not for the bees

this hairy beauty has snuck up on me. I've grown these succulents for years, and haven't witnessed their flowering before.
Big (for the size of the plant), purple, fleshy, furry blooms that smell slightly unpleasant- the perfect treat for flies. In fact, if you look closely you can see little white maggots on some of the petals. 
Pride of place in the succulent pots right now.

better in *large*