The seeds of rootless desert roses produce a gnarled and rustic-looking habit as plants. This is what most fans of this plant see themselves as. But what do the seeds actually look like? When do they ripen and how do you sow them properly?
What do desert rose seeds look like and how do you sow them properly?
Desert rose seeds are elongated, narrow, light gray to ocher in color and about 1 cm long. Ideally, sowing takes place in spring from March in seed trays or small pots with potting soil. Seeds should be sown a maximum of 1 cm deep and the substrate should be kept slightly moist.
Seed characteristics
In contrast to the extraordinary growth and colorful flowers, the seeds of the desert rose are rather inconspicuous. They are:
- elongated
- narrow
- light gray to ochre
- about 1 cm long
- numerous
- good germination
Buy from your own harvest or from specialist retailers
Do you already own a desert rose? Then you can use the seeds from your own harvest. After the flowering period is over around mid/late June, the seeds ripen. As a rule, the capsules containing the seeds are ripe in July and August at the latest. When they reach maturity, the capsules burst and release the seeds they contain.
If you don't have your own desert rose yet, you can buy the seeds (€6.00 on Amazon) from specialist retailers. But be careful: only trust in good quality! Otherwise, you could end up with superimposed seeds that have difficulty germinating. In general, the fresher the seeds are, the better their germination ability.
Sowing the seeds correctly
Growing the desert rose from seeds? With these little instructions you'll definitely be able to grow it:
- Time: possible all year round, but ideally in spring from March
- Use seed trays or small pots
- Fill the sowing container with potting soil
- Spread seeds or sow in planting holes no more than 1 cm deep
- keep slightly moist
If you have placed the sowing container in a warm place - 20 to 25 °C is ideal - and kept the substrate moderately moist, the seeds will, with luck, germinate within a few days.
Usually the last seeds germinate within 10 days. Only in rare cases does germination take up to 3 weeks. Once they reach a size of 10 cm, the seedlings can be repotted.
Tip
If you have propagated the desert rose using its seeds, you can only expect the first flowering in the new places after 2 years at the earliest.
