It was only sown in spring from a tiny and inconspicuous seed. It grew in early summer and bore shiny green leaves. But now these are falling off. Normal or exceptional state?
Why does the desert rose lose its leaves?
The desert rose naturally loses its leaves in winter due to poor lighting conditions. However, leaf loss outside the winter period can be due to an unsuitable location, poor care, lack of nutrients or pest infestation.
Leaf loss in winter is completely normal
You don't have to worry about losing leaves when the desert rose sheds its leaves in the winter. That is normal. First the leaves turn yellowish from the tips, then brown and finally they dry up and fall off.
The desert rose has a hard time adapting to the poor lighting conditions in this country from October to March. She falls into a natural rest mode. This is the only way it can survive the low-light period largely unscathed. In its homeland, the desert rose goes into rest mode during the dry season. It drops its leaves.
When leaf fall is worrying
However, shedding leaves is not always a sign of a natural cycle and therefore harmless. If the leaves are shed in spring or in the middle of summer, something is very wrong
Inappropriate location
An unsuitable location can cause the leaves of the desert rose to die. Is the plant in a draft? Are the temperatures at the location too low? Or was the desert rose not sufficiently accustomed to the blazing sun after overwintering? This can then result in leaf loss. A location that is too hot and in full sun in summer is usually tolerated by this plant.
Care: poor to incorrect
Poor care can also be behind the loss of leaves:
- substrate too wet – root rot
- Overfertilization
- Nutrient deficiency (especially nitrogen deficiency)
- Pest infestation (often caused by scale insects)
In heated rooms, desert roses are often attacked by scale insects. Their high poison content normally protects them from pests. But if the plants are weakened, for example due to poor care, they become more susceptible to pest infestation. The scale insects suck the leaves and sit mainly on the underside of the leaves.
Tip
If root rot or another reason is behind the leaf loss and you are worried about the plant, take top cuttings to propagate in order to maintain at least part of the he althy plant.