The Wax Rose

Wax Roses as plants are not very desirable candidates in the garden. Equipped with very long and extremely sharp thorns organised in clumps around its stem, they can really draw blood if you get too close to them without exercising due caution. They have a milky white sap that oozes out whenever the stems are bruised or cut. But when they bloom - which they do with utmost generosity - you can't help being drawn to the beauty of the flowers. Their waxy appearance maybe why they are called Wax Rose.

   

I have two types in the garden - both sourced from the same nursery - one with bright pink flowers and another with almost fluorescent orange flowers. Though you can make out that both belong to the same family, the pink one has glossy non-serrated leaves and flowers in huge bunches of 20-30 flowers whereas the orange variety has slightly serrated leaves of a lighter green with a more sedate flowering pattern - hardly 3-4 flowers in a bunch.

Propagation is easy and through cuttings - though the orange variety produces very large seed pods.

Very tolerant to dry conditions - can go without watering for 2-3 days. Also resistant to insects. In short, a non-fussy plant with beautiful flowers.