milkweeds & carrion flowers

      Asclepiad picture gallery

  I regret that the perfume of these flowers can not be transmitted through the internet, but you can click on the pictures to enlarge them. Plants grown and photographed by RJ Hodgkiss except as indicated.

Orbea ciliata (Diplocyatha ciliata)
This asclepiad from the South African Karroo has attractive off-white odourless flowers about 7.5 cm in diameter. It is relatively easy to grow and propagate and quite free-flowering, but likes to be kept warm. However, in 1996 plants kept absolutely dry survived in a cold-frame through an exceptionally cold U.K. winter. The fringe of hairs on each petal is disturbed by the slightest air currents and is almost always in motion.
More Orbea images.

Frerea indica
Frerea (once included with Caralluma as C. frerei) is a monotypic genus from India, with a very limited distribution of plants growing in crevices of cliffs at altitudes of around 3000 ft. Although widely cultivated, it is considered endangered in its habitat. Frerea indica is unusual among stapeliads in having leaves. These can be shed in dry conditions. Some clones have flowers with ciliated edges, although the petals of this specimen only have a few hairs. In cultivation, this plant needs to be kept warm, especially through the winter. Seen here in flower at RBG Kew.

Huernia boleana
An easily-grown Huernia, with attractively furry flowers, about 2 cm in diameter. The flowers of many Huernias produce a characteristic perfume rather similar to that of a mouse that has been dead for some time, and is especially pronounced in my clone of this species. Huernia Boleana is found growing on cliffs in the Bole valley in Ethiopia.
More Huernia images.

Orbea hardyi (Stultitia hardyi)
An interesting plant from the Transvaal, with brittle stems that tend to break at the joints. Hence when repotting, it is difficult to preserve a large plant intact and one tends to end up with a handful of cuttings. In any case the stems tend to elongate and grow out of their pot, so a good specimen plant is a challenge. The stems become attractively marbled in a strong light. The attractive (but smelly) flowers, about 7.5 cm in diameter, generally open facing down on my plant and are therefore hard to photograph - except for this one.

Asclepias erosa
The semi-succulent desert milkweed with striking green balls of florets, photographed in April 1995, in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California. Asclepias species produce nectar which attracts pollinator flies such as hoverflies and wasps such as the tarantula wasp. Desert milkweed is widespread from southern Utah to southeastern California, western Arizona and northwestern Mexico.
Asclepias species are often known as "butterfly weeds" and cultivated as the food plant of the caterpillars of several species of butterflies including the North American Monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus.
More Asclepias images.