Genus · Apocynaceae
Ceropegia
3 species tracked in Horta’s catalog, and the named cultivars growers keep. Walk down to a species for its full care record, or into a cultivar for its traits and provenance.
Species in this genus
The ones growers meet most — each links to its own page.
Ceropegia woodii
String of Hearts
Ceropegia woodii is a trailing, tuberous geophyte from southern Africa that stores water in its tubers and beaded stems, so it tolerates drought far better than wet roots. Give it bright indirect light and a gritty, fast-draining mix, and let the soil dry almost completely before watering. Water only when the top several centimetres are fully dry, roughly every 10 to 21 days, leaning toward the longer end in cooler or darker conditions.
Stapelia gigantea
Zulu Giant
Stapelia gigantea is a clumping succulent subshrub from the warm, seasonally dry grasslands and savannas of southern Africa, where it stores water in its soft, four-angled stems. Give it gritty, fast-draining mix and bright light with some protection from the harshest midday sun, and water only once the soil has dried out completely — when the stems begin to look slightly thin or wrinkled. It rots quickly if left sitting wet, so err toward dryness, especially in cooler months.
Orbea variegata
Carrion-Flower
Orbea variegata is a clump-forming succulent subshrub from the Cape Provinces of South Africa, where it grows in gritty, fast-draining ground under dry, bright conditions. Plant it in a sharply draining mineral mix and water deeply only once the soil has dried out completely, allowing the fleshy stems to approach dryness between waterings. It tolerates strong light, including some direct sun, but appreciates protection from the harshest midday rays, and it rots readily if kept wet.
About the genus
A genus-level overview — shared traits, history, the botany that ties these plants together — is on its way. For now, the species and cultivars above and below carry the genus.
Kept true by its growers
Ceropegia keeps evolving — species move, cultivars appear, IDs get corrected. If you can place an unplaced plant or add a species we’re missing, the whole genus gets truer.
Overview derived from 3 tracked species · the contribute flow arrives with the next slice.