Description
A small, clustering succulent with upright or creeping, leafless, cacti-like but unarmed shoots. The bizarre and smelly, red to dark purple flowers reveal that it is in fact not related to cacti, despite the similarity. Botanically it has been placed in the dogbane family and is thus related to Pachypodium or Plumeria. Stapelia leendertziae is native to the mountains of eastern South Africa and Swaziland, where it grows on rocky ground at elevations to 1000 m. In cultivation it requires similar conditions to Pachypodium and is hardy to USDA Zone 9.