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Starfish Flower - Close-up Portrait Dao Lai (ดาวลาย) in Hand
Meet my little Starfish Flower ✨This quirky succulent has spiny stems and blooms with these amazing speckled, star-shaped flowers. They can smell a bit like rotting meat to attract flies for pollination, but they’re so fascinating up close!
Scientific name: Orbea variegata
Family: Apocynaceae
(Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae)
English common names: Starfish Flower,
Carrion Flower, Toad Cactus (even though it’s not a cactus!)
Thai common name: ดาวลาย (Dao Lai),
ดอกดาวลาย (Dok Dao Lai), บัวสวรรค์ (sometimes used loosely)
Note: Thai sellers often just call it “ดาวลาย” for the variegated star shape.
Origin: Native to South Africa (Cape Provinces)
Blooming season: Mainly late summer to autumn (but in tropical conditions it can bloom intermittently year-round if happy).
Care tips
Sunlight: Bright indirect light or filtered sun.
Can take some direct morning sun, but avoid strong afternoon sun in hot climates—it can scorch.
Shade cloth (50–70%) is ideal outdoors in strong tropical sun.
Watering: Low to moderate. Water thoroughly when soil is dry, but let it dry out between waterings. In rainy season or cooler periods, reduce watering to avoid rot. Very well-draining soil is essential (cactus/succulent mix is perfect).
Starfish Flower - Close-up Portrait Dao Lai (ดาวลาย) in Hand
Meet my little Starfish Flower ✨This quirky succulent has spiny stems and blooms with these amazing speckled, star-shaped flowers. They can smell a bit like rotting meat to attract flies for pollination, but they’re so fascinating up close!
Scientific name: Orbea variegata
Family: Apocynaceae
(Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae)
English common names: Starfish Flower,
Carrion Flower, Toad Cactus (even though it’s not a cactus!)
Thai common name: ดาวลาย (Dao Lai),
ดอกดาวลาย (Dok Dao Lai), บัวสวรรค์ (sometimes used loosely)
Note: Thai sellers often just call it “ดาวลาย” for the variegated star shape.
Origin: Native to South Africa (Cape Provinces)
Blooming season: Mainly late summer to autumn (but in tropical conditions it can bloom intermittently year-round if happy).
Care tips
Sunlight: Bright indirect light or filtered sun.
Can take some direct morning sun, but avoid strong afternoon sun in hot climates—it can scorch.
Shade cloth (50–70%) is ideal outdoors in strong tropical sun.
Watering: Low to moderate. Water thoroughly when soil is dry, but let it dry out between waterings. In rainy season or cooler periods, reduce watering to avoid rot. Very well-draining soil is essential (cactus/succulent mix is perfect).