African Starfish Flower
Sources last read 14 September 2026.
Not yet rated How forgiving it is has not been judged here yet.
Also called Carrion Flower 2, Carrion Plant, carrion-flower, Hairy Stapelia, Hairy Toad Plant, Shaggy Stapelia and Starfish Flower.
Toxicity is partly unassessed
- Not assessed for cats. This plant is not on the ASPCA list. That is not a finding of safety: none of the sources read for this site gives an answer either way. Treat it as unknown.
- Not assessed for dogs. This plant is not on the ASPCA list. That is not a finding of safety: none of the sources read for this site gives an answer either way. Treat it as unknown.
- Not assessed for people. NC State Extension publishes no harm statement for this plant. That is not a finding of safety: none of the sources read for this site gives an answer either way. Treat it as unknown.
What the sources say about its care
- Light
- Full sun, Partial ShadeNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Water
- Good Drainage, Occasionally DryNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Humidity
No source read publishes a humidity figure for any plant on this site. What follows is general guidance for foliage plants.
Most foliage plants prefer more humidity than a heated room gives; succulents are named as an exceptionPenn State Extension · read 13 September 2026- Soil
- Sand; pH Neutral (6.0-8.0)NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Toxic to cats
- Not on the ASPCA list. That is not a finding of safety.ASPCA · read 13 September 2026
- Toxic to dogs
- Not on the ASPCA list. That is not a finding of safety.ASPCA · read 13 September 2026
- Harmful to people
- No record of poisoning in people is listed for this plant; that absence is not evidence it is safe.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
Routine care
- Watering
- These varieties need careful watering while growing and no water in winter. Clay pots are porous, letting air and water pass through, which helps guard against root rot and other diseases.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Propagation
- Both seeds and cuttings can be used for propagation.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Pests and diseases
- Can be troubled by mealybugs.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
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Photographs
About the plant
Stapelia hirsuta, common name starfish flower or carrion plant, is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Apocynaceae.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · read 13 September 2026
- Native range
- SW. Namibia to Cape Prov.World Checklist of Vascular Plants, June 2026 release, CC BY.Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026South AfricaNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Climate
- desert or dry shrublandWorld Checklist of Vascular Plants, June 2026 release, CC BY.Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026
- Growth form
- succulent subshrubWorld Checklist of Vascular Plants, June 2026 release, CC BY.Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026Ground Cover, Succulent; habit clumping, dense, erect, moundingNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Size
- Height up to 8 in; width up to 8 inNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Flowering
- Flowers purple/lavender, red/burgundy; blooms in fall, summerNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Uses
What sources record people using this plant for. A traditional or medicinal use listed here is a record of use, not advice to eat it or treat anything with it.
Rock gardens, containers, houseplant.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
Other Stapelia
More of the Apocynaceae family
HoyaDry scorched spots after a move into a sunnier spot
Madagascar periwinkleBrown, papery patches on the leaves nearest the glass
OleanderBrown brittle margins with a green centre
String of heartsNew leaves arrive smaller and paler than the ones below
AllamandaSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
Carrion CactusSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
Plants with similar care
Aeonium haworthiiSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
Aeonium undulatumSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
African Living RockSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
African Milk BarrelSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
African Milk TreeSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
African MilkbushSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
Sources
- ASPCA · read 13 September 2026
- Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026
- NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Penn State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Wikipedia · read 13 September 2026
What this does not cover
The figures above are what published sources say, not measurements of the plant in your room. They say nothing about your pot size, your water, the season, or how far from the glass the plant stands, and those decide more than any figure here does.
Humidity has no species figure because no source read for this site publishes one, and the only temperature published for this plant is a cold floor. The simulator fills those gaps with general figures for its kind of plant, marked as general and listed on how we read sources. Where a toxicity row says the plant was not assessed, that is the absence of a finding and not a finding of safety.
If something is already wrong, the diagnosis tool asks about the soil, the window and the watering, which is where the answer usually is.