There was talk in the garden center, recently — a really juicy piece of gossip personally told to me by a customer. Now, I’m not one to gossip, but this is too huge to keep to myself . . .
Iguanas do not eat Desert Rose!
I may have mentioned iguanas once or twice in the past, maybe even gone on and on about how much they’ve ruined whatever flower I’ve planted, but that sentence makes me ecstatic! An actual plant that offends the polished palette of my reptilian invaders. It’s the sort of news that makes a boy re-imagine flowers in a flowerless backyard.
And imagining and more is exactly what I’ve done.
Desert Rose, a flowering succulent also known as Adenium obesum, presents a whole new world of gardening possibilities for me. A native of sub-Saharan Africa, the plant is quite drought tolerant and it’s nearly constantly in bloom.
I first purchased a plant (pictured above and at the top of this post) several years ago, and I have it in a terracotta pot near the front door. The front of my house is essentially my iguana-free zone and I assumed that because Desert Rose has flowers, I feared it could easily become another entrée in the smorgasbord that is my backyard.
If this customer was correct, though, I could introduce flowers to my backyard — but only if the customer was correct.
Before I left work that day, I purchased another Desert Rose. The only colors I had ever seen in the nurseries were red, pink, and a few bi-colors in the red and pink family. The one I purchased this day, though, was pale yellow with a raspberry swirl on the petals.
I placed the plant in the backyard, close to the seawall, which is where iguanas mostly travel — and I kept my eye on the plant. It lasted a day. It lasted two days. It lasted three days. There were a few nibbles, as if the iguanas sampled it and decided on something else, but the plant survived.
Then I started to think — Desert Rose could quickly get expensive. The starting price is usually around $10 and then it travels upward, depending on the size of the plant.
I investigated how to propagate with stem cuttings — and while it’s do-able, I would be limiting myself to red or yellow with the raspberry swirl.
Could there be seeds? I really wasn’t sure, since I had never seen anything resembling a seed or a seedpod on my own plants. (I have since learned I could help this along by manually pollinating the flowers.)
I turned to Ebay — and there I found a wonderland of Desert Rose seeds. There were so many colors, as well as single, double, and triple blooms, and bi-colors. I could easily have gone overboard. I mean, with so many varieties — how can a gardener choose?
Ultimately, I selected a seller based in Florida and chose two varieties: “Mahatap,” which is a reddish/pink double bloom, and “Ultraviolet,” which is exactly that. I convinced myself that I would start small — an experiment — and if it all worked out, I would return for more exotic colors.
Two packets, five seeds in each, soon arrived. I figured there would be no difference in planting these easy-to-handle seeds as when I planted geranium seeds. I took a look through YouTube for some basic instruction — just in case — and found inspiration in a video.
My soil was a store-bought mix for cactus and succulents. To this, I added more perlite so it would drain easily. Before planting the seeds, I moistened the soil so that it was better able to absorb water after planting and so it wouldn’t puff back into my face. The goal is to moisten it so that it holds together when squeezed.
I placed the seeds on the surface and I covered them very lightly. The soil must be kept warm — so late May in South Florida was perfect.
It’s important to water from below. This prevents the soil from compacting, making it easier for young roots to grow. If it’s necessary to water from above, use a spray bottle or the mist setting on a hose nozzle.
Within five days, all ten seeds sprouted.
Soon, their plump stems, or caudex, started to take shape, and their first true leaves appeared. They’ve grown so much since sprouting, that it’s time to gently place them in their own pots — and I have yet to see any nibbles on the tender green leaves.
Like I said, I’m not one to gossip — but when it’s about a flowering plant that iguanas seem to ignore — well, that’s the kind of news that a gardener can’t keep, shouldn’t keep, to himself.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Man 
Hi, Kevin! I’m so glad you finally found a flower that is shunned by your non-paying tenants! Perhaps they will decide to move on to greener pastures!!! The desert roses are beautiful, and I look forward to seeing the ultraviolet ones, once they bloom!!! Good luck!! Love, Aunt Pat
PS – I’ve been missing NGDM!!!
Hi Aunt Pat. I’ve been missing the blog! Glad to have some time to focus on it — and I also can’t wait to see some flowers from my sprouts. Not sure how long that will take, but I have lots of patience. 🙂
I have issues with iguanas too, but my problem isn’t so much what they’re consuming, but rather what they’re leaving behind! Good luck with your baby desert roses… such a pretty plant.
Hi Studio Deb. Yup — that is another problem. What iguanas take in, must come out — and that raises all sorts of health concerns. Thanks for commenting.
Looks fabulous & will be wonderful to see when they bloom (even if it takes a little while 😂) 🌺
Hi Sally. I cannot wait for them to bloom — and when they do, I will be ready with a camera. 🙂
Thank you for this info about how easy these are to grow—will definitely have to give it a try.
I have a deer problem—who seem to also enjoy anything and everything—who knows maybe they won’t like desert rose either.—recently heard a rumor that deer shun begonias—also worth trying???
Hi Jan. When I lived on Long Island, NY, many friends had an issue with deer. It was not uncommon to see flower and vegetable gardens inside cages, shrubbery devoured as far as a deer’s neck could reach, and all sorts of means to scare them away — like CDs and bars of soap hanging from trees. I’m really not sure what deer will not eat, but I understand that motion detectors that spray water work well. Best of luck!
Those baby plants are so cute!
Hi Cindy. They are kind of cute — and at this stage, they kind of look like something from a Dr. Seuss story. 🙂
So they’re really only a month old? They look great! -and I agree with Cindy, they’re cute as well!
Hi Bittster. The more I look at them, the more they look like the trees in a Flinstone cartoon. 🙂
We recently picked this up at the library and I thought of you when reading about iguanas eating flowers. I’m so glad you found something to enjoy without having to “share” that enjoyment with cold blooded creatures
https://www.amazon.com/Iguana-Brothers-Tale-Two-Lizards/dp/0590474685
Hi PD. That’s great! I may have to illustrate myself into that story. 🙂
No iguanas in Blighty Kevin but thanks for sharing your gossip!
Hi Dorris. I’m sure you have your share of relentless garden pests — mine just happen to be scaly and cold-blooded. 🙂
This is so exciting, Kevin! I am thrilled for you to have found a way to thwart the iguana chomping! And good for you to have found the seeds. I have bought some interesting succulent seeds and cuttings through Etsy, so I throw that source in, too, should you go on another hunt! I’ll be eager to see the variety of colors as your process continues. Congratulations! I’ll remember that some gossip is very helpful. 🙂
Hi Debra. So nice to hear from you. Hope all is well. In this case, gossip seems to have been a good thing — and thanks for the Easy tip. I always forget to check there. 🙂
Congratulations on finding a flower that is not appealing to your iguanas and that is beautiful as well! I can’t wait to see the results of your seed growing.
Hi Jean. So far, I’ve potted them into their own pots — and now I’m noticing aphids like the small plants. So, I’m doing a lot of squeezing and rinsing. I’m also not sure how long it’s going to take for flowers — as you know, gardening is constant learning process, and that’s part of the fun and excitement.
And just think: If you someday decide to try your hand at hybridizing, you could name the resulting cultivar ‘Iguana Nowanna’ ! 🙂 (why should Tony Avent have all the fun?)
Haha, M’Lady! 🙂
“Desert” rose leads me to believe that temprate climes may not suffice. Anything like this for NE USA?
I think in the Northeast, most succulents are best used inside — as a desktop plant. Desert rose does like year-round warm temperatures, and I’m not sure how it would handle indoor life. Perhaps in a bright sunny window?
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Thanks for the link!
Thinking of y’all. Stay safe.
Thanks, PD. 🙂
Hi Kevin
I actually live near you in Fort Lauderdale. I’ve just discovered your blog at around 4 AM and decided to go some reading as a means to allay my insomnia. 3+ hours later I’ve discovered that was the wrong choice as I am wholly invested and want to read everything you’ve written. I’m curious do you have any experience with mussaenda plants, particularly propagating? I have beautiful one in my yard and want to grow more.
Hi Sylvia. I’m so glad you found me. I don’t have any experience with propagating mussaenda, but I would probably do it the same way I’ve rooted hydrangeas and copper leaf… taking a cutting of new growth, removing the lower leaves from the cutting, dipping in water and then rooting hormone, and then planting in a loose medium so new tender roots are able to grow easily. I found this video specifically for mussaenda, and it’s pretty much exactly how I’ve rooted more plants from cuttings. I hope this helps. https://youtu.be/lSe_hJ4guCI