Orbea paradoxa

A stapeliad from the hot, low bushveld of Eswatini, north-eastern South Africa and southern Mozambique, around the Lebombo range. It grows in warm summers with storms and a dry, mild winter, sheltered under shrubs, so give it bright light, warmth and a dry winter.

At home, aim for

Day IntermediateTargets in Plantistry

Night A clear drop at nightTargets in Plantistry

Humidity Dry airBand in Plantistry

Light Bright, filtered lightDLI and PPFD in Plantistry

Expects a seasonal restGrows in the ground

Where it grows wild

Like other lowveld Orbea it likely creeps in sandy or stony soil under the shelter of shrubs and grass in dry savanna and thicket. Habitat is inferred from the record locations and the genus.

The climate sites lie at 130–280 m; few records carry an elevation.

South AfricaEswatiniMozambique

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates

✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it

✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light

✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it

✓ Substrate and airflow

✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app.