This is a stapeliad (in the stapelia family) rather than a stapelia. It's Huernia procumbens and it is blooming this week so I thought I'd toss in a pic. The flower is much smaller than the stapelias pictured above, probably the size of a US quarter or maybe a US fifty-cent piece. I hope you enjoy. Take care, Grant Here is a link that might be useful: Huernia procumbens bloom

Hi, Tracy, I have a stapelia, but I don't know if it is the one you are looking for. I don't know how to post a picture here, but I can email you a picture if you want me to. It grows similar to a rattail cactus and has a small maroon bloom. It is very pretty. I also have hardy cactus that has a very pretty bright orange bloom, it is in bloom now if you want me to send a picture. I am very very interested in getting a trade of your hen & chicks Kalinda and Ruby Heart. If you don't like the plants I have listed here, PLEASE look at my trade list and see if anything there interests you. Kathie

O man. I third Imidacloprid. I have a collection of well over 100 succulents, mostly small pots, but some on the larger side. One or 2 purchases off of ebay & before I knew it, I had an infestation that crept up to 80% of my plants in the course of about 3 wks. Despite quarantine, and treating with alcohol daily, as the days went on, I ended up with more plants in sick bay than my unaffected area. Someone suggested a systemic that contained Imidacloprid, specifically, Bayer Advanced 3 in 1. The ingredient that kills mealies is the same that is in the topical once a month flea treatment used for dogs and cats sold under the name 'Advantage'. It's not something I would use in my garden outside, but I will use it from now on when bringing my house plants in for the winter. Awesome stuff. Since I treated sometime around November, I haven't seen a single mealybug. I'd like to treat again, but I used the spray and need to wait for a warm day. When I first treated, I got lucky and we had an unseasonably warm day, so I brought everyone outside, & sprayed as directed. After a couple of hours, the plants dried and I brought them inside (also as directed by label). Done. =)

Thank you for any and all things you send to me. Are you a major collector of Hurnias/Orbeas/Stapelias, or do you just have a few along with other plants of all types? I have some Stapelias,about 20-25 Huernias/Orbeas, i try to keep grow more, but last year was cold and wet, so i lost almost all my stapelias, this year is HOT and wet, so I keep loosing huernias/orbeas....like the Varigata that I lost and am searching for so badly! They tend to hold up in the heat and wet better than Stapelias. Now my Stapelia collection, that use to be huge, is down to like 3 varieties. Might have 6 pots of Stapelias 'Leenedrtizea' ,spelled wrong, I call it 'Lee', it has the fat sausage shaped maroon flower on it., and Gigantea in the ground, a few pots. And a few Carallumas. It hasnt bloomed at all this year. I swear it is to hot for them to bloom! So any ne w additions to my collection will be welcomed!! This is a Huernia that I got from Mile2go, about 6 times, to finally get one to live and bloom. It is big for the variety, it blooms facing down into the soil,and is about 1in wide. They are usually like 1/4in wide, the VERY common 'Dragon Flower'. This is Huernia Kennedyana.it is a new cross the Miles started carrying last winter. I got a few Zebrinas that were green,NO red in it at all, 1 close to a Magniflora, called 'Super Z', a big Zebrina, but not huge like Magniflora. I lost the mall over and over, from the rains,cold,heat. I not finally have small amounts of the Super Z, it is now budding!, and Kennedyana, it is blooming, i finally got them in the right place and between the rain letting up,and putting them under shade cloth!, they are alive. I am not trying to enlarge my bromeliad collection, they seem to love the heat/wet/cold, almost cant kill them. But the Stapelia/huernia/Orbea is my true collectiion, large flowering hoyas, and then bromeliads. I am searching for a certain bromeliad now, in the bromeliad forum now. This is one of the Zebrinas, minus any red. cant keep it alive, bought it 5 times ,still cant keep it alive. It was H. 'Zebrina X Zebrina', and a long African name after it. It has a yellow/green with black spots and black stripes flower.