Stapelias are small perennial leafless succulents. They are know commonly as the Carrion Plant due to the bad smelling flowers. They aattract blue bottles and can be seem buzzing around the open flowers. Gigantea - shown here - is the largest of the species and one of the largest flowers in the plant kingdom.
Despite the smell of the flowers this is an ideal rockery plant as they spread quickly and give colour in January and February in what can otherwise be a colourless season. Although not known to like water - we never water ours during the dry season - they seem to have taken to our heavy rains this year - so much so that we are having to thin them out!
What a great plant! My stapelia blooms from August through October or so--probably the equivalent of your summer. Like yours, it doesn't require huge amounts of care. But it certainly draws attention with the massive stinky flowers on a low-growing plant!
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