Family: Asclepiadaceae
Common Name: Carrion Flower, Star Flower, Starfish Plant, Toad Flower

These unusual clump-forming succulents are widely distributed throughout tropical and South Africa. The fleshy, four-angled stems have toothed edges and grow 20-30 cm (8-12 in) high. The stems are smooth and velvety and the flowers emerging from the base of the plant are quite bizarre. These are variable and may be rounded, star-shaped, flat or bell-shaped, often with a ring towards the centre. However, they smell of rotting flesh which attracts insects, particularly blowflies, to the centre of the flower to assist pollination.

Species

S. gigantea, from southern Africa, has upright, velvety, light green stems, to 20 cm (8 in), and huge, flattened flowers, to 35 cm (14 in) across, with long, sharply tapering lobes. They are pale yellow and covered in red hairs, barred with red ridges. Long, white hairs cover the recurred margins.

S. hirsuta, from Cape Province, has velvety, dark green stems and star-shaped flowers, 12 cm (5 in) across, with brownish red, silky hairs in the centre and on the edges of the spreading lobes, which are marked with horizontal red and yellow ridges.

Cultivation

In cool and cold climates, grow in an intermediate to warm greenhouse, in pots of very gritty, soil-based potting compost, with a layer of grit on top to provide good surface drainage. Plants need a dry atmosphere and maximum light, but shade from direct, strong sun. Do not overwater at any time, but keep only slightly moist during the winter resting period. Outdoors, plant in a very well drained soil, in a sunny spot. Propagate in spring or summer from rooted offsets or stem cuttings.

Climate

Zone 9 to 10.