Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Carrion Flower (Stapelia gigantea) bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Carrion flower, Starfish flower, Zulu giant, Carrion plant, Toad plant, Giant toad plant (Stapelia gigantea).

More about carrion flower (stapelia gigantea)

About Carrion Flower (Stapelia gigantea)

Stapelia gigantea · also called Carrion flower, Starfish flower · flowering

Stapelia gigantea, the carrion or starfish flower, is a clumping South African stem succulent famous for giant star-shaped blooms that smell of rotting meat to lure pollinating flies. Give it full sun to bright light, gritty fast-draining soil, and sparing water. ASPCA lists no toxic Stapelia; treat as low-risk but vet-verify.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — No flowers: Almost always too little light. These plants need full sun or the brightest possible spot, a little potassium-rich feeding, and a cooler, drier winter rest to bloom in late summer to autumn. Crowded, slightly pot-bound clumps often flower best.

The reasons carrion flower (stapelia gigantea) isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming carrion flower (stapelia gigantea) traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding carrion flower (stapelia gigantea) a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get carrion flower (stapelia gigantea) to flower

Maximise sun. Give carrion flower (stapelia gigantea) the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for carrion flower (stapelia gigantea) and get the feeding right with the carrion flower (stapelia gigantea) fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Carrion Flower (Stapelia gigantea) flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full carrion flower (stapelia gigantea) care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Carrion Flower (Stapelia gigantea) blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my carrion flower (stapelia gigantea) flower?

Carrion Flower (Stapelia gigantea) blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make carrion flower (stapelia gigantea) bloom?

Give carrion flower (stapelia gigantea) the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does carrion flower (stapelia gigantea) normally bloom?