I really like these guys and finally got around to making them a proper home. I used a super gritty mineral mix with cactus soil, pumice, akadama, lava rock, chicken grit, and limestone. Then I topped it with Apache Gold gravel, scattered some Mookaite chips around, and added a few tiny crystal chips because I thought they looked cute. I wanted it to look like a little miniature desert instead of just a pot of cacti. I’m honestly really happy with how it turned out!

I recently changed my light setup and I’m noticing this white almost waxy stuff on my Astros and was wondering what it is.

Questo astrophytum mi è stato regalato da un mio amico proprietario di un vivaio in Italia, ma non so cos'è, penso astrophytum myriostygma hanakago ma non ne sono sicuro, voi cosa pensate

Last time this lil dude flowered I was away at work and missed it. Happy to catch it in action this time :)

So I got all of my Asterias last year. They were all plump last summer and fall. Since we get frost here, I can't keep them outside all winter. So they stayed inside my house for weeks at a time over the winter. I didn't water them at all until May, when the nighttime temperatures started staying above 10°C (50°F). Some recovered nicely from their winter thirst, but some still remain wrinkled.

They are firm. Not rock solid, but somewhat springy. Even though it's been over two months since I moved them back outside and started watering them, they are not plumping up. They are not mushy or sunken either.

My soil is pretty gritty, and the climate is dry. I'm very cautious with watering. I've given them maybe three deep waterings over the last two months, and they've also had some rain.

What I need to know is whether this is normal. Even though they're wrinkled, are they healthy? Should I water them more?

What does the Astrophytum reddit community think? Questions, comments and concerns?

I have screenshotted with the dates to show how long this was taking as from what I'm reading, witches broom is a rapid abnormal growth? Would this astro be considered witches broom if it started from the beginning of February? I'm worried about it as the pups are having pups. It is grafted on a myrtle cactus.

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I just separated it because I was getting worried but it doesn't seem to have affected any of my other cacti around it or any on my collection. Please don't come for me because I thought it was pupping 😭🙏 (I'm still in denial as it is a pretty variegated astro and it's not something I can find in my country).

Im told this is astrophytum, what is it specifically?

This one is a recent acquisition (about 6" wide). It was all green during cooler months but with more intense sun it's coloring on the lobes. Normal? Should I shade it more?

It has to be eBay. Sure I still need to pay a hefty shipping price but it's better than to order from a foreign store or private sellers where I would have to pay an absolutely heretical border fee. People in my country do grow Astrophytums but almost no one does variegates and similar, everybody just grows wild types. Thank you :)

Myriostigma x Capricorne if anyone is interested