Astrophytum asterias

Astrophytum asterias

Thursday 30 October 2014

Cactus / hanazono kabuto

Many asterias were in flower in the afternoon.
The attached photo is a hanazono kabuto, one of them.
Since the plant has been propagated from seed, it is very flat shape.


Tuesday 28 October 2014

Cactus / Ariocarpus seedings

The growing speed of Ariocarpus seedlings is slow.
I sow seeds every year since 2006.
I could see flowers except 1 species.
It is A. brevoanus v hintonii which grows very very slowly.
The photo is a seedling sown seeds in 2006, still in a 50 mm square tube.
I expect the flowering next autumn.


Monday 27 October 2014

Cactus / New pots

I collect cacti for the ornamental purpose.
Pot is a key element of the purpose.
I bought 2 types of new pots lately from overseas for matured asterias and Ariocarpus.
The photo is a miracle kabuto in one of  new pots called G-pot.


Saturday 25 October 2014

Cactus / asterias seedlings

3 asterias cultivar seedlings were in flower in the afternoon.
They are very young, sown seeds on 25th October 2011, means 3 years old.
They are ruri kabuto x miracle kabuto and showing both parents characters.
It is the 1st flowering for them.



Thursday 23 October 2014

Cactus / hetarochromus

4 of Thelocactus hetarochromus were in flower together yesterday.
Their flowers are quite large and shining like a metal.
No rain in this month and air is very dry now.

Tuesday 21 October 2014

Cactus / spegazzinii

My main collection is North American cacti. The collection of South American is small.
The photo is a typical South American, Gymnocalycium spegazzinii v loricatun.
I propagated this one from seeds, sown on 16th November 2003.
Since this one has short spines, the flower can open easily.



Monday 20 October 2014

Cactus / horizontharonius

An Echinocactus horizontharonius was in flower yesterday.
It was just one plant but I reserved pollen collected another plant which was in flower 3 days ago.
I will pollinate when the stigma was open completely, possibly today.

Saturday 18 October 2014

Cactus / asterias seedling

A very young red flowering asterias was in flower.
I sowed seeds on 8th October 2011, means 3 years old.
Seeds were harvested from my plants.
20 seedlings have survived and they are 3 to 4 cm diameter.

Friday 17 October 2014

Cactus / asterias

This asterias pushes flowers from odd locations.
I believe the gene of hanazono is mixed in this one.
The plant is 12 cm diameter, a mature age.

Tuesday 14 October 2014

Cactus / asterias

Many asterias were in flower in this afternoon.
Astrophytum asterias are my main collection and keep them in my 2nd greenhouse.
The photo is in my 2nd greenhouse.

Monday 13 October 2014

Cactus / hanazono kabuto

An Astrophytum asterias cv hanazono (flower-garden) was in flower yesterday.
This Japanese cultivar will push flowers from everywhere over the body.
I degrafted this one with a short vascular bundle of hylocereus stock some years ago.
It was weak a while but it seems recovered now.

Wednesday 8 October 2014

Cactus / pectinatus

Only 4 plants of Echinocereus are in my greenhouse.
The photo is one of them, E. pectinatus v castneus.
I bought the seedling 10 years ago.
The flower color of Echinocereus is very attractive.

Monday 6 October 2014

Cactus / super kabuto

The maximum temperature of yesterday was 31 'C, warmed up.
Many asterias were in flower yesterday.
The photo is one of them, super kabuto.

Sunday 5 October 2014

Cactus / horstii

A grafted Discocactus horstii was in flower.
This flower has a very nice scent.
I hope the technology allows to attach scent on website someday.

Friday 3 October 2014

Cactus / aselliformis

Peleciphora aselliformis propagated from cuttings were in flower together yesterday.
It is not so hard to root aselliformis cuttings if the plant size was more than 3 cm diameter.
On the other hand, seedlings will maintain very thin shape and need years to make a flowering size of plants.

Thursday 2 October 2014

Cactus / myriostigma

There are many cultivars in relation to myriostigma and is hard to find a standard form.
I believe this is the standard one.