this year has been the worst year for my small group of Astrophytum plants. I have lost two of my A. capricorne, a large A. myriostigma, one regular A. asterias, and now my only A. asterias Super Kabuto also seems to have had it. I noticed, that it did not yet flower and the top did become flat. The plant also did not make contact with the soil on its perimeter and I am able to wiggle it while it is in the ground.
Most likely, the roots are gone and probably the whole inside of the stem is no longer alive. I am going to dig it up this weekend and take a look.
I plan on cutting the base off, in order to have a peek inside. If there is still any life in it, do you have any idea how I can get it to root again?
The big A. myriostigma plant, which I had purchased, after a local cactus nursery closed its doors and wanted to get rid of the Astrophytum plants in their greenhouse, which they used for seed production, never gave me any indication, that something was wrong. Only a few weeks into spring did I notice, that the plant was shrinking in size. When I dug it up, it was rather light and the few roots left were discolored. The inside of the stem was too and it was almost hollow.
The odd thing is though, that the two A. asterias hybrids are thriving. They flower multiple times each year and have greatly increased in size. It must be what my old horticulture professor told me is "hybrid vigor".
As long as I can keep those two going, I will not feel like a total failure. Harald
With all the grafting it's a plant surgery.