Crimson Monarch Desert Rose Bulbs

Adenium obesum — Crimson Monarch. The most classically “rose” of the doubles: four to five blood-crimson blooms open at once, each one packed with ruffled inner petals so the centre never shows a plain disc. Behind them sits a single straight trunk that widens gradually into the caudex instead of branching low — the silhouette most collectors want for a windowsill specimen.

What you get

• Dormant bare-root caudex with visible eyes and a full root system — not a seed, not a cutting.
• Flowers the first season once night temperatures stay above 60°F / 15°C.
• One plant per bulb ordered — order 3 and you get three separate caudexes to pot up or share.

How to start it

• Pot: free-draining mix — 50% cactus soil, 30% pumice, 20% coarse sand. Terracotta, one size up from the root ball.
• Water: none for the first 7 days after potting, then soak and let it dry completely. In growth, water when the caudex just begins to soften.
• Light: 6+ hours of direct sun. A south or west window indoors.
• Cold: hardy outdoors in USDA zones 10–12; anywhere cooler keep it above 50°F / 10°C.

Deep reds read almost black in shade and turn scarlet in full sun — the same plant, two different looks. Ships dormant and bare-root, wrapped in dry sphagnum. 5–7 working days to dispatch, 8–25 working days in transit.