Apocynacea Family

 Stapelia gigantea

Origin:  South Africa, Cape Province.

Plant Description:  Green stems with more or less dark colorations arriving until dwell-reddish in function of the light to which they are exposed. Usually it has 4 ribs and up to 30 cm of height. They branch abundantly forming groups.

 Flowers:  They are born from the base of the stems. Of up to 15 cm of diameter. Colors that go from the pale yellow to the orange and to the dark purple, with abundant cilia of white color. Their flowerings occur in summer and autumn.

In this species their flowers have a disagreeable scent to attract the flies.

The flowers exude a nauseous nectar that serves to deceive the flies, their main pollinizators, that go attracted by their scent to carry out the egg putting within the flower.

Growth:  Slow.

 Culture:  Ph 6.  They resist some cold if ground is dry. Generous irrigations at time of growth, specially with the high temperatures of the summer. Good illumination in semi-shade since it vegetates bad to full sun. Rigorous rest with some pulverization or isolated irrigation since it tends to dehydrate with long periods of drought.

Phytosanitary Cares:  Preventive treatments with fungicides. The Stapelias is prone to undergo rotting of its neck.