Scientific Name
Stapelia grandiflora Masson
Common Names
Carrion Plant, Carrion Flower, Starfish Flower, Giant Zulu, Starfish Cactus, Giant Toad Plant
Synonyms
Stapelia ambigua, Stapelia flavirostris
Scientific Classification
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Tribe: Stapeliae
Genus: Stapelia
Description
Stapelia grandiflora is a tufted creeping or procumbent cactus-like plant that trail and hang down over the pot. It can form large clusters up to 20 inches (50 cm) in diameter (or more). The stem is up to 4 inches (10 cm) tall, pale green or reddish and slightly furrowed with upright hooks along the ridges. The flowers are large and showy star-fish shaped, intermittently produced throughout the late summer and autumn, and up to 6 inches (15 cm) across. The fruits are typical twin seed horns (follicles), which are decorative in themselves and often don’t appear until a year later.
