Stapelia gigantea – Indigenous South African Succulent – 10 Seeds

The genus Stapelia consists of around 40 species of low growing, spineless, stem succulent plants, predominantly from South Africa. The flowers of certain species, most notably Stapelia gigantea, can reach 41 cm in diameter when fully open. Most Stapelia flowers are visibly hairy and generate the odour of rotten flesh to attract various specialist pollinators including, in the case of carrion scented blooms, blow flies of the dipteran family Calliphoridae. The hairy, oddly textured and coloured appearance of many Stapelia flowers has been claimed to resemble that of rotting meat, this, coupled with their odour, has earned the most commonly grown members of the Stapelia genus the common name of “carrion flowers”.

Growing to 20cm, very variable, compact to straggly, deeply lobed flowers of buff/reddish/purplish colours, slightly hairy. Sow Spring.

USDA Zone – 10

Season to Sow – Spring