It’s no wonder that Australians love to garden with the desert rose, as it’s a plant that’s commonly grown in their backyards.
Unfortunately, the plant’s toxic and dangerous nature can be seen in its vibrant flowers and swollen stem.
According to Dermot Molloy, who is a horticulturist at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Victoria, the Adenium obosum is native to Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and other regions.
Many people are not aware that the desert rose is a member of the Apocynaceae family.
According to Molloy, it has a toxic sap that can be harmful if it gets into a person’s eyes or if ingested.
He also advised using gloves when pruning the plant. Last week, Australians were outraged after a nursery in Queensland revealed the plant’s toxic nature in a post on Facebook.
In the Bundaberg Landcare post, the agency explained that the plants are equipped with toxic sap. Many of the people who responded said they didn’t know that the plant was poisonous.
One person stated that they have been loving these plants for years. Another common desert rose species is the adenium multiflorum, which has numerous flowers and produces a toxic liquid when its branch gets broken.
Damian Wrigley from the Sydney Botanic Gardens explained that the sap is either a milky or watery latex.
According to Wrigley, the apocynaceae family is known for producing toxic substances.
These substances, which include cardiac glycosides, can be harmful to people and pets. He also advised keeping the plant away from kids and animals.
When ingested, the plant can cause various symptoms, such as an upset stomach, low blood pressure, dizziness, and lethargy.
Since it’s an invasive species, Australians are advised to keep desert roses away from their homes to prevent them from becoming a threat to the environment.