Starfish Flower Carrion Flower

Stapelia gettleffii is a native to southeastern Botswana, South Africa, southern Zimbabwe. This plant is one of the Stapeliads, with blooms that resemble starfish. It is also called carrion flower. It is a succulent plant and thrives in well-drained soil with water only when the soil feels dry up to the first knuckle of your index finger. Provide partial sun or filtered light. Since it is a carrion plant, when blooming it smells like rotting meat or a dead animal to attract flies for pollination. This particular species actually looks like a hairy dead animal as well. Protect from freezing temperatures. Easy to propagate from cuttings. Allow cutting to callus over for 2-3 days and plant in a commercial cactus potting soil in a container with drainage holes.