Astrophytum myriostigma cv. Kitabatake
Astrophytum myriostigma cv. Kitabatake (often simply Kitabatake) is a name applied to variegated selections of the bishop's-cap cactus, Astrophytum myriostigma. These plants combine the familiar spineless, ribbed, white-flecked body of the species with irregular chlorophyll-free sectors that read as yellow, orange or pink against the green.
Because the variegation is a pigment pattern rather than a change in form, care follows the parent species — see Astrophytum myriostigma for the full account.
Description
In outline and structure a Kitabatake plant is a true bishop's-cap: a rounded to slowly columnar body, usually with a small number of broad, well-defined ribs, no spines, and a surface dusted with the tufts of tiny white trichome flecks that give myriostigma its "many-spotted" character. What sets these selections apart is variegation — patches of tissue that lack chlorophyll. Where the green is missing, the underlying pigments show through as blocks, streaks or whole ribs of yellow, warm orange or soft pink, often marbled unpredictably across the body. No two plants are marked alike, and the pattern can shift as the plant grows, sometimes throwing more colour, sometimes reverting toward green. As with the species, mature plants produce yellow, daisy-like flowers from the woolly crown.
Growers should remember that the coloured sectors carry little or no chlorophyll and so contribute little to feeding the plant. A heavily variegated specimen depends on its remaining green tissue for energy and is correspondingly slower and more delicate than an ordinary bishop's-cap.
Cultivation
Grow Kitabatake much as you would any Astrophytum myriostigma: bright light, a fast-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix), sparing water with a full dry-down between drinks, and a cool, dry winter rest. A few adjustments help the variegated forms:
- Light — give bright but slightly filtered light. Lacking chlorophyll, the variegated sectors cannot photosynthesise to shed the light they absorb and so scorch more readily than green tissue, yet too little light dulls the colour and encourages the plant to revert to green. Aim for strong, even light with shade from the harshest afternoon sun.
- Vigour — with less green tissue to photosynthesise, these plants grow slowly and are less forgiving of overwatering. Err on the dry side and be patient.
- Grafting — strongly variegated or weak seedlings are frequently grown on a vigorous rootstock to keep them alive and growing; see Grafting. Plants on their own roots are perfectly possible for less extreme individuals, but expect slower growth.
See also
- Astrophytum myriostigma — the parent species
- Astrophytum — the genus overview
- Grafting · Soil and potting mix · Watering