Astrophytumspp.
Whenever I learn news about distance geographic expedition and galactic discovery , I gain vigor up and take interest – while at the same time knowing that there’sso muchhere on satellite earth to learn about as well .
Enter the ably namedastrophytums – which literally translates tostar flora .
With their cosmetic open , these cacti can provide nearly as many opportunities forstar gazingas the nighttime sky .
AnAstrophytum myriostigmaspecimen with four ribs. Photo by Kristina Hicks-Hamblin.
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Astrophytumspecies are global or pillar - shaped cacti and most of them are spineless .
They incline to have large areoles , either along the ribs or centered between the ribs , which make attractive shape on the open of the flora .
AnAstrophytum myriostigmaspecimen with four ribs. Photo by Kristina Hicks-Hamblin.
SomeAstrophytumspecies also have tufts of wooly hair emerging from these areoles , while others lack these tufts .
They are native to Texas and Mexico , growing in regions where condition are raging , sunny , and windy .
In the wild , these plants turn among Rock and scrubby vegetation , as well as among other cacti such asprickly pears .
If you are look for a gorgeous houseplant or a spineless addition to your xeriscape in Zones 9b to 11b , this guide will show you just how easy it is to grow astrophytums .
Here ’s what I ’ll cover :
What You’ll Learn
Quick Look
How to develop
Species and Cultivars
multiplication
Pests and Disease
There are six different species in theAstrophytumgenus , but the one most commonly chance in polish areA. myriostigma , aka bishop ’s cap , A. ornatum , aka monk ’s hood , andA. asterias , the star cactus .
Most species feature three to 13 rib separate by perpendicular grooves . The number of ribs varies depending on the metal money and the case-by-case works .
These behind - growing plants can reach mature sizes of two to 12 inches wide-cut , and two inches to over six substructure improbable .
Four out of the six coinage ofAstrophytumare spineless , take a shit them attractive to succulent collectors such as myself who avert most desert cacti for fright of getting knife .
Also , astrophytums do not haveglochid backbone , so you wo n’t have to be concerned about those soft looking hairs play a nasty trick on your skin .
Common name(s):Astrophytum , bishop ’s cap , monk ’s hood , star cactus
flora eccentric : Evergreen succulent
Hardiness ( USDA Zone):9b-11b ( outdoors )
Native to : Mexico , Texas
efflorescence meter / season : bounce , summertime
pic : lineal sunshine , full sun outside
Soil type : Very gritty succulent and cactus growing medium
grunge pH:6.0 - 7.0 , slightly acid to neutral
Time to maturity:5 years
Mature size:2 - 72 inch high x 2 - 12 inch wide ( depend on species )
Best uses : Houseplant , cactus planters , xeriscaping
Taxonomy
phratry : Cactaceae
Subfamily : Cactoideae
Genus : Astrophytum
Species : Asterias , capricorne , caput - medusan , coahuilense , myriostigma , ornatum
Some , such as monk ’s hood cactus ( A. ornatum ) , also have lily-white flecks – sometimes referred to as flocking – on their pelt , which are haired white scales , while others have simple tegument . These flecks are unique to cacti in this genus !
These scales can depart in size of it from lilliputian to declamatory , and can create intricate patterns , a feature run across on some of theAstrophytumcultivars .
The flower are fairly large comparative to the sizing of the plants themselves , are funnel shape shaped , and pinkish , yellowish , or white-livered and reddened in colour .
If flowers are pollinate , blooms will give way to berry - like fruits . These fruit naturally split clear , revealing seeds which can easily be disseminate to produce new plant .
Astrophytums are undemanding houseplant leave they are given rich idle pic on a gay windowsill or under a grow light , or a combining of both .
Outdoors , gardeners in USDA Hardiness Zones 9b to 11b can grow astrophytums as specimen plants , or as fellow traveler plants foragavesor otherxerophytes , in area where there ’s protection from rain .
How to Grow Astrophytum
Astrophytums can be incorporated into cactus and succulent collections in interiors where unmediated sunshine or grow lights are usable .
Whilesucculent plantersare cute , if you let in astrophytums in a dish planter with other specie , opt those with similar water and grease demand – many succulent require more frequent tearing and a rich growing medium than these plant do .
Let ’s have a aspect at the growing conditions you require to cultivate astrophytum cacti :
Light
Monk ’s hood cactus and the other members of this genus necessitate at least six , rather eight hours of verbatim sunlight each twenty-four hours or the equivalent froma grow light .
There ’s a good means to find out if your light conditions are shining enough – use a light meterto take objective measurements .
With the scant meter , choose a smirch where the astrophytum will get at least 800 substructure candles of light .
Outdoors , provide a cheery location with swooning shade during the hottest part of the twenty-four hour period . In the state of nature , they grow nest among rocks or other plant that offer them some protection from the component .
Water
Astrophytums are drouth - tolerant , and their growing metier should be appropriate to dry out soundly between tearing .
It ’s far intimately to err on the side of underwatering rather than overwatering .
If you acknowledge wisecrack on your astrophytum , you may be overwatering . When the plant is hungry , you might notice it look a bite deflated .
To stave off the damaging impression of chlorine from tap water and buildup of mineral deposits from well water , use pelting water or filter piddle .
desire to learn more about thebest water for succulent plants ? learn our guide !
You will notice that you do n’t have to water these plant very often .
Watering will be even less frequent during winter , and you should stop water entirely while the flora is break to temperature below 60 ° fluorine .
Our pathfinder has more selective information about how to water cacti .
Soil and Pots
Astrophytums need well debilitate stain with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0 .
The grow mass medium should ideally lie of just 10 percent organic topic , such ascoconut coir , compost , horticultural charcoal , biochar , or pine fines , and 90 per centum mineral mental object , like coarse sand , fine rocks , pumice , or lava rock .
These plant call for fantabulous drainage so make certain to choose a container that has drainage hole in the bottom .
When prefer a corporation , also keep in mind that unlike many cacti , astrophytums have retentive tap roots .
So pick a lot that is narrow , about the same breadth as the cactus , but deep enough to allow for room for the roots .
you could learn to make your own cactus potting mix in our guide .
Humidity
Unlike manylithopsand other succulent from South Africa such as tiger jaw that are adapt to low rain but gamy air moisture , astrophytums evolved to prosper inlowlevels of humidity .
Humidity of more or less 40 percent is what you should take aim for indoors .
Temperature
Monk hood cacti and other members of this genus favor daytime temperature range of 70 to 90 ° farad .
Nighttime temperatures that are 10 degree lower will help mimic the plants ’ aboriginal surround .
On the cold end of the temperature spectrum , astrophytums are hardy down to the down in the mouth 20sas long as the humidness is low and the turn medium is kept wry .
Fertilizing
Cacti and succulents tend to grow in expanse with poor dirt so they do n’t necessitate to be pumped full of food like garden veggies .
A mild fertilizer articulate for cacti should be applied only once a calendar month during the growing season .
Dr. Earth Succulence
I like to use Dr. Earth ’s Succulence Cactus and Succulent Plant Food , availablefrom Arbico Organics .
Deadheading
If your astrophytums produce flower that are n’t pollinated , the blooming will pass rather than plow into seed - bearing fruit .
When the flower have dried , use a white , sterilized pair of garden snips or scissors grip to trim them off .
After pollenation , the fruit will swell up until it crack up open . Let it split open on its own before you harvest the seeds for propagation .
Repotting
The better fourth dimension to repot astrophytums is in spring or summertime , when the plant is actively growing . architectural plan to repot every two year to refresh the growing culture medium , even if a big deal is not need .
If the plant has become rootbound , choose a throne that ’s just one size of it larger . Avoid using overly large pots as the excess filth can end up retaining too much wet .
When you are repot , ascertain that the plant is sit down at the same depth as it was in its original container .
After repotting , await a hebdomad before watering rather than doing so direct away .
Learn to repot cacti in our guide .
Species and Cultivars to Select
After learning how easy it is to care for these plants , it ’s time to take a look at the different species in more detail as well as some fab cultivar .
Asterias
Known as sand dollar sign , sea urchin , star , Texas star cactus , or star peyote , A. asteriasreaches one to two inches tall and two to six inches across-the-board at maturity .
And though the round , chunky shape of this plant life resembles peyote , A. asteriascontainsnohallucinogenic compound !
This astrophytum is spineless , brown jet in color , covered with small white flecks , and has wooly areoles that flesh lines going down the center of each rib , of which there are four to 13 .
The flowers are jaundiced with scarlet centers .
Since these plant are endangered , it ’s illegal to accumulate them from the wild . There are quite a little of seeded player - grow options in cultivation .
It can be tricky to know if plant nursery have sustainable pattern without interviewing them . If in doubt , choose a cultivated variety ofA. asteriasinstead .
‘ Super Kabuto ’ is perhaps the most popularA. asteriascultivar . These works are covered in attractive , large white flecks .
The flocking on different specimen will motley in its accurate pattern – some are so covered in patch that they are almost all white , others have gravid woolly blot or V - similar pattern .
Capricorne
Named for its curve spines , A. capricorneis commonly send for goat ’s horn cactus .
This globe - determine astrophytum has a exclusive stem that becomes more columnar as it matures , eventually reaching up to six inches wide and four feet improbable .
Goat ’s horn cactus is green and get over to varying grade with whitened flecks . Its spines acquire in clump of five to 10 , and it has eight ribs , with areoles that maturate vertically along the rib .
flower on goat ’s horns cacti are yellow with red center .
Caput-medusae
With a species epithet that mean Medusa ’s head , A. caput - medusaewas formerly classified in a different genus , asDigitostigma caput - medusae .
When you look at this plant life , you do n’t see a globular or columnlike radical , but rather a bunch of disobedient - looking excrescence that prompt its mintage name .
Those protuberances , or nodule , as they are more unremarkably called , are cover with white flocking and issue from a tiny , solid ground level stem that is covered in bristle .
Plants can reach up to seven and a half inches tall and wide , and bear yellow blooms at the ends of their extrusion .
This astrophytum is critically expose as a result of overcollection and grazing pressures .
Coahuilense
A species that is sometimes known by the common name bishop ’s cap , bishop ’s miter , or monk ’s hood cactus , A. coahuilenseis easily confused with the more widely availableA. myriostigma .
With five rib and grow in a globe or columnar pattern , this bishop ’s cap reaches up to eight inches tall and up to four inch wide at adulthood .
The peel is dumbly continue with white maculation , give this spineless metal money a gray appearance .
Myriostigma
Commonly know as bishop ’s hat , bishop ’s cap , or bishop ’s miter , A. myriostigmais one of the most wide cultivated of the astrophytums .
At maturity , plants get hold of four to 10 in wide of the mark and up to two feet tall , though on occasion they can reach five feet marvellous at due date .
thornless plant life are unripe with white flecks or may be still , without flocking .
This species produces three to 10 rib , with areoles along the ribs , and yield flowers that are yellow with yellow centre .
There are manyA. myriostigmacultivars uncommitted , include the fascinating ‘ Kikko . ’
‘ Kikko ’ has horizontal crinkle in its ribs , giving the industrial plant a singular texture .
There are different word form of the ‘ Kikko ’ cultivar , some of which are quite geometrical look , while others look more like they were roughly sculpted out of stiff by children !
Read more about growingA. myriostigmasucculents .
Ornatum
With the most spine of all astrophytums , A. ornatumis most unremarkably known as monk ’s hood cactus but is also sometimes called ornamented bishop ’s cap .
Monk ’s hood cactus is dark green to grayish green , and ball - shaped , becoming cylindrical as it age . This coinage can gain 12 inches wide and six feet tall or more as it ages .
The skin is treat with ashen flecks , but in varying amount of money – they can be very sparsely or quite densely plow , with the speckle create beautiful patterns .
Monk ’s strong-armer cacti normally make eight ribs , but this number can be between five and 10 , giving the industrial plant a star shape when viewed from above .
A. ornatumbears yellow bloom with chicken centers when it blooms .
The conservation position of monk ’s hood cactus is vulnerable as a result of habitat devastation and overcollection , so tell on responsibly or develop it from source instead .
If you want to pass around metal money in theAstrophytumgenus , you have a couple of options : seed seeds and grafting .
While some cacti green groceries counterbalance , astrophytums do n’t usually reproduce in this manner .
Want totake a deep diving into cactus propagation ? take our clause to get word more .
If you’regrowing these succulent from seed , you ’ll require to have a fair bit of solitaire as it direct a long fourth dimension for them to reach maturity .
Grafting is a upright choice as it involve taking an astrophytum scion and attaching it to a rootstock from a quicker - growing species .
Managing Pests and Disease
salubrious astrophytums are n’t going to be bothered by many pests . out of doors , they wo n’t be bothered by herbivores like deer or hare .
The pests you ’re most likely to chance arespider mitesandmealybugs , so contain new plant carefully before purchasing , or as soon as you unpack them if buy online .
On cultivars with a lot of ashen flocking it can be unvoiced to make out mealybug , so you may need to utilize the macro lens on your camera or force out a jewelry maker ’s loop or a magnifying meth .
The disease you ’re most likely to encounter in astrophytums is waste . If the plant is go schmalzy , that ’s a sign it ’s meet from rot
You canlearn more about how to deal with rotting succulentsin our guide .
Spiny or Spineless Star Gazing
You now make love enough to do more than just stare lovingly at your astrophytum – you’re able to confidently care for it as well !
Water infrequently , offer flock of sun , and excellent drain .
And if you require any help troubleshooting , finger free to drop your question and photos there as well .
Want to keep educating yourself on the fineart of cacti and lush develop ? We have more meter reading for you right here :
Photos by Kristina Hicks - Hamblin © Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL right RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Cartesian product photograph via Arbico Organics . Uncredited photograph : Shutterstock .
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