprayer, see if it returns. Also look at the leaves with magnifying glass. In general the plant looks lush and healthy.
I have noticed my Adenium (scientific name for Desert Rose) are prone to mealy bugs. Look at internet for photos of these too-they seem to only attack the new growth as it emerges.
If you think you have insects let me know, I will tell you how I deal with them.

Post #10213408
Quote

Post a Reply to this Thread

Please or sign up to post.
Back to Forum Homepage

More Ask-a-Dave's-Gardener Threads

Go to all Ask-a-Dave's-Gardener threads
BACK TO TOP