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Stapelia gigantea
Stapelia gigantea is a clump-forming succulent from arid parts of southern Africa, grown for its huge, star-shaped flowers that smell of rotting flesh. It needs strong light, very dry conditions and protection from cold.
Stapelia gigantea is a species of flowering plant in the genus Stapelia of the family Apocynaceae. Common names include carrion plant and toad plant (although the nickname "carrion plant" can also refer to Stapelia grandiflora). The plant is native to the desert regions of northeastern South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal and Northern Provinces) north to Malawi and Zambia.
Since it does not tolerate temperatures below 10 °C (50 °F) for extended periods, this plant must be grown under glass in temperate zones. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. The cultivar 'Zulu Giant' is often grown.
Stapelia gigantea grows in arid areas, often on sandy soil or rocky outcrops, and often with little other vegetation, though also sometimes in or even under open shubs. In South Africa, it occurs at altitudes from 325–1,100 m.
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 Stapelia gigantea 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.
