Adenium obesum

Description:

Family: Apocynaceae

A large mostly subterranean caudiciform plant up to 3 feet in diameter. Plant has 2 to 3 inch long truncate glabrous leaves, and 2 to 3 inch wide pink flowers.

Habitat:
Found from north eastern Mozambique to southern Kenya, this plant grows in dry scrub land, often among grasses and small shrubs

Cultivation:
Should be watered once every 1 to 2 weeks during the summer, keep dry in winter. The caudex can grow quite rapidly if over potted and kept in extremely well draining medium (mostly pumice), up to several inches a season.

A note on nomenclature:
This plant should not be confused with the Arabian Adenium obesum, often referred to as Adenium arabicum, which is a genetically and visibly distinctive species. This nomenclatural error (which is not resolved) has resulted in much confusion in the botanical community. Due to this, the majority of plants sold under these names are most likely hybrids between the two species.