Cactus Astrophytum Myriostigma

Here’s a cactus that can’t be missing in any collection. It is the Astrophytum Myriostigma and is native to Mexico. This plant is known as a bishop’s nut. When small, it forms globular, but as it grows, so does in height, so as it develops, it becomes columnar. If it is globular, it is between ten and twenty-five centimeters in diameter and when it is columnar it reaches between sixty and a hundred centimeters in height. The body is usually green, but if you look at it well, you can see that it has white tips (that if you touch them with your fingers disappear) and this can vary the green color by bringing whitish or grayish colorations.

One thing that is very characteristic of this species is normal with between four and five ribs, and sometimes very punctually it may have up to eight. And another thing that is also very characteristic and that is to be welcomed is that it has not a single spike. Along the ribs areoles are found in a cottony and brown form.

It has good heat tolerance, needs sun and supports temperatures of up to five degrees negative, but it is not appropriate to expose it to this temperature for long. So, the ideal temperature at which it should be between ten and five positive degrees. This ensures that it cannot suffer damage caused by the cold.

The flowers of the bishop’s bonnet are large, between three and six centimeters in diameter, and arise from the areoles at the top of the cactus. They are yellow and spectacular. Their half-life is about a week. One negative point is that it can take up to six years to flourish. It blooms from spring to autumn and the number of flowers varies depending on the size, age and health of the plant.

It needs good lighting for its good development and flowering. It’s important that you have him out there and have him: sun in the mornings and half-shadow the rest of the day. It needs moderate humidity in the summer, so I advise you to blow it once a week when it is warmer and in the spring with a stroke every fifteen days is enough. In autumn and winter, if you are in an area where minimum temperatures do not fall from ten positive degrees, you can allow yourself to water it once a month, and if not, do not bring water until next season.

Its roots are very sensitive to excess moisture. Be careful that the substrate is not stolen and you will have no problem in making this magnificent specimen live.