There is a wealth of species of Stapeliads distributed from the southern most part of the Western Cape Province northwards through South-Africa throughout Africa to North-Africa, across the Red sea into the Arabian peninsula and even into India where the only true leaf bearing Stapeliad, Frerea indica, occurs. There are about 180 species of Stapeliads in Southern Africa with numerous varieties and subspecies. It is one of the most interesting groups in the succulent world with all their shapes, colours, sizes and their smells, they are not called carion flowers for nothing. The number of collectors and the demand for Stapeliad material has grown tremendously over the last few years.

There are three types of Stapeliads the easy, the try and the don’t try group. The easy ones include the species of Orbea, Huernia and Stapelia, where as Tavaresia, Larryleachia, Quaqua and Lavrania which are harder to maintain in cultivation. The difficulty can be decreased to a certain degree by grafting cuttings of difficult to grow and to root species on to rootstocks of easier ones like Stapelia gigantea or even the Asclepiad Ceropegia woodii (String of hearts).

The plants prefer a sandy medium that is well drained, the best results are obtained with a medium consisting of 1/3 washed river sand, 1/3 topsoil and 1/3 potting soil obtained from your local garden centre.

Containers depend on the species you would like to grow, the plants prefer shallow containers with lots of room to spread. If your plants are well grown the containers will soon become too small and they will start overgrow the pots and spread into neighbouring pots. Some species like Stapelia gettliffei can be grown in hanging baskets; the plants will become pendulous and will be showing their beautiful flowers in the summer months if the plants are happy. Many species including Stapelia leendhertziae, S. gigantea and Orbea melanantha could be planted in the rockery.

The watering required by the plants can be judged by the origin of the specific species, species from Kwazulu-Natal and Mpumalanga will need more water than the species from the Northern Cape and the Richtersveld. The species from the higher rainfall areas can be watered frequently during summer and should be kept relatively dry during the colder winter months whereas the species from the drier areas should be watered sparingly throughout the year.
Some species grows in full sun whereas others are found growing in the shade of thickets and shrubs. The best is to keep the plants in lightly shaded positions or in areas where they receive morning and afternoon sun, protected from the scorching midday summer sun.  

The easiest and best way to propagate the plants is from stem cuttings which can be taken virtually throughout the year but should be avoided during winter in the very cold and wet areas of the country.  The cuttings should simply be placed on top of your growing medium and supported with small stones to keep the plants upright. The plants will soon start to form new roots where after the stones can be removed. Planting your cuttings to deep may result in the cuttings to rot. The wounds on the cuttings should be left to dry out completely before planting; fresh wounds are entry areas for diseases and are a time bomb for causing the cuttings to rot. Partly rotted cuttings must be lifted and infected areas should be cut of with a knife and treated with a fungicide, the cuttings should be left to dry out once again and there after be planted again. The cuttings should be watered sparingly untill roots have formed. Seed is also a method of propagation, that is, if you are fast enough to catch them. The seeds have feathery tufts of fluff for distribution; the seeds become airborne with the slightest breeze. The best way to collect seeds is to use masking tape strapped around the width of the folicles (pods) when they have reached maturity before ripening. The folicles should be harvested as soon as any sign of splitting occurs, otherwise the seeds may start to germinate if it is moist enough. After the seeds are harvested the fluff can be removed, make sure to do this operation in a room free from strong air movement! The seeds should be placed on a medium containing 2/3 sieved potting soil and 1/3 washed river sand and should be slightly covered. The seeds are quick to germinate and when big enough to handle the seedlings can be pricked out and be planted in individual pots. Most of the species will flower in the 2nd or 3rd year but some may take longer.

The plants are usually pest free but some pests can become a problem; the most common pests include scale and mealy bug. Scale is a bug that lives on the stems of the plants and multiply rapidly, they are recognised by yellow, brown or black “scales”. Mealy bug is another pest that usually attack the roots of the plants or are found in between tightly packed stems where they are not seen, unless the plants are regularly inspected. These can be treated with a general insecticide with added Oleum; these insects are covered with a waxy layer that protects them. Other pests are the stapeliad snout beetle (Paramecops stapeliae), the larvae of the weevil eats their way into the stems of plants and feed on the insides of the stems, as the larvae matures it hollows out the stems. I have also observed a type of Hemiptera (a bug), a whole colony of juvenile’s appeared on the stems of a Tromotriche revoluta over night, they were on localised spots towards the apex of the stems, they grew fast and had to get rid off, after they were removed the stems was left with large patches of discolouration and unsightly markings. What the results would have been if they were left on the plant to mature I don’t know. I have also noticed a species of caterpillar before it was brightly coloured (black, yellow and white) and was feeding on Stapelia unicornis, the caterpillar demolished a stem in no time and then moved on to the next.

Species worth while and easy to grow in containers (Some of these species can also be tried in the rock garden):

Duvalia coderoyi                    
D. parviflora
                        
Huernia echidnopsioides
H. guttata                        
H. kennedyana
H. nouhuysii
H. oculata
H. pillansii
H. primulina
H. quinta
H. thudichumii
H. transvaalensis

Orbea elegans
O. gerstnerii
O. longidens
O. verrucosa
O. ubomboensis
 
Pectinaria articulata

Piaranthus framesii
P. geminatus
P. punctatus

Stapelia clavicorona
S. divaricata
S. flavopupurea
S. glanduliflora
S. gariepensis
S. glabricaulis
S. obducta
S. vetula
S. villetiae

Tridentia gemmiflora

Tromotriche pedunculata
T. revoluta

Species well suited for hanging baskets:

Huernia pendula
H. procumbens

Orbea conjuncta
O. hardyi

Stapelia gettliffei

Tromotriche baylisii
T. longii

Species well suited for the rock garden are:

Huernia barbata
H. hystrix
H. insigniflora
H. kirkii
H. loeseneriana
H. zebrina

Orbea lutea ssp. lutea
O. lutea ssp. vaga
O. melanantha
O. variegata

Stapelia gigantea
S. hirsuta
S. leendhertziae
S. schinzii
S. unicornis

References:

Bruyns, P. 2002. The Southern African genera of the Stapeliads. Aloe 39:3&4.

McDowell, C. 1991. Pests, diseases and their control. Aloe 28: 2.

Tribe, G. D. 1984. A Snout-beetle pest of Stapeliads in South Africa. Aloe 21: 3&4.

Victor, J. 1997. List of Southern African Succulent plants. Umdaus Press. Pretoria.

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