Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Specific Families and Genera => Cacti and Succulents => Topic started by: ruweiss on October 01, 2008, 04:11:43 PM

Title: A strange cactus
Post by: ruweiss on October 01, 2008, 04:11:43 PM

In the last warm days in September my plant of Digitostigma (Astrophytum) caput-medusae surprised
me with this nicely scented flower. This Mexican plant is rather new in cultivation and was described
in 2002. It is amazing, that it could stay undiscovered for such a long time. Due to lack of space I can
cultivate only very few cactii, but at our local plant sale in march I could not resist to buy this small grafted plant.

Title: Re: A strange cactus
Post by: Carlo on October 01, 2008, 04:25:19 PM

such a pity it's grafted...

Beautiful flower though. I grow several Astrophytums on their own roots...I think it's a much nicer look--despite the fact that they may grow slowly and be more difficult...

Well grown; congratulations.

Title: Re: A strange cactus
Post by: ruweiss on October 05, 2008, 07:48:44 PM

Dear Carlo, thank you for your kind comment, My main interest are alpine plants,so
I have only very few cactii in a corner of my alpine house,because the space for winter
on my windowsills is very limited. As a schoolboy I once saw a picture of Astrophytum
asterias in an old Haage catalogue and was fascinated about this showy and interesting
genus and this interest is still alive.That was the reason for me to buy this grafted plant for
easier cultivation.

Title: Re: A strange cactus
Post by: mark smyth on December 12, 2008, 11:41:35 AM

I only just saw this. That's a very interesting Cactus. How long has it taken to flower?

Title: Re: A strange cactus
Post by: KentGardener on December 13, 2008, 05:21:54 AM

Very interesting Rudi.  I had not heard of that cactus before.  I have been out of touch with the BCSS since I sold my entire collection, and didn't renew my membership, in the early 1990's.  The last cactus I remember being discovered was the Aztekium discovered in the 80's.  It is indeed amazing how there are still brand new plants and bugs continuing to be discovered in this century.

Thank you for showing the picture of this interesting new plant.

John

Title: Re: A strange cactus
Post by: ruweiss on December 16, 2008, 08:36:53 PM

Mark, I bought this plant at the plant sale of our cactus club in march 2008. There were 2 grafts on a fat stock plant, each one
about 2 cm long. One of them refused to grow, but the other one grew amazingly quick and flowered at the end of september.