The desert rose is one of the most popular varieties of bonsai roses. It’s an 8-inch bonsai with fleshy leaves and large trumpet-shaped flowers. You can grow desert rose bonsai from cuttings or seeds. Fresh seeds have a higher germination rate than seedlings. After soaking the seeds overnight, they will sprout into new plants in a week. You can wire the rose to a support, and it will look fantastic in a botanical garden.
Repotting a bonsai rose is essential after the third year. When repotting a rose, choose a day when there is no wind, and then allow the roots to dry. Use water containing rooting hormones and Vitamin B to repot the bonsai rose. Then, water the new potting soil to help the roots take hold. This process takes some time, but the results are well worth it!
A good way to acquire a rose for bonsai is to dig up a very old plant. I have a 6-7-inch-diameter multiflora bonsai that I dug from a field 30 feet up a telephone pole. Then, I cut down the root ball to about two feet, which made it fit into a five-gallon bucket. You should not use potting soil for bonsai roses.
Desert roses are a desert-adapted species of rose. Their natural habitat is hot and dry. For optimal growth and care, you should place your desert rose bonsai in a sunny window or an area with afternoon shade. Desert roses can be left outside year-round in warm climates, but you should slowly acclimate them to brighter conditions in the spring. You can also water the desert rose using cactus soil mix.