vandenberg - 10-28-2008 at 07:43 PM
Had another surprise flower show up yesterday.
This one is about 6 inches across.
First time I've seen one like that.
BajaNuts - 10-28-2008 at 09:21 PM
My 9 year old son (who loves to grow spider plants from his kindergarten start) was given a plant like this from a family friend. She called it a
"star cactus". A few weeks after he got the plant and transplanted it into a slightly larger pot with fresh soil, it gave him one beautiful bloom,
just like the one in the pic. After 14 more months, not another bloom.
I don't know what the proper name for the plat is, or why it bloomed for him after the move. Just thought I'd pass along what the other person called
it. Good luck.......
bajajudy - 10-28-2008 at 09:28 PM
Ed
We use that plant as ground cover.
It is a relative of the stinky plant.
Look closely at the center and you will see a lot of flies. I think that it emits an odor that they like. Wild looking bloom, isnt it?
BajaNuts - 10-28-2008 at 09:37 PM
I copied the following information from a cacti sales website. It hs a great photo, but I couldn't copy/paste it. I also saw references to the
"stinky smell" which is similar to skunk cabbage in cooler climates. I think they emit a stinky smell to attract flies for pollination, instead of
the sweet smell for bees and hummingbirds.
http://www.cactuslimon.com/unique_&_larger_plants.htm
Stapelia Grandiflora
Flowering beauty!
This South African native stapelia is large, healthy and has huge reddish purple flowers in the late summer. (NOTE: They are not currently flowering,
you'll have to wait until next spring!) It is full, nicely rooted. A must have for the collector or a great gift for unusual plant lovers. Shipped
bareroot, plant in the container of your choice.
BajaNuts - 10-28-2008 at 09:39 PM
Also, when googling star cactus, there seems to be two,
the one in your pic and a round, squatty shaped cacti
Don Alley - 10-28-2008 at 09:44 PM
probably stapelia gigantea
I have a few patches growing for groundcover
marv sherrill - 10-30-2008 at 04:20 PM
Way cool - I have one also - its is also called a starfish flower and is a carrion plant - the flower smells like rotten meat and attracts flys to lay
eggs and hatch maggots which crawl around and pollinate - makes a great house plant.....
DianaT - 10-30-2008 at 04:28 PM
That is really a nice photo and an interesting flower. Not sure I would want it in the house if it smells like rotten meat, however.
Diane
marv sherrill - 10-30-2008 at 05:40 PM
I sit the inlaws next to it....
Just about to open
bajajudy - 11-24-2008 at 12:08 PM
Dont know if you will be able to see it but there are already flies inside.
The next day
bajajudy - 11-24-2008 at 12:11 PM
