Publication: Cactaceae [Itô] 508, without type. 1981 (Locality not stated.)
Description
This form has a very characteristic glabrous stem lacking the white tufts of loose hairy scales typical of the common Astrophytum asterias. The smooth green epidermis show up the felty areoles. The plants during cold and dry winter rest often take a nice red colouring.
Origin and Habitat
Nude plants are occasionally found in the natural habitat but many of the clones actually in cultivation are of 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.
Bibliography
Major references and further lectures
-
Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
-
James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey “The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass” Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug/2011
-
David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. “The New Cactus Lexicon” dh books, 2006
-
N. L. Britton, J. N. Rose: “The Cactaceae. Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family.” Volume III, The Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington 1922
-
Brian Loflin, Shirley Loflin “Texas Cacti: A Field Guide” Texas A&M University Press, 26/Oct/2009
-
Albert Michael Powell, James F. Weedin “Cacti of the Trans-Pecos and Adjacent Areas” Texas Tech University Press, 2004
-
Del Weniger “Cacti of Texas and Neighboring States: A Field Guide” University of Texas Press, 1984
-
Alfred Richardson “Plants of Deep South Texas: A Field Guide to the Woody and Flowering Species” Texas A&M University Press, 2010
-
Jackie M. Poole, William R. Carr, Dana M. Price “Rare Plants of Texas: A Field Guide” Texas A&M University Press, 2007
Gallery
