€7,95

Astrophytum myriostigma f. nudum (R.Meyer) Krainz 

🌱 Morphology
Globose to shortly columnar cactus, solitary, with a grayish-green to bluish-green epidermis completely devoid of the characteristic white stigmas of A. myriostigma. It typically features 5 tall, triangular, and very distinct ribs, although the number may increase with age. The areoles are rounded and close together, with spines absent or barely perceptible. It can reach about 20–30 cm in height and 10–15 cm in diameter. The nudum form is not a separate species or geographical variety: it represents a phenotype without trichomes, integrated into the natural variability of the species.

🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
It is found in northeastern Mexico, especially in populations in San Luis Potosí and areas near Matehuala, on limestone and stony terrain in xerophilous scrubland. Completely bare specimens are more frequent at certain altitudes, sometimes forming populations where bare or semi-bare individuals predominate. Field studies have observed that they tend to grow under moderate shade from shrubs, Agave, or Hechtia, as the absence of trichomes reduces protection against intense radiation. It belongs to the Cactaceae family, subfamily Cactoideae, tribe Cacteae. Lodé treats myriostigma var./f. nudum within Astrophytum myriostigma.

❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 9a
It tolerates minimum temperatures of up to −5 ºC when dry and in well-acclimated specimens. The bare form is especially sensitive to the combination of cold and humidity, which can cause spots and deterioration of the epidermis.

☀️ Lighting
Partial shade. It needs plenty of light, but this form must be cultivated with more care than the densely speckled form. The white trichomes of the normal species reflect radiation and help reduce the temperature of the epidermis; lacking them, bare specimens can suffer discoloration or chlorophyll degeneration under excessive solar radiation. Mild direct sun or very intense light with some protection during peak radiation hours is recommended. During active growth, an approximate DLI PAR of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹, with potentially lower values required during heat waves.

💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter rest. During winter, it should be kept completely dry, in a bright and well-ventilated area. In spring and summer, it is recommended to water deeply only when the substrate is completely dry, then allowing it to dry out completely again. In autumn, watering should be gradually spaced out. It is particularly important to avoid prolonged humidity in low temperatures.

🌸 Flowering
It flowers approximately from 5–6 years of age, although the age depends on cultivation conditions and the size reached. It produces bright creamy-yellow flowers, about 5–7 cm in diameter, sometimes with an orange or reddish base. In nature, flowering may begin in early spring, while in cultivation, it usually extends into spring and summer.

It is a species that re-flowers during the growing season: each individual flower lasts only a few days, but the flowers appear successively, so an adult plant can maintain a sequence of blooms for several weeks and even months. No sufficiently precise evidence has been found to establish a fixed number of 2 or 3 pulses per year, but there is enough to consider it a successive and prolonged bloomer.

🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with a high content of assimilable calcium and low nitrogen levels, such as Desert CHOICE® Cactáceas, is recommended, applied once a month when watering. Before flowering, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Floración.

This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a high-tech square pot and with substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi.

📏 The sizes of our basic collection xerophytes are as follows:

S -> 9cm x 9cm

M-> 14cm x 14 cm

L->16cm x 16 cm

* Since this is an online purchase, the appearance of the specimen sent may vary slightly from the product image. The measurements of the plant are specified in the photo description, but this may also vary slightly because, after all, it is a living being! Each of the plants at Desert CITY has unique characteristics.

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