They are stem succulents that look similar to a cucumber that can reach up to 1 meter in height. Hoodia presents exuberant flesh coloured flowers that give off a very strong and unpleasant odor. Hoodia thrives in the high deserts of the Kalahari region of South Africa and Namibia. Hoodia is also being cultivated in Arizona in the USA, Italy, Australia and China. Hoodia Gordonii is a very hardy desert succulent plant that can grow in many sandy areas in the world provided the temperatures don’t drop to freezing. Although there are other species of hoodia, the gordonii is the only one that contains the appetite suppressing molecule. Hoodia Gordonii is a cactus-like plant and part of the plant family Apocynaceae.