Description
Beautiful cultivar which combine the characteristic 5 ribs of of “Goryo kabuto” with the naked (nudum) body of “Ruri kabuto” with the extra ribs of “Fukuryiu kabuto” and the large areoles of “Ooibo kabuto”
GORIO The form with only five ribs, is particularly rare because many of the 5 ribbed seedlings that occasionally appear will usually develop additional ribs in a few years as they age. So it is quite exceptional to see an mature Astrophytum asterias with five stable ribs. This form however looks suspiciously hybridized with myriostigma or coahuilense and probably is not a pure 100% asterias.
RURI This form has a very characteristic glabrous stem lacking (or with very few) white tufts of loose hairy scales typical of the common Astrophytum asterias. The smooth green epidermis show up the felty areoles.
FUKURYU is a Japanese word that would mean presence of additional ribs (coasts). This plant will develop protuberances (like beginnings of ribs) or small extra ribs (more or less prominent ). Usually this additional ribs will not reach the plant apex, they have not areoles and develops on the lateral side sandwiched between two contiguous true rib. There is also a different form of ‘Fukuryu’ which has many “warts” between the ribs.
OOIBO is very similar to the Astrophytum asterias, but it has very large characteristic and woolly areoles, the colour of the wool also varies from pure white, to pastel, yellowish, orangish or brownish depending on the clone. So it is easily distinguishable from the standard Astrophytum asterias that has relatively small scarcely woolly greys-white areoles.
Origin and Habitat
Garden origin (Nursery produced cultivar)
Cultivation and Propagation
Although regarded as a choice and difficult plant is not too difficult in a greenhouse, although grows quite slowly. It is sometime seen as a grafted plant but grows very well on its own roots too. Use mineral well permeable mineral soil with little organic matter (peat, humus). Water sparingly from March till October (weekly during summertime, if the weather is sunny enoughand) , with a little fertilizer added. keep perfectly dry in winter at temperatures from 5 to 15 degrees centigrade. (but it is relatively cold resistant and hardy to -7° (-10°)C for short periods) In the rest period no high atmospheric humidity!! They need a good amount of light shade to full sun this help to keep the plants healthy, although slow growth.
Propagation: Almost exclusively by seed that germinate rapidly. Plants are sometimes grafted onto column-shaped cacti.