Astrophytum asterias 'Snow'
| Light | Bright light; a little shade from the harshest afternoon sun prevents scorching of the woolly surface |
|---|---|
| Water | Sparingly; let the mix dry fully between waterings, dry winter rest |
| Soil | Fast-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; USDA zones 9b–11 |
| Propagation | Seed (selecting for heavy flecking); grafting to speed growth |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Astrophytum asterias 'Snow (widely sold as Snow Kabuto) is a super-flecked selection of Astrophytum asterias in which the small white woolly scales are so dense and so evenly spread that the green body is almost hidden, giving the plant an overall snowy, near-white appearance. It is one of the most popular flecked forms in the wider "Kabuto" (Japanese for the samurai helmet the disc-shaped body resembles) breeding tradition.
Description
'Snow' keeps the classic asterias silhouette: a low, spineless, ribbed disc, usually with the familiar eight (sometimes fewer) broad ribs separated by shallow grooves, and a woolly areole running down the centre of each rib. What sets it apart is the flecking. In ordinary asterias the white scales appear as scattered dots and flecks over a green body; in a good 'Snow' plant those scales are so numerous and so tightly packed that they merge into a continuous felt-like coating, and the underlying green tissue barely shows through. The effect is a plant that reads as white or silvery from a distance rather than green. Selection is a matter of degree, so plants sold under this name vary from heavily flecked to almost solidly white, with the whitest, most even individuals being the most prized. Flowers are the typical asterias funnel form, yellow with a red-orange throat, opening from the woolly crown in the growing season.
Cultivation
Care is the same as for the parent species, Astrophytum asterias — treat it as you would any disc-form Astrophytum. Give it bright light; the strong flecking actually holds up better in good light, though a little shading from the most intense summer afternoon sun helps prevent scorching of the woolly surface. Grow it in a fast-draining, largely mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) and water sparingly, letting the pot dry out completely between drinks and keeping it dry through a cool winter rest (see Watering). As with all Astrophytum, the surest way to lose a plant is overwatering in cold or dull conditions.
One point specific to heavily flecked forms: the dense white wool sits right on the skin, so water splashed onto the crown can linger, matt the scales and invite rot. Water at the soil line rather than over the body, and give the plant enough air movement to dry quickly.
Propagation
'Snow' comes reasonably true from seed when both parents are strongly flecked, though as with any selection the seedlings vary and growers rogue out the greener ones as the flecking develops (see Propagation — seed). Astrophytum seedlings are slow, so choice or unusually white plants are often grafted onto a vigorous stock to bulk them up quickly before being grown on their own roots.
See also
- Astrophytum asterias — the parent species
- Astrophytum — the genus overview
- Grafting · Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — seed