CACTUS TIPS from a master grower
Astrophytum
I
t’s nice when plants so beautiful come
with no extra cultivation challenges, and
really no special treatment is required
to keep most astrophytums happy. A
regular well-drained soil mix, drenching
waterings during the spring and summer
followed by enough time for the pot to
dry out completely, and a dry winter are
all that’s required. The plants can take temper-
atures down to 25° F if kept dry. Good light and
a little fertilizer in your acidified water will pro-
mote frequent flowering throughout the summer
(astrophytums are, in the main, repeat bloom-
ers). And check the flowers for a sweet scent,
which often is quite strong the first day, but
may fade thereafter. Not all species have scented
flowers, but it’s nice to discover ones that do.
In recent years all manner of named crosses
have come along, but most look more or less like
‘Super Kabuto’ with variations in the amount
and pattern of flocking. It is probably superflu-
ous to give each individual plant a name, as they
certainly don’t breed true or propagate vegeta-
tively readily. But crossing astrophytums is easy
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ELTON ROBERTS
and fun, and aside from fancy flocking, you tend
to get a relatively high percentage of variegat-
ed plants among the progeny. Even monstrose
seedlings are not uncommon. Hybridization is
simply a matter of transferring pollen from one
flower to another using a Q–tip or paintbrush,
and with Astrophytum the seeds are particu-
larly easy to harvest. As the plump round fruit
ripens, its thin skin becomes reddish, soft, and
begins to tear. Normally at this stage you can lift
the fruit from the plant and squeeze the shiny
brown seeds into a coin envelope for storage.
The seeds are large enough to need a bit of soil
or coarse sand to hold them down when sowing,
and they will germinate readily within a week of
being kept very moist. In two years most will be
flowering size.
Be careful! The flocking (those nice white
spots on the plant body) rubs off, and although
some plants will grow new felt in time, it never
looks as good as the original. Repotting is only
necessary when the plant becomes obviously too
big for its current digs, and some plants can live
for years in the same size pot. Once the body or
spines stretch over the rim, you can pot up. But
don’t go for too big a pot. Astrophytums tend to
do best in a pot just an inch larger than the body’s
diameter. It is also easy to accidentally remove
flocking while repotting, so be careful how you
handle the plants.
Plants with flocking can take more intense
sunlight, since the white spots filter and reflect
the sun. Nude or sparsely flocked plants may want
some shade, and without it the plants will tend to
turn yellow, flush red, or even burn. Go overboard
on the shade, though, and the plants will etiolate
(elongate) unnaturally.
These plants want acidic water to grow well.
Alkaline water can even make them shrink—you
might notice your plant’s ribs get sharper as the
space between them gets deeper, and in time the
ribs will become curved as they collapse in on
themselves. Acidic water is a must. In my condi-
tions, which tend to be rather dry, astrophytums
have shown no adverse affects with tempera-
tures down to the low 20s. But if you live where
the humidity is 50% or more most of the time, it
would be best to keep the plants above 35° F.
CACTUS AND SUCCULENT JOURNAL
 Astrophytum myriostigma
‘Onzuka’ is just one of many forms of the variable and sumptuous Astrophytum
myriostigma. Another popular form, which has only three ribs, goes around as
“tricostatum.” It isn’t stable (it tends not to keep its three ribs for long), but if
you buy tricostatum seed,
just enjoy the plants and
watch them change as they
age. Each plant is subtly
different—be it in flocking
or shape of the ribs. On
some the point of the rib
has a hook. Others tend
toward strongylogonum (fat
and rounded). Others are
banded.
Another name you’ll
see on labels is “quad-
ricostatum,” referring to
any four-ribbed plant.
Unfortunately, nearly all these I’ve grown have jumped to five or more ribs before
reaching much more than about 10 cm tall. Even one that has stayed four-ribbed
the longest (currently about 17 cm tall, TOP RIGHT) is finally beginning to make
the jump up. Many Onzukas are four ribbed and stay that way for some time;
perhaps a stable quadricostatum can be found in their lineage. One 13-year-old
‘Onzuka’ I have is all of 12 cm tall and 13 cm in diameter, but after all this time it is
finally splitting ribs—quadricostatum no more!
There are a number of so-called subspecies and varieties of Astrophytum
myriostigma, but I have grown these plants long enough to see a wide variation
in forms that tend not to breed true. In time any can become colum-
- Astrophytum myriostigma “tulense” nar, for instance, as with “subspecies columnare.” Some plants in any
seed batch fail to produce flocking, so you can also consider varieties
glabrum and nudum as just forms. Some plants have less flocking than
others (subspecies potosinum?), and plants with more flocking might
be called “tulense.” Subspecies strongylogonum is supposed to have fat-
ter ribs… and the list goes on. In fact, A. myriostigma is variable in rib
count, degree of flocking, height, and flower size and color. And these
plants can change dramatically just by taking on water and nutrients, or
as they age.
Some years ago I ordered A. myriostigma tulense seed, and from
those came two unflocked plants, which I have labeled “forma
nudum.” Seed from these
will produce about 80%
- Astrophytum tulense forma nudum
nude and 20% normal
plants. Perhaps their bare
sides are related to their
size. Both are a few centi-
meters larger than flocked
plants from the seed
batch—they’re now 12 cm
in diameter and 8 cm tall.
The tall plant at left
is perhaps typical for the
tulense form, which is
said to be taller and have
more ribs. It has changed
rib count a few times, and
it looked pretty terrible
when I got it. But I figured
at the time that, if noth-
ing else, I could use it as
a seed plant. Since then it
has grown a nice looking
top and is now 32 cm tall.

2008 VOLUME 80 NUMBER 6 305

 Astrophytum ‘Onzuka’
I have a number of strange plants, including one “tricostatum” (three-
ribbed) astrophytum that are of ‘Onzuka’ parentage, but few have the
fine “road map” flocking of the plants shown here. One of my A. ‘Onzuka’
plants (LEFT, MIDDLE) started growing a pup last fall. I figured it wouldn’t
get very large, but it’s put on some size this year, and I think that it will
have to come off sooner or later. It is now almost 3 inches in diameter,
with six ribs (having started with five), on a four-ribbed parent plant just
under 4 inches wide itself. The offset is growing some strange lumps on
the lower parts, and the parent just recently started throwing three more
ribs, but not through the splitting of ribs, as some astrophytums do, but
by growing new ones between the others. It is now starting to grow an
offset at about the same height on the other side—is it trying to achieve
balance, or is this just a coincidence? The offsets are superb, with short
spines at each areole (makes you wonder just what this plant’s parents
really are) and some tufts of long hair of several lengths and colors, which
seem to be lost in time. Under the longer, colored hair is a darker mat
whose hairs remain erect as the longer hairs lay over.
Some years ago I was offered Onzuka seed that a friend got in trade
from a Japanese collector. From those I got five truly fine plants. Just as
with ‘Super Kabuto,’ only a fraction of seeds produce the desired flocking
pattern—just 10 out of 100 in my last sowing. And inbreeding has produced
some unstable progeny. Some will get to about the size of your little finger
joint and then die. Those that look most like A. myriostigma fare best. Rib
count is all over the map. Some seedlings will be round and lack ribs, and
these are hard to
keep growing. Others
are three-, four-, and
five-ribbed, and some
don’t seem to know
what they’re doing.
A few begin to throw
offsets when no big-
ger than a pencil
eraser. Pretty cool.

Astrophytum ‘Lotusland’
Astrophytum ‘Lotusland’ appears to be a monstrose form of
A. myriostigma, whose rib configuration and flocking are appar-
ent in parts of the plant body. Several forms of growth appear
simultaneously, with dense white growth next to heads that are
greener, and with flocking so dense that the bodies look like
snowballs. I have never seen this plant grown on its own roots,
but as a graft (for some reason—and unfortunately—usually on a
tall stock) it grows quite fast, and occasionally new heads pop off
in clumps. I have recently potted up one that was throwing roots,
and I see no reason why it shouldn’t take. I expect slower growth,
but also a better-looking plant.
These plants can get quite big, to 30 cm in some cases, but
they often die rather suddenly, and in fact they appear to be
rather short-lived. For years I never saw ‘Lotusland’ bloom and
assumed it couldn’t, but with the introduction of acidic water to
my collection the plants have bloomed several times—all yellow
save for the occasional red spot, deformed and small, and with a
strangely shaped stigma. Like any other astrophytum these plants
can take temperatures below freezing for a short time, but the
limiting factor with grafts is often hardiness of the stock plant, so
be careful if the stock itself is tender.

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 Astrophytum
‘Snowstorm’
I got this plant from a friend who said he
crossed A. coahuilense with A. asterias and
had several plants come out with great
flocking. He calls it Snowstorm. I have
seen similar plants called Snowflake. Like
A. ‘Onzuka’, the flocking is really short. The
asterias influence is evident in the ribs, while
coahuilense contributes to its height. Not
all seedlings will produce the same effect,
but with Astrophytum hybrids, almost all the
plants will be interesting. The point is, make
your own crosses and see what you get—
and then name them anything you want!

Astrophytum asterias
Although both the genus and species name refer to stars,
Astrophytum asterias is more often called the Sea Urchin or Sand
Dollar Cactus. And while it doesn’t have a living sea urchin’s
spines, it does rather resemble the empty shell of a dead one.
While these flattish to hemispheric plants can theoretically have between five and ten ribs, the vast majority have eight,
even at a young age. A 15 cm wide plant would be considered huge, although I had one reach 16 cm across and about
21 cm tall (the ones shown here are a lot smaller than that). The flowers can be 6 cm across and range in color from yellow
to reddish. There’s a (wine-) red flowered cultivar that comes about as true from seed as ‘Super Kabuto’ does.
Many people find A. asterias hard to grow, but in fact the plants are quite hardy. I have had plants live through two
weeks of below-freezing temperatures following six weeks of being totally dry. But there are a few things to look out for.
First, the plants do not like alkaline water, so acidify your water. Second, they want a fast draining soil (high fraction of
pumice or perlite) that is allowed to dry thoroughly between waterings. And third, since most plants have only sparse
flocking, they can easily become sunburned, so allow them to have direct sun only in the morning, providing some protec-
tion from afternoon rays. That said, these can be short-lived plants, so if you lose one now and then, don’t fret. They pro-
duce their large shiny seeds readily, so you can always start more if you keep your flowers happily pollinated.

2008 VOLUME 80 NUMBER 6 307

 Astrophytum ‘Super Kabuto’
‘Super Kabuto’ is the best known and most widely available of the astrophytum cultivars, and it comes with almost as
many patterns as people have fingerprints—each with its own unique flocking. Some are almost white with felt, with
only a little green of the body showing through. Others have cream-colored spots, and still others tend toward light tan.
Keep them under cover so the flocking stays white (or as white as it naturally grows). And if white is important to you,
try a little hydrogen peroxide to whiten darker flocking. (I like the variation, so I leave mine as they are.) Acidified water
will help keep the flocking from turning dark with calcium build up, and a layer of top dressing will keep the flocking
near soil level from staining.
Prices stay high on these plants, mainly because such beauty isn’t easy to come by. And the seedlings don’t all come
true; most, in fact, will look like plain-old Astrophytum asterias. From a batch of seed produced from ‘Super Kabuto’ parents
you may get only 15–25% with dense flocking, and of these only half will be drop-dead gorgeous. And since offsets are
rare, supply is perpetually low.
I have had only one Super Kabuto, of hundreds of seed sown, produce a starfish form (ABOVE, RIGHT). Even though it
does not have the best flocking, this is a sought-after shape that rarely turns up in a seed batch. And it’s big, too—10 cm
across, while its sister seedlings are all 5–7 cm in diameter. If you try growing ‘Super Kabuto’ from seed and you don’t come
up with many to suit your fancy, just keep trying. In time you will have something to make you happy.

Astrophytum coahuilense
You cannot readily tell the difference between Astrophytum
coahuilense and A. myriostigma, but they grow well-separat-
ed in habitat and do not appear able to interbreed. There
are other subtle differences as well: The flowers on A. coahu-
ilense have orange to red centers, while A. myriostigma flow-
ers are entirely yellow. And their seed pods open differently.
A. coahuilense fruits open at the bottom, with the top of the
pod laying over to reveal the seed. With A. myriostigma the
pods split up the side. Interestingly, while A. myriostigma
can have quite a variable rib count, often increasing (by rib
division) its ribs in age, this appears to be a rare occurrence
in A. coahuilense, which seems to stick to five. My largest
plant is 26 cm tall and 15 cm in diameter. Although a tad
slow, the plants aren’t touchy. They can take temperatures
to the mid-20s and seem to like as much light as you can
give them, which keeps them compact.

308 CACTUS AND SUCCULENT JOURNAL

 Astrophytum ornatum
Astrophytum ornatum has a number of recognized forms, and Backeberg, not surprisingly, lists them all. Examples: glabre-
scens = dark green body with sparse or absent flocking; mirbelii = golden yellow spines and stronger flocking develop-
ment. Backeberg also mentions nude and spiral forms. In modern treatments, such as The New Cactus Lexicon, A. ornatum
is said to have spines less than 3 cm long. So what to call my plant with 7 cm spines? Typical ornatum has short spines
and some flocking on a medium green body (MIDDLE RIGHT). Then we have something like glabrescens (TOP LEFT), with
a dark green body, sparse flocking, and short spines (a right pretty plant!). Next nudum (BOTTOM LEFT): no flocking, but
here also with long spines! Is the next one trying to spiral? Its has spines to 5 cm long and has a dot of flocking here and
there. Aside from the impressive variation in this species, it can also grow to a reported 3 meters tall, and I have seen cul-
tivated plants at 2 meters.
Question: do plants in habitat split ribs as they age, or does this occur only in cultivated material? In my experience,
despite the assertions of most modern books, the rib count in older A. ornatum plants is frequently more than eight.
And a final note: Every so often some of my astrophytums throw odd-colored flowers. At first I thought that it was just
aging of the flower, but more recently I have seen flowers open off color. Astrophytum ornatum normally has bright to light
yellow flowers, but on rare occasions, especially in old plants, pinkish flowers emerge. The one shown at bottom right is on
a 48 cm tall plant which, until this year, has only ever produced yellow flowers.

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