Growing astrophytum at home

In the collection of cacti, astrophytum deserves to take one of the places of honor. It requires a more attentive attitude towards itself, but all the effort spent is compensated by a long flowering, which is not typical for other varieties of cacti.

Description of the plant

Astrophytum (Astrophytum) got its name from its unusual shape. If you look at it from above or in section, the shape of the star is clearly visible. In young plants, the stem is spherical; over time, it becomes cylindrical. The number of strongly pronounced rigid ribs depends on the species, there can be from three to eight.

The color of astrophytum is gray-green; not all varieties have spines. Instead, areoles are located on the ribs, from which very small hairs grow. A peculiarity of astrophytum is that the entire trunk is covered with small white felt dots. Their task is to absorb moisture from the air.

Astrophytum bloom begins in late spring or mid-summer and lasts until October. One flower lives for three days, after which others bloom. The flowers are predominantly yellow, it happens that their base has a red tint or red strokes are observed on the petals. Flowers bloom on the upper part of the plant, their size is from 4 to 8 cm. In place of a wilted flower, a fruit-box with seeds is formed. The seeds are easy to germinate.

Types of astrophytum

There are many types of astrophytum, the most common are:

• star (asterias);
• mottled;
• capricorn;
• decorated.

Astrophytum star (asterias) has the shape of a ball, on the edges of which there are grayish fluffy areoles. Diameter - about 15 cm, number of ribs - from 6 to 8, no spines. The flowers are large, up to 7 cm, yellow with a red center.

Astrophytum speckled appears white-gray due to the huge number of fluffy specks that cover the entire surface. If you look closely, the color of this cactus is dark green. Any shape can be: spherical, flattened, elongated. Most often, the trunk consists of 5 ribs, but there may be a different number of them. There are no thorns. The flowers are yellow, their base may be orange, 6 cm in diameter.

Capricorn astrophytum is at first spherical, during growth it takes the form of a column. The maximum height is 25-30 cm, the diameter is 15 cm. The stem is dark green, the dots are light, sometimes they are so small that they are invisible. A distinctive feature is long, unusual-looking spines of brown or yellowish color. The flower is yellow with a red base.

Astrophytum decorated in nature is very large - from one and a half to two meters, at home it rarely exceeds 30 cm. Diameter - 10-18 cm. Up to 10 spines about 4 cm long can grow from one areola. Their color is yellowish-brown. Representatives of this species bloom only in "old age", therefore, purchasing this plant for the collection, do not wait for its flowering. There are many flecks of felt, they form an unusual pattern that is the decoration of this cactus.

Growing conditions

Astrophytum came to us from the very arid regions of Mexico and Texas. It is drought-resistant and photophilous.

The best windows for him are south and southeast. In late spring, when the first rays of the sun begin to bake through the window glass, the plants need to be shaded. You should gradually get used to the hot sun. In winter, the lighting should also be bright.

The optimum temperature for growing astrophytum in summer is + 25 ° C. He needs a temperature difference between day and night. To do this, a bowl with a cactus can be taken out on the balcony overnight or left by an open window.

Astrophytum tolerates dry air well, it is not necessary to spray it. Frequent ingress of water on the trunk of a plant can be fatal for it.

In winter, astrophytum needs a rest period. To do this, lower the temperature to + 7-10 ° C and suspend watering. The lighting should remain bright.

Landing

Cacti are planted in small pots slightly larger than the diameter of the base of the plant. The soil should be neutral or slightly alkaline, acidic soil is destructive for astrophytum.

Soil composition:

• 1 part nutritious garden soil
• 1 part peat soil;
• 1 part of coarse sand or expanded clay crushed to crumb.

At the bottom of the pot, a drainage layer must be laid. It is impossible to deepen the base of the stem, this can cause rotting. The surface of the soil is covered with very small pebbles or decorative stones. This is necessary in order to avoid contact of the cactus stem with the soil.

Care

Caring for astrophytums is somewhat different from caring for regular cacti.

• These plants do not withstand transplanting well, so it is carried out only when the roots have completely intertwined the entire earthen lump. The new pot should be slightly larger than the old one, and when transferring, the soil is not cleared from the roots.
• Watering is carried out by immersion or water is poured into the pan. After the top layer of soil gets wet, the water is drained from the pallet.
• This cactus needs feeding. Apply special fertilizer for cacti, the frequency of fertilizing is once a month. During the dormant period, fertilizers are not applied.

Important!

Astrophytum loves lime water, so it does not need to be defended before watering.

Watering is carried out only when the whole clod of earth dries up. The water should not be too cold.

When the dormant period begins, the temperature in the room is lowered and watering is stopped. At this time, cacti do not require special attention, but it is necessary to look after astrophytums: if the stem began to shrink and fade, watering should be carried out with a small amount of water.

If in winter it is not possible to lower the temperature at home, then watering is carried out in the same way as in summer - after the earthen coma has completely dried out.

Reproduction

Astrophytums do not give "children", so their reproduction is possible only by seeds. When purchasing seeds, you should pay attention to the "mix" series. One bag will contain several types of astrophytums, which will significantly expand the collection.

The best time for germination is spring, the optimum temperature is + 20 ° C. Seeds sprout quickly, but only on condition that the collection period is no later than two years. Germination of older seeds is significantly reduced.

The soil for germinating seeds must be loose, it must be steamed to exclude the development of fungal diseases in seedlings. The surface of the soil is spilled with water, the seeds are laid out on top, they are not sprinkled with earth. Cover with cling film from above and put in a place where the light is bright, but diffused. Daily airing is mandatory. In such conditions, the appearance of seedlings can be expected in 2-3 weeks.

When sowing seeds, it is necessary to spread them on the soil surface so that the distance between them is about 4-5 cm. Then they will not have to dive and disturb the root system. Transplanting into a separate container is carried out when the diameter of the young plant is about two centimeters.

Supplementing the collection of cacti with astrophytums, you can purchase several plants at once. Representatives of the same species may differ from each other in the color of the stem, the number of ribs, the location of the specks and the color of the spines, if present. And they are similar in that they bloom for a long time with proper care.