In the broiling desert, people are easily caught attention by the rosy blossoms against the sandy surroundings. The striking plant gets a mysterious name, desert rose, for its rarely seen beauty. 

Desert rose belongs to the genera Apocynaceae, which is native to tropical and subtropical regions in Africa. It has a fat trunk to conserve moisture during droughts.

Though it looks beautiful and harmless, the desert rose produces a poisonous sap in its succulent stems and roots. Africans sometimes use its sap to poison arrowheads for the purpose of hunting. 

The desert rose is now a popular houseplant in temperate regions. It needs full sun and a well-drained environment. Be careful of the toxic sap if you grow one at your home.

You can now have see this desert beauty in the Botanic Garden at the Horticultural Expo in Beijing.

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(Cover photo via screenshot.)

(Video filmed by CGTN's Shen Hui, edited by CGTN's Zhao Ying)

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