| Those strange plants with the finger like projections are in the Stapelia family. Also known as the starfish flower or carion plant. Freds is a smaller variety and should produce a 1" flower with a glossy brown lifesaver like ring in the middle of a beige 5 pointed "star" flower. The other appears to be the larger variety of stapelia I think the species is "gigantia" or somthing like that. I have one of the plants. It produces huge bubble like flowers that open to lifesize starfish flowers that really look like ocean starfish. However they smell quite bad, thus the name "carion flower" when outside for the summer, I have actually had flies lay eggs in the flowers, with resultant maggots. Yuk!! The flower is beautiful, if you can get beyond the smell. I have seen the larger stapelia grown outdoors and dug for winter in Atlanta, GA. I haven't tried it in OK, but might if I can get to where I am home most nights and can tend to watering.
Hope this helps.
Cathy |