Hessea stellaris

A gorgeous species and the first one to be described in the genus in 1837.

This makes a loose umbel of flowers in the shape of a perfect hemisphere, each bloom in the head being held on a comparatively long flower stem.

The flowers are perfect little six petalled stars in pale to mid pink, with a darker base and exerted anthers giving a delicate "halo" effect to the blooms. Propagated from an especially floriferous, well coloured population seed of which came from near van Rhynsdorp in southern Namaqualand.

Well-drained sandy compost, with feeding when they are watered (which should not be too often) and then dry in summer. Hemispheres of flowers, like hovering spaceships, can be expected, after re-watering, in late autumn and early winter.