But after saving so many of my dying adeniums from root rot , I have gotten used to with the process and can assure you that it is a fail proof method. In my experiences, low air humidity is usually the cause for dropping flowers and aborting buds. Neglecting to remove dead or diseased flowers or leaves could spread disease to the rest of the plant. When I got the plant I re-planted it in a much larger plastic pot with miracle grow gardening soil. Pluck dead or diseased flowers off your rose bush. To dramatically cut back your desert rose, do a hard prune. Let the soil dry before you water the plant again. Austin Plummer. My plant sits on my front porch and gets full afternoon sun. If your flowers or leaves develop spots or splotches of discoloration, it's a sign that they are diseased or dying. In the past 3 days I have noticed the leaves turning yellow and dropping off. I live 2 miles south of Callahan and my home faces the west. The difference might be 2-4 fold in frequency, depending on the actual conditions where the plant is growing. I was given the plant 2 years ago and it has been doing very well until now. A desert rose can survive on very little water, but you may notice it drops leaves if it doesn't get enough. The problem with a desert rose is that too much water will cause root rot, and will end up hampering its growth and flowering. The extraction may prove easier if you prop the container on its side and try wiggling the plant free with a firm hold on the base of the plant. This will allow you to clear out leggy branches or reduce the size of the plant. When you irrigate an outdoor plant, saturate the soil. In winter and in the rainy seasons, it would be wise to water it only when necessary, once or twice a week. Limit hard pruning to once every 2 to 3 years. A desert rose that drops its leaves in autumn is probably just entering dormancy, a natural part of its life cycle. Q: I have a question about my Desert Rose plant. One of the most common rose diseases you’ll encounter is black spot. When repotting desert rose plants, make sure the soil is dry before gently removing the desert rose from its pot. Eventually, the stem darkens or turns yellow and becomes soft, with the problem moving down the stem toward the soil. 4 years ago. Overwatering can cause root rot or disease. There is barely a couple tiny hair like roots left so my efforts to save this dying rose may be fruitless. Caused by the fungus Diplocarpon rosae, black spot will defoliate and weaken your plants, making them more vulnerable to other environmental pressures. If a Desert Rose is grown in overly wet conditions, it might develop fungal stem rot, which usually starts at a stem tip and could also affect leaves on that stem, causing them to turn yellow, then brown. Dead flowers and leaves can be plucked off or pruned with hand shears. It is in a well drained pot and I water it regularly every other day. Try watering your plant differently depending on the season (max in summer, min in winter) and its state of growth. This is separate from soil moisture. Hello, I have a large desert rose that my uncle gave to me as a grow out from his massive plant. Trim off the rose canes down to 6 to 8 inches long. What is causing this problem? Desert rose flowers dying. Earlier Overwatering was the cause behind it but now a day’s sudden rain is what keeps my desert rose in trouble. If you can provide very bright light and good airflow, that will help with the watering. It can stand heavy rainfalls, but cannot survive in standing water. Getting a cheap thermometer/hygrometer combo should give you a general idea, the hygrometer is usually accurate within 15% on the super cheap ones which is good enough. Prune and pot Rose Fill a 5 gallon bucket or container large enough to place rose in and let it soak for a day to re-hydrate well. Do a hard prune to reduce the size of the rose plant.