Family:
Asclepiadaceae (Apocynaceae)
(Milkweeds family)
Scientific Name:
Stapelia
leendertziae
N.E. Br., 1910
Published in: N. E. Brown, Ann. Transvaal Mus. 2. 168., 1910
forma cristata
Origin:
Garden origin (Nursery
produced cultivar)
Common Name: Black Bells, Star
Flower. Maroon Cup Starfish, Rugose Cup Starfish, Carrion Flower.
|
|
Maintenance:
Spring: When winter ends and they begin to
grow again, they will require much more water and soaking the pots
will no longer put the plants at risk for
rot. In the spring they will grow well in
partial shade and leaving them out in the rain may provide them with
the water they need.
Summer: In the summer months they will tolerate heavy
rain, but will be just as happy if the season is
dry. It's best to sort out the
stems while the plants are
resting in the summer, before they begin their autumnal
growth cycle. They will tolerate very hot weather outdoors as
long as they are kept in
filtered light . They also enjoy some
fertiliser.
Autumn: In the fall keep them outdoors until the night time
temperatures drop below the 5°C,
Winter: Winter care presents no problems at 5°-10° C, with plenty
of light. As soon as they have bloomed, be sure to take extra precautions
to keep them
dry, because damp cool conditions when the plants are
resting is an invitation to fungal
infections, but - according to temperatures – some occasional lit
watering may be useful.
Propagation: Easiest with stem
cuttings. Allow cuttings to
dry a day before planting.
Stems must be laid (not buried) on gritty
compost, and they will then
root from the underside of the stems. In any
season it's best to lay the stems out for several days before
replanting them, and then pot them only in dry
soil, withholding any water until they begin to
shrivel or start growing again.
Potting medium: Since roots are quite shallow, use a
cactus mix or add extra
perlite or
pumice to regular potting soil. A gritty, very free-draining
compost is suitable, and
clay pots help the plants to dry out between watering.
Re-pot every 2 years.
Pests and
diseases: Stapelia are generally fairly easy to grow, especially
if kept pest-free. They are very
susceptible to stem and root
mealy bugs, and damage from these may well initiate fungal
attack. Any time when there is a
dead or dying stem in the pot, it is important to remove it
immediately and completely before other
healthy stems can become
ill too. Isolate the healthy parts, dry them off, and
re-root them in new compost.
Crested plant: This crested
form grows quickly but becomes soon old and it is very advisable to
restart every second year new plants using selected crested
cuttings.
During the year prune and remove every normal branch.
Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and
cultivars of Stapelia leendertziae.
 |
Cultivation
and Mail Sale 
