Stapelia gigantea

It's Stapelia gigantea. It's a succulent plant, but not a cactus.
Does it have a horrible smell ?

very nice indeed!

Thank you Hywel. I did not find any smell, but will have to get closer to it. It has lots of buds so will see.

They usually stink - to attract the flies that pollinate them. I took one to work several years ago, and when it flowered, they made me take it home ! lol ... but I had others at home, so I gave it to a colleague who was fascinated by it.

I am actually captivated by it too Hywel. My DH actually took a video of these flies. It is covered with them. So interesting.

Yes indeed ...

wow it looks like it should live in the sea

Gg

Like that story, Hywel. Taking a stinky plant to work is rather fun!

It looks like a giant star fish, nice

Amazing flower, Klahanie... question: (Hywel will probably know this) Is this a relative of the plant that has flowers which are similar although extremely large...like 3-4 ft. in diameter and smells like carrion?) Have seen pictures before but never had the experience of smelling one. Have pictures of a fungus (toadstool) that was quite large and it was so smelly that I had to take measurements rather quickly...the smell of decay made me gag. Interesting device...not sure how it relates to the fungus..but flies as pollenaters makes sense!

are they easy to grow , can you keep in the house on a window ledge

Gg

Something about this plant really intrigues me. It looks like a ground creeper. Does it really smell like road kill?

I really do not know the answer Lorilyn. This is my first time to see this plant. Maybe Hywel will know.

I think many people think that they really smell bad , so I would not try it on the window ledge, Gnarly.

But honestly I do not smell it just moving around the terrace. Here and there get a sniff of unusual smell but do not now of it is from this plant.

I had that..it got some virus that turned all the stems woody and stiff..almost all the green was gone. Then it died.