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Stapelia hirsuta 6.5cm

Name: Stapelia hirsuta 6.5cm
Brand: Greenleaf Garden Center
SKU: Stapelhirsuta6.5cm
Price: 6.5 EUR
Availability: InStock

€6,50

Quantity

Succulent · Apocynaceae · Hairy star-shaped flower

Stapelia hirsuta

When it flowers, the whole neighbourhood hears about it 🦟

Family: Apocynaceae · Pot diameter: 6.5 cm

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.

A flower like purple fabric

Colour, cross-banding and dense hairs create a surface unlike almost any other succulent.

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

In your space

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.

Plant pairings

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

Suitable substrateSybasoil Cacti & Succulent Premium Mix 5ltView product

Suitable feedCactus&Succulent focus 100mlView product

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.

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Stapelia hirsuta 6.5cm

Stapelia hirsuta 6.5cm

Stapelia hirsuta

What makes it stand out

A flower like purple fabric

Crisp four-angled stems

A botanical spectacle with a story

Where it looks its best

Plants that complement it

Care at a glance

Light

Watering

Climate

Pets & children

Substrate & nutrition

Light and position

Correct watering

Airflow and humidity

Temperature and seasonal rhythm

Substrate

Feeding, repotting and handling

Accepted in Apocynaceae

Western and southern Cape

A species with variable flowers

It mimics decaying material

Pollen travels in pollinia

Stems carry out photosynthesis

Hairs strengthen the illusion

Frequently asked questions

Stapelia hirsuta 6.5cm — Care & Tips

We take care of the packaging!

With specially designed boxes, we ensure that the plants will reach you intact, no matter what they encounter on the way!

All plants in 3L pots or larger are placed in individual boxes that secure the plant at the base of the pot, preventing it from tipping over.

The cardboard used for the boxes is specially made to provide resistance to potential impacts during transport.

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