Pink-Red Spiralvine

This short flower grows up to 2 inches (5 cm) tall. Its lime green stem is very thick, and the huge, pink-red leaves are needle-like with smooth edges. The leaves alternate on the stem from the base up to about halfway.

Each stem splits 4 to 7 times; a single large flower grows at the end of each split. The flowers are 3 cm (1.2 inches) wide, with each petal a slightly different shade of beige. The flower head is shaped like a cup with 53 widely spaced, narrow petals. They detach easily.

It has an intensely strong scent that smells like damp, and it has very little pollen; it does not cause any allergic reactions. It is pollinated by the wind, but is also particularly attractive to butterflies.