Red Bells

Native to Swaziland, this is a tufted creeping species which features long, erect, quadrangular, pale green to reddish stems and cup-shaped, purplish-brown flowers which emit a foul-smelling odor for the purposes of attracting pollinators.

A versatile plant, its trailing habit makes it look appealing cascading over containers, while when planted in the ground, it will spread to form dense carpets or cushions up to a metre wide. A fairly easy plant to care for, it enjoys light shade rather than full sun, a gritty compost soil and a breathable container, such as a clay pot. Water in the growing season and keep dry in winter.

Common names are: Red Bells, Black Bells, Maroon Cup Starfish, Rugose Cup Starfish, Star Flower and Carrion Flower.