What plant should never be allowed in your house when it is blooming?
It smells almost as bad as a skunk. The carrion cactus is aptly named. The beautiful starfish-like blossom has the distinctive aroma of the dead meat which gives it its name.The smell is so convincing that blow flies seem to appear from nowhere to settle on its petals.
This plant can't stand our cold winters. It has to retire to the basement and sometimes parts of the cactus seem to rot, but usually enough remains for a fresh effort in the spring. It tends to wait fairly late in the summer to bloom.
Take one of the stems, stick it in a pot, and it will root rather easily. You can share it with your friends, but be sure to warn them how unpresentable it can be. My friend JoAnn shared the plant with my mother and me. I think her neighbor gave it to her.
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