Stapelia ASTERIAS

Stapelia ASTERIAS - Starfish stapelia, Starfish flower, Stapelia asterias, Gonostemon, Stissera.

Stapelia is a genus of succulent plants in the dogbane family (Apocynaceae), belonging to the stapeliad succulent group and comprising several dozen species distributed mainly across South Africa and adjacent arid regions. Members of the genus occur in dry scrublands, savannas, stony places, and among grasses and low vegetation, where they receive bright light, good ventilation, and rapid soil drying.

The plants develop as low perennial succulents with fleshy branching shoots. The stems are usually four-angled or multi-angled, green, gray-green, brownish-green, or slightly reddening in the sun, with toothed ribs and reduced leaves in the form of tiny scales. The root system is comparatively shallow, which makes stapelias particularly sensitive to heavy, wet soil.

Flowers in stapelias are large or medium-sized, star-shaped, fleshy, often with spots, stripes, wrinkles, hairs, and a complex velvety surface. In many species, the flowers possess a distinctive odor that attracts pollinating flies. After pollination, paired follicles form containing numerous flat seeds equipped with a silky tuft for wind dispersal.

Starfish stapelia is a low-growing succulent with green stems up to 20 cm (8 in) in height. The four-angled stems, covered with small teeth, acquire a purple-brown tint under intense illumination. During the flowering period, up to three flowers located at the base of young shoots on long pedicels can bloom simultaneously.

The shape of the corolla resembles a starfish - the elongated lobes are pointed toward the tips and have a triangular shape, while the corolla itself is deeply dissected. The surface is covered with thick brown hairs, and the margins with a fringe of longer white hairs. In a fully opened flower, the lobes curve slightly outward. The fruits are twin follicles covered with fine felt and filled with seeds.

Stapelia seeds are flat, brown or dark brown, equipped with a long silky tuft that is gently removed before sowing.

Before sowing, seeds can be soaked for 2-4 hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or biofungicide with the addition of a growth stimulant: SUPERthrive, HB-101, Aminosol, Epin, or Zircon. A sterile mineral sowing substrate based on cactus soil, fine perlite, and washed sand is used. Seeds are distributed over the surface, lightly pressed down, and covered with a thin layer of sand or sifted substrate of about 1-2 mm (0.04-0.08 in).

The sowing is carefully moistened from a spray bottle, covered with a transparent lid or placed in a propagator. The temperature is maintained at 22-26 °C (72-79 °F); bright indirect lighting without direct overheating is required. Aeration is carried out daily for 10-15 minutes, condensation is removed, and the substrate surface is kept slightly moist, but not wet.

The first seedlings may appear within 7-14 days; typically germination takes 2-4 weeks, and under cooler conditions it can extend to 6-8 weeks. After seedlings appear, the cover is gradually opened, and seedlings are kept in bright indirect light, moderate warmth, and careful watering. Pricking out is carried out after the seedlings have strengthened and started growing small fleshy shoots, when the plants can already be conveniently transferred with a small ball of substrate.

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Bright indirect lighting with soft morning or evening sun is used for Stapelia. Eastern, southeastern, and well-lit western windows are best suited, while on a southern window in summer protection from overheating and direct midday rays is required. In case of insufficient light, shoots stretch out, become thin, and set flower buds less readily, while sudden overheating can cause sunburns.

During the active growth period, a temperature of 20-28 °C (68-82 °F) is maintained; with good ventilation, the plant tolerates summer heat. Overwintering is preferably bright and cool, at 10-15 °C (50-59 °F), with very infrequent watering. The minimum safe temperature for a container plant is about 10 °C (50 °F) when kept dry. Cold damp soil quickly causes rotting of roots and the base of the shoots.

Watering is carried out carefully, after the soil has completely dried out. In the warm season, the plant is watered moderately, but without constant moisture, and excess water from the drip tray must be drained after 15-20 minutes. In the cool dormant period, watering is sharply reduced and done only when shoots wrinkle noticeably. Water must not linger at the base of the stems, and spraying is usually not required.

The soil used is very loose, mineral, and quick-drying: a prepared mix for cacti and succulents, coarse sand, fine gravel, pumice, zeolite, crushed brick, perlite, and a small amount of leaf mold. A drainage layer must be placed at the bottom. Pots are chosen shallow, wide, stable, with drainage holes, as the roots in stapelias are typically shallow and especially sensitive to overwatering.

Repotting is performed in spring, usually once every 2-3 years or after strong cluster expansion. Careful potting-on is used with removal of old, damaged, or rotted shoots. After repotting, the plant is kept without watering for 5-7 days. Fertilizer is applied only during active growth once every 4-6 weeks with a weak solution of cactus and succulent fertilizer low in nitrogen. Excess nitrogen is undesirable, as it causes soft watery growth and increases the risk of rot.

Propagation in cultivation is most often carried out by stem cuttings. Cuttings are taken from mature shoots, dried in the shade for at least several days, and for large cuts - up to 1-2 weeks, until the cut surface is completely dry. Then cuttings are planted into a dry or barely moist mineral substrate, and the first waterings are carried out very carefully, only after rooting has begun.