A rose is a rose is a rose

A 'baby' Desert Rose already in bloom.

Rummaging through the different plants sold in a nearby garden store (the kind that is attached to a big lumber and hardware store), I spotted a small, less than a foot tall plant that I could vaguely recognize. But because it was beautifully presented and was in bloom, I slowly gravitated toward it.

As I got closer, I remembered what kind of plant it was although I didn't know yet its common name. Reading the accompanying tag that had the plant name and care instructions, it was a Desert Rose (Adenium obesum), and it said that it requires minimal watering or it will rot.

In the Philippines, it is commonly known as 'Dwarf Kalachuchi' - 'Kalachuchi' is the vernacular name for Plumeria. And there it rains a lot during the wet season but this plant is able to survive a heavy soaking.

Rows of little Desert Roses in our garden.

So I asked Mom to include this plant on their next trip to the garden store. The plant they bought was in bloom so the store owner told them to gather the seeds when the pods ripen and plant them immediately. That's how we ended up with a lot of baby Desert Roses in our nursery.

The mother plant that gave birth to our little Desert Roses.

The 'baby' Adeniums are thriving well that some of them started to flower at a young age and only a few inches tall.

Because of the current drought problem, these little beauties will continue to reside in the lower garden (which is our 'nursery') for the time being. When the climate is right, they too will be dispersed in the upper garden.

Indeed, a rose is a rose is a rose, unless its a Desert Rose.