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Orbea variegata
Also called Starfish-cactus, Starfishplant
Orbea variegata is a leafless, cactus-like succulent from the Apocynaceae family, grown for its star-shaped, maroon-speckled flowers that smell of carrion. Keep it warm and dry, lightly watered during active growth, and protect it from frost.
Orbea variegata, also known as the star flower, carrion flower, starfish cactus and toad cactus, is a species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae that is native to the coastal belt of the Western Cape, South Africa, growing actively during the winter rainfall season. It is an invasive species in southern Australia.
This plant is popular in cultivation, and is often sold under its former name Stapelia variegata. It has many common names, including starfish plant, starfish cactus, carrion cactus, carrion flower, toad cactus, toad plant. It is not closely related to the true cactus family. When grown as an ornamental plant in temperate zones it requires protection, as it does not tolerate freezing temperatures. It is best grown under glass, in similar conditions to cacti.
In the UK it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Native to southern Africa, it thrives at altitudes between 0 and about 1,000 meters. It grows on gently sloping, but rarely steep, rocky slopes, sometimes under bushes, but also in locations with more or less full sun exposure.
Boucerosia frerei · Caralluma adscendens · Ceropegia dichotoma · Ceropegia fusca · Ceropegia pusilla · Fountain Flower · Hearts entangled · Hoodia alstonii · Hoodia currorii · Huernia guttata · Huernia hystrix · Huernia macrocarpa
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Orbea variegata by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
