Astreophytum asterias care

[snappyguy]

I recently purchased 2 Astreophyum asterias from an online seller. I've tried looking online and although the hybrid 'Super Kabuto' seems quite popular (I have 'Multiflorum' and 'Nudum') there is precious little relating to the care of these plants. I've read that they are quite easy, and in another place read that they are extremely difficult. Watering instructions seem to come down to once a day during the summer (sounds like a lot. Is this really accurate?) and once a week or so during the winter. An unshaded east window seems like it would be ok too. Can anyone with some experience with this species shed any light on its' care?

Thanks,
Mark

[adetheproducer]

As with most of my cacti I only water my a.asterias when its dry, however long that takes varies I do not have a regular watering schedule It does not account for the natural environmental changes like heat, humidity and light. With my one its in a very mineralised mix, lots of grit, small stones and some large pourus rocks with only a very little ammount of actual dirt maybe 5%. I water whenever the plant looks like its shrinking below the ground level in the spring and summer. In autum I start leaving longer between watering and eventually stopping water through winter so it is bone dry until we get warm sun in spring. My one live in pretty much full sun in the green house all year but is buried so only the top surface of the plant is visible. It seems happy and looks like a flower is starting to bud so Something is working for me. Take a look at picture of these plants in the wild it will give you an idea of what you are dealing with.

[snappyguy]

Thanks!

[CactusFanDan]

Once a day in Summer?!?!? Once a week in Winter?!? I can't think of anywhere where you'd water them that much, that's just asking for trouble. I probably water them every 2 weeks at the most, but I just tend to water them when they look thirsty, allowing them to dry out completely between waterings. South facing window is ideal, but even better would be outside in a greenhouse.

[BarryRice]

My conditions are great for Astrophytum asterias. I never lose them and they just keep getting bigger. They are in a pumice/gravel mix, and I water them once a week during the summer, and perhaps one time between Oct 31 to April 1.

[BarryRice]

By the way, I don't say that to brag---note I attribute my success to my climate conditions, and not my skill level!

My point is to note that even in very hot, arid conditions with extremely well-draining soil, I only water once/week during the growing season, and not at all during the winter.

[oldcat61]

They must be a adaptable family since I'm overwatering by most of your standards. I only have 4 Astros but they bloom well & have grown in the year I've had them. They're in a mineral mix, in a GH. Good luck with yours, enjoy. Sue

[Steve Johnson]

They must be a adaptable family since I'm overwatering by most of your standards. I only have 4 Astros but they bloom well & have grown in the year I've had them. They're in a mineral mix, in a GH. Good luck with yours, enjoy. Sue

Before I put a foot in my mouth, which Astro species are you growing?

[snappyguy]

I have mine in a south-facing window. It's definitely a hot and dry climate here in the very southern end of California's central valley. It's good to see that they require so little water, very much the opposite of the many gesneriads I have. I've had all of my other cacti for at least 6 months and they are all doing well and growing, but these A. asterias seem to be more hands off than the others I keep. Good to know and thanks for all the advice everyone.

[Saxicola]

They must be a adaptable family since I'm overwatering by most of your standards. I only have 4 Astros but they bloom well & have grown in the year I've had them. They're in a mineral mix, in a GH. Good luck with yours, enjoy. Sue

Astrophytum asterias is much more rot prone than the other species. I didn't take it seriously because my other Astros did fine with regular water, and that one seemed to at first too, then almost overnight it turned to mush. Are you growing A. asterias specifically?

I will say as a general rule (not counting this exception) I think people are too afraid to water their cacti and succulents. Virtually no plant should dry out completely during the growing season. People don't want to believe that so I've stopped advocating it here, but it is true.

[oldcat61]

Never heard asterias was tricky about watering - I'll keep a closer watch on it. It's just starting to make new buds. Thanks, Sue

[DaveW]

Plants are only tricky if they don't like your conditions, and whatever conditions we have they will always be non optimum for some we try and grow since our plants cover a wide geographical area and a wide range of altitudes. However it is always a challenge to try and continue growing plants that don't really thrive for us. Even the microclimates of greenhouses can vary, so if we have more than one greenhouse sometimes a plant that sulks in one of our greenhouses will grow well in another. Also when you decide to enlarge your collection by getting a larger greenhouse, plants that sulked in the small one spring into life and others will now sulk, therefore if a plant is sulking it often helps to move it into a different area and conditions.

[Saxicola]

Never heard asterias was tricky about watering - I'll keep a closer watch on it. It's just starting to make new buds. Thanks, Sue

One thing I've discovered in growing plants over the years is that what is extremely difficult to one person is very easy to another. I'm not talking about novice grower vs. a pro. More that everyone no matter how good a grower seems to have an Achilles heel plant and at the same time a plant that grows like a weed for them that confounds everyone else. If your A. asterias does well for you keep doing what you are doing.

-Kyle

[DaveW]

It's what they used to say Kyle, whilst the person does not know it's rare or hard to grow it will grow like a weed for them. Tell them it's rare or hard to grow and they will probably kill it by changing their method of cultivation, or over pampering it!

I had a small piece of Schlumbergera microsphaerica already rooted given to me a year ago. I looked after it with all the reverence it deserved, but it eventually rotted at the base. I nipped off the top joint which was about 1.5cm long and stuck it in a pan of seedlings placed in the gloom under the staging, presuming the rot had already gone too far so expecting it to die and forgot about it.

When pricking out the seedlings after they had endured a winter in the greenhouse down to freezing under the staging I found it again and much to my surprise it had formed a root. The problem is anything supposedly rare we often treat with "kid gloves" and that often kills them, whereas they often survive better on normal treatment, or sometimes even unstudied neglect.

I'll probably kill it now by starting to look after it again!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schlumberg ... osphaerica" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Succulent]

It's what they used to say Kyle, whilst the person does not know it's rare or hard to grow it will grow like a weed for them. Tell them it's rare or hard to grow and they will probably kill it by changing their method of cultivation, or over pampering it!

I had a small piece of Schlumbergera microsphaerica already rooted given to me a year ago. I looked after it with all the reverence it deserved, but it eventually rotted at the base. I nipped off the top joint which was about 1.5cm long and stuck it in a pan of seedlings placed in the gloom under the staging, presuming the rot had already gone too far so expecting it to die and forgot about it.

When pricking out the seedlings after they had endured a winter in the greenhouse down to freezing under the staging I found it again and much to my surprise it had formed a root. The problem is anything supposedly rare we often treat with "kid gloves" and that often kills them, whereas they often survive better on normal treatment, or sometimes even unstudied neglect.

I'll probably kill it now by starting to look after it again!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schlumberg ... osphaerica" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Dave that is one of the best posts I have read lately. I think that what you wrote is very much true IME. The more I pamper something the less success I tend to have. But the general rule is, if in doubt do not water.