Stapelia pillansii

A clump-forming stapeliad from the dry interior of South Africa's Cape, with four-angled stems and large, dark, starfish-shaped flowers fringed with hairs. Grow it like other Karoo stapelias: very bright light with some shelter, a fast-draining gritty mix, and a dry, cool winter.

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

Arid karroid scrub, where the stems usually grow in the partial shelter of shrubs or rocks on stony ground.

Few records carry an elevation; Karoo habitats for the genus typically lie between a few hundred and about 1,200 m.

Cape Provinces

🔒 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.