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Species library › Orbea › Orbea variegata
Succulents Well documented

Orbea variegata

The starfish flower, a clumping stem succulent from the coastal Cape of South Africa with mottled, carrion-scented star flowers. It is easy in cultivation if kept bright, dry in cool weather and in a very gritty mix.

Orbea variegata
Photo: This photo was taken by Dave Whitinger, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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

Rocky slopes, coastal scrub and sandy flats in the south-western and southern Cape, often creeping under or between shrubs where stems get partial shade.

Mostly near the coast, from sea level to a few hundred metres.

South Africa

🔒 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. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its CC BY-SA 3.0 licence, unmodified.