A species of Desert Rose (Adenium obesum) shows off its bright blossoms against green oval foliage on a manicured bush on Hawaii’s Big Island. The Desert Rose was brought to the islands from Africa and Arabia. They flourish in Hawaii’s tropic regions, but are almost always seen only as part of landscaping.
The flowers smell sweet and add to Hawaii’s tropical, fragrant, and beautiful ambiance. Because of their thin yet sturdy limbs and their overall smallness, the Desert Rose is sometimes used as a Bonsai plant.
Its sap is toxic and is sometimes used as arrow poison.