Over watering Kills HousePlants!
Hi Judy,
I bought this plant and the lady said it would be good under house lights. I water it when the soil becomes dry about 3 -4 times a week. It has lost about 7 leaves since I bought it a few weeks ago. What type of plant is it and what is the best care?
Thank You!
Hi,
You plant is a type of Caudiciform called a Desert Rose Plant.
You are losing leaves because you are over watering the plant. The fat bulbous trunk of a Desert Rose Plant stores water so be sure the soil totally dries out before watering this plant. If the soil of a Desert Rose Plant gets excessively dry, the plant becomes dormant until you give it some water and wake it up. A Desert Rose Plant usually needs water every two weeks, NEVER 3 or 4 times a week. If you don’t stop over watering, the plant will quickly die.
These plants are considered poisonous and should be kept away from pets and children. Read more about common houseplants that are poisonous in Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants.