Orbea semota

A small East African stapeliad with dark, often white-spotted star flowers, from dry bushland in Kenya and Tanzania. Grow it warm, bright but sheltered from harsh midday sun, and keep it on the dry side, especially in cool weather when its stems rot easily.

At home, aim for

Day IntermediateTargets in Plantistry

Night Close to the dayTargets 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

Dry bushland and rocky ground, usually creeping in the shelter of shrubs or grass tussocks in partial shade. Habitat detail is generalised from East African Orbea, as records for this species are few.

Recorded from about 800 to 1,970 m, median 1,200 m, on the East African plateau.

KenyaTanzania

🔒 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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More Orbea

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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. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its CC BY 2.0 licence, unmodified.