Astrophytum hybrid cv. CURLYSPINE
This beautiful plant of unknow origin - as the name indicate - bears very unusual short twisted spines.

Description: The only thing we know about this particular cultivar is that one of the parents may be  A. myriostigma or A. coahuilense as the five ribbed stem structure clearly shows, while the best candidate for the other parent is A. capricorne.  But the particular spination is so particular that there are many contrasting opinions about the true genealogy of this plant.
Stem: Unbranched, globular to cylindrical, bright green, covered with many white hairy scales spaced and similar in size to those of A. capricorne that give it a silvery-grey appearance. The scales are composed of very fine interwoven hairs, which, under a microscope, are very pretty object. A transverse section reveal a perfect star shaped form (like the common star-fish) giving the plant the appearance of a bishop's mitre.
Ribs: Usually 5,  that increase with age, vertical, regular, deep, prominent, very broad and acute.
Roots: Fine, fibrous.
Areoles: Spaced.
Spines:  Twisted, recurved, sometime forming apical ringlets or small irregularly shaped hooks. yellow to brownish.
Flowers: Funnelform,  yellow with a red center.
Blooming season: Flowers appear intermittently throughout the warm months from April to September. Plants may take up to six years to flower.
 

Advertising

Scientific name:  Astrophytum hybrid cv. curlyspine

Origin:  Garden origin (Nursery produced cultivar)

Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 2.

Cultivation: Relatively easy to cultivate it is sometime seen as a grafted plant but grows very well on its own roots too. Use mineral well permeable substratum with little organic matter (peat, humus). The Astrophytum grows much faster with a low nitrogen content fertilizer in spring and summer. Water sparingly from March till October, the thin, fibrous roots suffer if there is humidity, therefore the plant should be watered only when the surrounding terrain is dry. Keep dry as soon as the temperature starts dropping in October and keep it perfectly dry in winter at temperatures from 5 to 15 degrees centigrade. (but it is Hardy to -7°C for short periods) Although it is one of the easier Astrophytum to grow, they tend to rot at that time of the year, if kept wet. In the rest period no high atmospheric humidity!! Sun Exposure: Light shade to full sun, its colour tends to richer and darker when grown in light shade.

Propagation: Almost exclusively by seed. Plants are sometimes grafted onto column-shaped cacti. Cutting scions from a flourishing plant is almost a crime because the scions do not root easily.
 

Photo of  Astrophytum hybrids:

• A. hybrid AS-CAP (asterias x capricorne)
• A. hybrid AS-CO (asterias x coahuilense)
• A. hybrid AS-ONZ (asterias x ONZUKA)
• A. hybrid AS-SEN(AU) (asterias x senilis aureum)
• A. hybrid CAP-AS (capricorne x asterias)
• A. hybrid CAP-AS green  (capricorne x asterias green)
• A. hybrid CAP-SK (capricorne x SUPERKABUTO)
• A. hybrid CO-AS (capricorne x asterias)
• A. hybrid cv. CURLYSPINE
• A. hybrid MY-OR (myriostigma x ornatum)
• A. hybrid ONZ-AS (ONZUKA x asterias)
• A. hybrid ONZ-SK  (ONZUKA x SUPERKABUTO)
• A. hybrid ONZ-SK variegated & albinos forms (ONZUKA x SUPERKABUTO)
• A. hybrid ONZ-OR (ONZUKA x ornatum)
• A. hybrid OR-MY (ornatum x myriostigma)
• A. hybrid OR-ONZ (ornatum x onzuka)
• A. hybrid SEN-AS rosa (senilis x asterias nudum)
• A. hybrid SEN-SK (senilis x SUPERKABUTO)
• A. hybrid SEN(AU)-AS (senilis aureum x asterias)
• A. hybrid SK-CAP (SUPERKABUTO x capricorne)
• A. hybrid SK-CO (SUPERKABUTO x coahuilense)
• A. hybrid SK Multi-hybrid (SUPERKABUTO multiple interbreedings)
• A. hybrid SK Multi-hybrid variegated & albinos forms (SUPERKABUTO multiple interbreedings)