Lifesaver plant
Huernia zebrina
Also called Little owl eyes, Huernia and Carrion flower (huernia)
Houseplant · Succulents & cactiThe flower is a pale striped star with a raised glossy maroon ring in the middle like a doughnut, and it has almost no smell — the polite cousin of the starfish flower. Rots from the base if watered in winter.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Medium
- Water
- Every 16 daysSoak, then bone-dry — wait until the soil is dry right through — lift the pot, it tells you.
- Light
- Bright indirect, some morning sun
- Feed
- Every 90 days
- Humidity
- Low
- Hardiness
- Indoors, or out for the summer RHS H1C, to 5°C
- Size
- 0.1 m tall · 0.3 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- Southern Africa
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsNothing recorded against it
No animal-poison authority lists this plant either way.
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-09-21. Where a source says nothing, we say nothing.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.