Astrophytum asterias

Astrophytum asterias

Friday 30 October 2015

Cactus / armatum

It is hard to open flowers completely on Gymnocalycium species with strong spines.
The photo is G. spegazzinii v armatum sp nova.
I bought seeds and sowed on 16th November 2003, means 12 years old.

Thursday 29 October 2015

Cactus / horizontharonius

The photo is the 1st flower of Echinocactus horizotharonius in this season.
I collected many seeds last season and have no intention to pollinate in this season.
I like the body color of E. horizontharonius.

Wednesday 28 October 2015

Cactus / asterias

This asterias is the 1st filial of ruri kabuto x super kabuto.
The contrast of dark green body and withe flecking is attractive but the body size is quite small.

Sunday 25 October 2015

Cactus / asterias

This asterias is a mature age one.
The body has turned to multiple ribs and also has shown a hanazono character.

Saturday 24 October 2015

Cactus / horstii

Several Discocactus were in flower last night.
I took photos early in this morning.
The scent of Discocactus flower is very nice and I can recognize the flowering when I step in the greenhouse.
The photo is D. horstii.

Friday 23 October 2015

Cactus / hanazono kabuto

Another hanazono kabuto was in flower yesterday.
I have 7 hanazono kabutos sown seeds on same day.
The photo is on e of them.

Thursday 22 October 2015

Cactus / cauliflower

It is the harvesting time of Ariocarpus seeds.
Ariocarpus were pollinated last autumn and fruits are pushed out currently.
The photo is an A. retusus v furfuraceus cv Suguri-cauliflower.

Wednesday 21 October 2015

Cactus / asterias

I am not sure the exact reason but many asterias open flowers together.
The photo is in my 2nd greenhouse kept asterias only.

Tuesday 20 October 2015

Cactus / miracle kabuto

Several miracle kabutos were in flower yesterday.
Although the densities of flecking are varied, this one is a typical my miracle kabuto.

Monday 19 October 2015

Cactus / ruri kabuto

An Astrophytum  asterias cv ruri kabuto was in flower yesterday afternoon.
Unfortunately the body was slightly elongated during last one year by unknown reason.

Sunday 18 October 2015

Cactus / disciformis

I got 2 grafted Strombocactus disciformis from my friend a few months ago.
One of them were in flower yesterday.
I pollinated with T. alonsoi as a trial.


Saturday 17 October 2015

Cactus / spegazzinii v loricatum

I bought 50 seeds and sowed on 16th November 2003.
Only 6 cacti have remained because died many by various reasons.
Spine lengths are varied by unknown reason.
This one has very short spines.


Friday 16 October 2015

Cactus / asterias

Astrophytum asterias shows a distinctive personality when it reached a mature age.
The photo is a matured asterias, sown seeds in 2000.
The diameter is 16 cm currently.


Thursday 15 October 2015

Cactus / super kabuto

It is not so easy to get true red flowering asterias.
This super kabuto has reddish color flowers.
I have attempted to improve this color.

Wednesday 14 October 2015

Cactus / red flowering asterias

This grafted cactus, Astrophytum hanazono kabuto x red flowering asterias is very young.
I sowed seeds last year and grafted 12 seedlings onto Pereskiopsis.
I have tried to create red flowering hanazono kabuto.
The scion is the 1st filial.

Tuesday 13 October 2015

Cactus / hanazono kabuto

Many asterias have stared to be in flower.
This is one of them, hanazono kabuto.
I bought seeds and sowed in 2003.

Monday 12 October 2015

Cactus / Onzuka

An Astrophytum Japanese cultivar, myriostigma cv Onzuka was in flower in the afternoon.
I bought seeds and sowed in 2003.
This cactus has also reached a mature age and additional ribs have been developed.


Sunday 11 October 2015

Cactus / ambatoense

I collected positively Gymnocalycium species with strong spines once.
Some species have still remained.
The photo is a G. ambatoense.
I like the flower color.


Saturday 10 October 2015

Cactus / heterchromus

SinceThelocactus is not my main collection, I keep only this species.
This species is called as "benitaka" in Japan.
I bought 10 seeds and sowed on 31st August 2006.
The flower of heterchromus is quite large.

Friday 9 October 2015

Cactus / Kikkou

I bought 40 seeds of Astrophytum myriostigma v nudum cv khoyo, kikkou and sowed on 17th September 2004.
The germination rate was not too bad but lost many seedlings by various reasons.
Just 2 plants  have been remained.
Since the plant has reached to a mature age, the body color tunes no longer.
Additional ribs have been developed.