Dehydrated Astrophytum asterias on eBay

[Aloinopsis]

I found this listing on the American version of eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/astrophytum/19 ... SwsrBewE92

I'm not interested in that plant, but is that a normal level of dehydration? I've grown Astrophytum for about 6 years and I've never had one that crumpled looking.

Do they recover well/quickly?

[Janaina]

I’ve seen cacti of this type die from dehydration, I don’t know if it’s scientifically proven, but this specimen is still far from dying from dehydration, now its appearance isn’t really pretty, it leads one to believe that there may be another factor to be dehydrated that way

[TimN]

At this time of year an Astro in southern California should be growing/flowering vigorously, in my opinion.

[Aloinopsis]

I agree! Even when mine come out of long winter staging they're never this shrunken. It looks sick to me.

I was unsure if other people ever see them this shrunken.

[DaveW]

I have an A. Asterias shrink similarly at the base in winter, but not to that extent. However the plant in the advert would be turgid enough for me not to worry about it. Cacti can shrink considerably in dry seasons in habitat, or with lack of water in collections and still bounce back when water comes.

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-astro ... 20716.html

Obviously many do not see pictures of them in that state because people tend to only take pictures of their plants when they are turgid and blooming. Also most collectors A. Asterias are disk shaped because few have older columnar ones, plus few get as old and columnar as that in habitat.

[Russell99]

It is stated that the plant was brought from Asia. So this would have been growing in the tropics and in the tropics they grow really fast also there's no winter season so this plant is adjusted to it's waters schedule(normally every week where I live ). So this plant is responding by shrinking because it hasn't experienced any drought period and the plants in nurseries are normally not hard grown . Just my opinion here .

[Aloinopsis]

Do they never get rest period in the tropics?

I always thought they would be kept dry, if not cold.

[Jangaudi]

It is stated that the plant was brought from Asia. So this would have been growing in the tropics and in the tropics they grow really fast also there's no winter season..

Well, depends where in Asia, because China, Japan and Korea do have a winter season, even up to the Tropic of Cancer temperatures drop in winter, caused by the winds from Siberia, which is also the dry season. Light frost can occur as far south as Shanghai.

[Aloinopsis]

It is stated that the plant was brought from Asia. So this would have been growing in the tropics and in the tropics they grow really fast also there's no winter season..

Well, depends where in Asia, because China, Japan and Korea do have a winter season, even up to the Tropic of Cancer temperatures drop in winter, caused by the winds from Siberia, which is also the dry season. Light frost can occur as far south as Shanghai.

Indeed. Northern Japan is taiga and freezes every year!