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Astrophytum asterias cv. Super Kabuto
'Star shape type'

CACTUS ART
NURSERY

Cultivation and Mail Sale
of Cacti and Succulents.

 


Astrophytum asterias cv. superkabuto "star shaped type"
 



Each plant is unique and particular.

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Star type + V type

Star type + Snow type

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Photo gallery Astrophytum


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Family: Cactaceae (Cactus Family)

Scientific name: Astrophytum asterias (Zucc.) Lem  

cv. SUPERKABUTO 'Star type'

Origin Garden origin (Nursery produced cultivar)

Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 1.

 

Description: This is a very nice and distinguishing plant. Some time this star shaped form of A. Superkabuto is regarded as “Mirakorus (Miracle) kabuto”, but this name is not correct as the true 'Mirakorus kabuto' is a completely different plant which is very rare and not available for sale. Astrophytum 'Mirakorus' when young is quite similar to the star form of the ordinary A. asterias with small dots, only old plants develops the typical wide and not raised dots. The plant in photo looks like the 'miracle kabuto' but is only one of the innumerable forms of the polymorphic cv. Superkabuto.
 
 



 


Star type + Snow type

 

Cultivation is not too difficult in a greenhouse, although grows quite slowly. The plants need  a loose well-drained  mineral soil. They need a good amount of light. Watering can be done weekly during summertime, if the weather is sunny enough, with a little fertilizer added. Kept this way, plants will show a healthy, although slow growth. They are frost hardy to -4° (-10°) C
Be careful: The epidermis of Superkabuto  is harder than in the normal asterias and cracks easily if plants are overwatered.

Propagation: By seeds, remembering that  seedlings dislike strong light and dry conditions  and need to be repotted frequently. Eventually, as they become mature, they attain a maximum size of 8-10 cm (20) cm. However, old plants become senile and have a tendency to succumb to disease and a weak root system. At this stage, as is well known, they die suddenly. So, after they reach 10 cm in diameter grow them slowly, and adopt a new repotting period, using intervals of every 2 - 3 years. Additionally grow them under drier conditions or with stronger sunlight. But plants are often grafted to accelerate growth as they would generally take at least a five years to reach maturity on their own, but the grafted plants are typical rather tall growing, compared with plants on their own roots that are usually more flat to the ground.

 

Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of Astrophytum asterias:

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