Blooming Cactus That Attracts Flies

Classification

• Carrion flower plants fall into the botanical tribe Stapeliae, which includes the genus Stapelia. Other members of the tribe include Huernia, Hoodia, Trichocaulon, Caralluma and Edithcolea. One member of the group, Hoodia gordonii, is well known as a weight loss supplement. Most species grow in desert areas of Africa.

Pollination

• Stapeliae flowers typically have a strong, unpleasant scent designed to attract flies. These insects land on the flower looking for a meal or place to lay eggs and wind up pollinating the plant instead. Depending on the species, the odor has been likened to the stench of dead meat or dung.

Flower Appearance

• Carrion flowers possess a number of characteristics that mimic the appearance of a dead animal or rotting meat. For example, many carrion flowers are fringed with fur-like hairs. Some have a glossy meat-like surface while others have wrinkly petals resembling animal hide. Coloration often involves flesh-like tones of brown that can border on purple, typically in a striped or marbled pattern.

Care

• The main challenge to growing carrion flower plants is their susceptibility to root rot. Use a well-draining soil with plenty of pumice, perlite, sand or humous. Species belonging to the genus Stapelia, Huernia or Caralluma are easier to grow. Those belonging to Hoodia and Trichocaulon are considered difficult to extremely difficult to grow.

Related Flowers

• Although carrion flower plants resemble cacti, they are related to the common milkweed. Other milkweed relatives also use dead-meat mimicry, but they do not resemble cacti. One example is the genus Ceropegia. This group of leafy succulents also attracts flies, which they temporarily trap inside their "pitfall" flowers to ensure good pollination.