Xerophyte

Description

The cultivar 'ONZUKA' (In Japanese speaking "Onzuka Ranpo-gyoku") has snowy-white, heavily speckled epidermis with fabulous markings much like the ‘kabuto’ ’ asterias. The white marking varies considerably from plant to plant and there exist an enormous number of different designs, and also plants change their appearance in age and they are full of surprises as they grows. The “tricostatum” is a strikingly pretty cultivar with only three ribs and the “columnaris” deviate from the well-known typical form for its more columnar growth and smaller flowers size.

Note

This cultivar tends to be unstable, and some of the three ribbed specimens develop additional ribs as they age. Old and big plants which maintain the typical three ribbed shape are very  very prized.

Flowers

Usually smaller than those of Astrophytum myriostigmaSN|1845]]SN|1845]], 2,5-4 cm in length, pale-yellow, silk-shining, occasionally with an orange gloom. The flowers arise from the areole at the tip of the stem on mature plant (at least 4-5 years old).

Blooming Season

Blooming intermittently throughout the warm months from spring to autumn.

Ribs

3.

Stem

Slender and more thin, already in the youth phase. Dimension 25-50(-100) cm tall, only 3-5(-8) cm in diameter.