Qestions for Stapelia Growers

[Shell]

I recently bought several Stapeliads. I live on the border of zone 8 and zone 9. Should I bring them in for the winter or can I leave them outside in a sheltered area? I have a very tiny portable greenhouse, more like a greenshelf really, would this be good to keep them in over the winter?

I jnow these plants have some pretty stinky flowers but just how bad are they really? Bad enough to draw tremendous swarms of flies and knock you out at 10 feet or mild as in you have to put your nose right into the flower to smell it?

Any help or advice on these plants is appreciated

Thanks Shell (Houston zone 8 or 9-ish)

[Cereus-validus]

Even though you don't elaborate which species you actually have, you should consider Stapeliads as being tender succulents that must be brought indoors for the winter.

The should be overwintered in a greenhouse but they are very much susceptible to rot if they are kept too wet during their winter resting season.

Contrary to the popular myth, not all Stapeliads have stinky flowers.

[J. Del Col]

"> I jnow these plants have some pretty stinky flowers but just how bad are

It depends on the species and the size of the plant. I used to frequent a large greenhouse which had a huge specimen of -Stapelia grandiflora- in a hanging basket.

When it was in full bloom, the flowers filled the place with the stench of ripe roadkill. It was awesome.

J. Del Col

[J. Del Col]

After further reflection and a look at some references, I realized that the plant in the greenhouse was actually -Stapelia gigantea-, a real stinker.

J. Del Col

[Shell]

I have since found that out. Every fly for 10 miles is in my yard, and just one flower has opened out of 8 buds. the opened flower seems to have been pollinated so I'm going to let it develope and see what happens. Meanwhile I am seriously thinking of pruning the rest of the buds.

Shell