Even in the hottest regions of the world there are plants - cacti. They are able to withstand abnormal heat and extremely low humidity. Still people breed some of their types of houses for decorative purposes. Like, for example, astrophytums.
Astrophytums are succulents, that is, plants that can store moisture. The homeland of these cacti specifically is the hot north of Mexico and the south of the USA. Outwardly, they resemble a ball, less often - a cylinder.
Cacti at home
If you look at the plant from above, due to the presence of ribs (there can be from three to ten), it will resemble a star. Therefore, sometimes his name is exactly that.
Interesting.These succulents have another name - "Episcopal Miter." It was invented by people because of the outward resemblance to this headdress.
Astrophytum is distinguished by the presence of specks on the surface. These specks are formed by special hairs that actively absorb moisture. Spines on such a flora rarely grow.
These cacti grow slowly. They have a long flowering period: from the beginning of spring to late autumn. The astrophytum flower itself does not live long - only up to three days.
Astrophytum
There are different types of this succulent. Each has its own difference.
Astrophytum Miriostigma
The astrophytum of Miriostigm, or countless speckled - the most famous type of these cacti. It has the shape of a ball of gray-blue colors, while its tip is slightly pressed inward. A flower blooms on it in the flowering phase. The ribs of astrophytum myriostigma are six. This species does not have spines, but it has a lot of specks.
In nature, it can reach a length of one meter, in a girth of more than 20 centimeters, an astrophytum multi-stalked (another name for it) does not exist. It has many interesting varieties:
- Nudum. There are almost no dots on this variety that should absorb water in nature. They still remained, but they are few, they are already performing a strictly decorative function. The shape of the succulent is spherical, with moderately distinguished faces.
- Kikko. These are cacti in the shape of a regular five-pointed star. They also have almost no specks - a distinctive feature of the species.
Astrophytum Miriostigma Kikko
- Quadricostatus. Water-absorbing spots were not removed from this variety. But the breeders worked on the number of faces and the shape of the succulents. Now the plant has four ribs and a square shape.
Astrophytum star
Astrophytum stellate is the most common species in homes. He is loved for his miniature size - in nature, he can only reach 15 centimeters in diameter. Homemade cacti are even smaller. The ribs on them are most often 8.
Astrophytum asterias (the scientific name for this succulent) has a speck of specks on each face. They are smaller, but they are larger than that of Miriostigma. At the same time, the thorns on it also do not grow.
Interesting. This cactus crosses well with others, because there are many hybrid species. They may be similar to the astrophytum Asterias, but at the same time have, for example, thorns or clearly structured spots. However, this is a sign that the culture is not clean, a mix of several species.
Astrophytum speckled
The speckled astrophytum has a smooth surface on which there are fluffy dots on the loose. It is very similar to the view of Miriostigm, but has five faces. In open ground, the diameter of this succulent can reach 25 centimeters.
Astrophytum Capricorn
Capricorn astrophytum is a cactus that has one of the most spectacular appearances. It got its name from the thorns that grow on its edges with rosettes. They are very long, curving upward, resembling goat horns. In Latin, such a plant is called astrophytum capricorne.
Astrophytum Capricorn
It can grow up to 17 centimeters in circumference and 30 in height. He has eight faces, a small speck of specks. Moreover, mainly water-absorbing points are located closer to the root or in the recesses between the faces.
Interesting. The thorns of the astrophytum Capricorn are very fragile, they are easy to break. If the plant is not disturbed, by the age of 7-8 years it will be completely entangled by them.
Other species
There are a lot of cacti on the planet, all of them, one way or another, adapt to external conditions. This is due to such a diversity of astrophytum species. Not only nature stimulates the emergence of new representatives of this genus. People are also working on creating new cactus plants. The set of methods by which new varieties and hybrids appear is called selection.
Less well-known, but still worthy of human attention astrophytums:
- Ornatum. Astrophytum ornatum is the very first astrophytum discovered by humans. The points on it are not entirely located, but in stripes, as if created artificially. It looks very unusual, which is why the succulent is nicknamed the decorated astrophytum. Spines grow on it, which are located along rosettes along the edges of the plant. The ribs themselves are often straight, but they can also twist around the axis of the plant.
- Astrophytum coahuilian. The Latin name for this cactus is astrophytum coahuilense. It is abundantly speckled. Its distinctive feature is the ability to easily tolerate higher temperatures. The plant feels fine even at 30 degrees Celsius.
- Astrophytum Head of jellyfish. This type of cactus has an unusual appearance. The thing is that the form of astrophytum caput medusae (as his scientists call him) is neither a ball nor a cylinder. Its edges resemble tentacles, branching in different directions. Immediately after the discovery, it was isolated in a separate genus Digitalitigm.
Astrophytum Jellyfish Head
Note! Astrophytum mixes are often sold in stores. Some are mistaken in believing that this is the name of the variety. This is the name of those cacti that combine at least three different types of astrophytums. Such plants can look completely different, depending on the combination.
These cacti are often kept at home. This is because astrophytum at home does not require special care, being an unpretentious plant. Rules for the treatment of this representative of the flora are available, but rather simple.
Lighting
This succulent comes from sunny places. Therefore, when growing in a pot, he needs year-round abundance of light. However, it is recommended to protect it from direct sunlight in the summer afternoon.
Astrophytum star in the light
Humidity
Cacti grow where there is very dry air. Therefore, it is not required to spray it additionally and increase the humidity in the room.
Succulents must be watered. In summer, water is added as the soil dries. In autumn, watering is reduced to once a month; in winter, cacti do not need to be watered.
Priming
To obtain a substrate for succulents, you need to mix leaf and turf soils, peat and sand in equal proportions. Or just buy a ready-made mixture in the store.
Attention! Cacti definitely need drainage at the bottom of the pot, underground. The optimal thickness of this layer is 2-3 centimeters.
Temperature
The temperature range of the comfortable existence of astrophytums is from 25 to 10 degrees Celsius. The first indicator is for flowering in the summer, the second is for the resting period in winter.
Cacti can not only be bought already grown, but also plant them yourself. You need to know how to do it right.
Using seeds
To grow an astrophytum yourself, you need to act in stages:
- Soak. Seeds before planting should be soaked for 5-7 minutes. And it is better not in water, but in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
- Soil preparation. Land for germination of cactus seeds should have the following composition: charcoal, sand, sheet soil in equal amounts.
- Creating a greenhouse. The resulting substrate is laid out in a shallow tray, astrophytum seeds are planted in it. On top of the tray you need to stretch a plastic film or put a glass to create a greenhouse. Be sure to occasionally open it to ventilate and water the planted. The greenhouse is kept at a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius.
Astrophytum Sprouts
Emerging sprouts can be transplanted into a pot with soil for adult plants and drainage.
Despite the fact that the cactus is quite simple to maintain, still some problems with improper care may be:
- Brown spots. This suggests either that watering the cactus is insufficient, or that lime water was used for it.
- Lack of growth. The cactus stops growing either when there is not enough water, or when in winter there is too much moisture.<
Waterlogged Astrophytum
- Rot at the roots. This is a sign of waterlogged soil.
For each plant, top dressing and proper transplantation are important. Cactus astrophytum also needs these two factors.
For feeding, it is best to use special compositions for succulents. You can buy them at a flower shop. Experienced lovers of indoor plants recommend feeding cacti during the entire warm period once a month.
These flora representatives should be transplanted annually. Even with proper feeding, the soil is depleted, therefore it is recommended to be replaced annually. When transplanting astrophytum, it should be borne in mind that it needs more calcium in the soil than other plants. Therefore, granite or marble chips are mixed into the ground. If they are not, then a simple egg shell will do.
It’s easy to grow astrophytums. They require a minimum of human strength and time. Therefore, they are very fond of busy people who find it difficult to pay much attention to flowers.
