How to Propagate Desert Rose Plants

Overview

Although growing desert rose plants from seeds is possible, the offspring produced aren't exactly like the parent plants. Cleft grafting and air layering can produce some success, but those methods are more complicated than most home gardeners want to tackle. The simplest and most reliable means of propagating this plant is by starting tip cuttings taken in the spring, a method by which any novice can find success.

Step 1

Create a starting medium for a desert rose cutting by combining three parts Perlite and one part peat moss. Fill a three-inch clay pot and set it in a shallow container of water until the surface feels moist. Remove it from the water and allow it to drain for about an hour.

Step 2

Take a five-inch cutting from a healthy, mature desert rose plant. Remove the leaves and buds from the lower half of the cutting. Moisten the bottom one inch of the stem and dip it in powdered rooting hormone. Plant the treated end in the prepared pot.

Step 3

Water well enough to uniformly moisten the surface of the starting medium. Mist the cutting and set it in a warm, brightly lit spot out of direct sunlight. The top of your refrigerator or above a hot water heater are good choices. A temperature range of 70 to 85 degrees F is preferred.

Step 4

Mist the cutting once or twice daily. Water enough to keep the surface of the rooting medium evenly moist, but don't allow it to stand in water. Your desert rose should root in about two to six weeks.

Step 5

Plant the desert rose in a four-inch clay container of commercial potting mix when new growth begins to emerge. Water it enough to evenly moisten the soil. Place it on a bright windowsill in a warm room, out of direct sunlight.

Step 6

Feed the desert rose a water-soluble fertilizer according to the packaging instructions.