A flower like purple fabric
Colour, cross-banding and dense hairs create a surface unlike almost any other succulent.
Stapelia hirsuta 6.5cm
Normal price
€6,50
What does the legal guarantee mean for plants?
The legal guarantee concerns the plant’s conformity at delivery. It is not a guarantee of survival or growth for two years. Each issue is assessed taking into account the nature of the plant, its care and the conditions in which it is kept. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.
Stapelia hirsuta
When it flowers, the whole neighbourhood hears about it 🦟
- Apocynaceae
- Four-angled stems
- Hairy purple flower
- Collector flowering
- Southern Cape
Stapelia hirsuta is an unusual South African succulent with upright four-angled stems and soft toothed ridges forming a crisp graphic cluster. Its green to reddish surface has strong character even without flowers, particularly when lit from the side.
When it blooms, the display changes completely: a large purple to brown-red star opens low on the plant, covered in long hairs and intricate bands of colour. Its strange beauty and celebrated pollination strategy make it a genuine plant-nerd specimen — the kind that starts conversations before its identity is explained.
What makes it stand out
Three defining details that turn its botanical identity into real presence for a collection and interior.
Crisp four-angled stems
Four ridges give the cluster a structured appearance even outside flowering.
A botanical spectacle with a story
Mimicking the scent and appearance of decaying material supports specialised pollination.
Why you’ll love it: it is a miniature collector theatre: intriguing structure every day and one of the most memorable flowers in the succulent world.
In your spacePlacement & plant pairingsWhere it looks best and which plants complement it
Where it looks its best
Keep it in a bright, well-ventilated spot where the flower can be observed without sitting beside a dining table. Earthy or deep burgundy ceramic echoes its tones, while a slightly raised position reveals the low-set buds.
Plants that complement it
Pair it with plants that genuinely share its light, substrate and seasonal rhythm. Separate pots keep care precise for each one.
- Huernia zebrina — a different ringed flower with a similar warm growing cycle.
- Orbea variegata — bold pattern with compatible airflow and drainage needs.
- Euphorbia aeruginosa — glaucous branching that contrasts with the green stems.
Care at a glance
Light
Very bright light with gentle morning or late-afternoon sun.
Watering
During warm growth after the mix dries; minimal in cool winter.
Climate
Warm conditions, strong airflow and protection below about 10°C.
Pets & children
Specific safety data are limited; do not allow chewing or ingestion.
For this plant
Substrate & nutrition
Detailed careComplete care guideLight, drying cycle, climate, substrate and feeding in detail
Light and position
Provide strong filtered light and gentle sun during cooler hours. Harsh midday sun may over-redden or scar the stems.
Correct watering
During warm growth, water once the mix is nearly to fully dry and allow immediate drainage. Reduce water dramatically through a cool winter.
Airflow and humidity
Air movement around the base is essential, particularly while buds develop. Avoid misting and enclosed humid air.
Temperature and seasonal rhythm
It grows mainly with warmth and brightness. Keep it above roughly 10°C and drier as temperatures fall and growth stops.
Substrate
Use a highly porous cactus-and-succulent mix in a relatively shallow pot. Fine roots should not sit inside a compact wet mass.
Feeding, repotting and handling
With fresh Sybasoil, wait about two months. Afterwards use diluted Cactus & Succulent Focus only while stems are actively extending or buds are forming.
Botanical identityIdentity & natural originAccepted name, taxonomic history and natural or cultivated provenance
Accepted in Apocynaceae
Stapelia hirsuta is an accepted species in Apocynaceae. The former family Asclepiadaceae is now included within the broader modern Apocynaceae.
Western and southern Cape
The typical variety is native to South Africa’s western and southern Cape, in desert or dry shrubland habitats.
A species with variable flowers
This product represents the species rather than a named cultivar. Flower colour, hair length and corolla banding show natural variation.
From natural habitat to care: Dry Cape shrublands provide seasonal moisture, abundant air and rapid drainage among stones and low vegetation. Fleshy stems store water while fine roots require oxygen; in cultivation this means warm growth, a porous mix and a much drier winter.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScientific facts nobody asked forBotanical detail for anyone who wants to know what lies behind the plant’s appearance
It mimics decaying material
Scent, purple colour and hairs attract flies searching for a breeding site.
Pollen travels in pollinia
As in related milkweeds, pollen is organised into compact units that attach to the pollinator.
Stems carry out photosynthesis
Leaves are reduced to small teeth and the green four-angled stems take over energy production.
Hairs strengthen the illusion
They move in the air and make the flower resemble animal material more closely.
Frequently asked questions
Useful answers about light, watering, seasonal rhythm and the plant’s correct identity.
01Does the flower really smell?
Yes, the scent can be noticeable at close range and forms part of its fly-attraction strategy.
02Why are stems softening at the base?
Cold combined with prolonged moisture is a common cause. Stop watering and inspect healthy tissue immediately.
03When should it be watered?
During warm growth, after the mix dries. In cool dormancy the interval becomes much longer.
04How does it form more stems?
New stems emerge from the base and gradually widen the cluster.
05Does it need full sun?
It needs high brightness, but gentle morning or late sun is safer than harsh midday exposure.
06Does every flower look identical?
No. Colour, hairs and pattern vary naturally, even within the species.
📦 Your plant travels protected
Every order is prepared with care so your plant arrives upright, secure and safe.
Individual protection
Plants in pots with a capacity of 3 litres or more are placed in individual boxes that hold the pot securely and reduce the risk of tipping over.
Sturdy packaging
We use reinforced cardboard designed to protect against impacts and vibration during transport.