<previous next>

Cinnamon Starflower

Flower type: Perennial (Stores water in the thickened base of its stem)

This modest-sized flower grows up to 1.3 feet (38 cm) tall. Its gray stem is thick and splits into several branching stems halfway up, and the tiny, orange leaves are white on the underside and are perforated with jagged edges. Many leaves grow at the base of the stem, and more leaves alternate on the stem from about halfway up, up to the flower head.

6 to 10 giant flowers grow on alternate sides up the length of the stem. The flowers are 14 cm (5.5 inches) wide, with each petal a slightly different shade of olive. The flower head is shaped like a star made up of 10 tightly layered, round-tipped petals. They are sturdy.

It has an overpowering scent that smells like cinnamon, and it has very little pollen. It is pollinated by the wind and is ignored by most insect species.

It out-competes most other plants for nutrients and light.
It blooms only at night.
It is suitable for making strong rope