July 16, 2008

Starfish Cactus


The Stapelia gigantea also known as the Carrion flower is now flowering in my yard. I have been growing these plants for most of my life and think they are amazing. These large blooms up to twelve inches across, are stunning to look at, but do have a rather foul odor. The bad smell is so they will attract flies to pollinate the flowers. They will do best if located in a sunny location and grown in well drained soil. This is also a great plant to share as they are easy to propagate by cuttings.


4 comments:

Emily said...

That's a cool looking flower!

Jen said...

But why-oh-why would you want something that smells like rotting meat on your patio?

Kim Taylor Kruse said...

Apparently you're ahead of the trend--Ornamental Outlook just listed Stapelia gigantea 'Schwankart' as a great groundcover for Florida. Though they chose that particular cultivar because it doesn't smell when it flowers.

FPAN North Central said...

Hi there! I have a Starfish Cactus about to bloom now. It is in a pot and is quickly out growing it. I would like to repot it and probably take some cutting and root them. What is the best way to go about doing this? I love this plant and would be so sad if I killed it.