Astrophytum ornatum
monk's hood cactus
A spherical to columnar cactus with 6-8 ribs that are straight or occasionally spiralled to 35cm tall. These are light-green and are cross-banded with small woolly scales. Areoles are close-set and bear brown or yellow spines. Pale yellow flowers are borne in summer
Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metresTime to ultimate height
10–20 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Well–drainedpH
Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green White | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green White | Yellow | ||
| Autumn | Green White | |||
| Winter | Green White |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
West–facing or South–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H2Botanical details
- Family
- Cactaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Genus
Astrophytum are compact perennial cacti with ribbed, spherical or columnar stems bearing woolly, sometimes also shortly spiny areoles, and large, solitary, funnel-shaped flowers in summer, followed by red or green berries
- Name status
Correct
- Plant range
- CE Mexico
How to grow
Cultivation
Under glass grow in a sharply-draining loam based compost (JI No2) with extra perlite or sharp sand or a proprietary cactus compost, in bright filtered light. Water thoroughly once the compost has become dry in the growing season from spring to early-autumn, but keep dry when dormant. In warmer climates outdoors grow in sharply-drained, poor, slightly alkaline soil in full sun
Propagation
Propagate by seed sown at 21°C in early spring
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Patio and container plants
Pruning
No pruning required
Pests
May be susceptible to mealybugs and scale insects
Diseases
Generally disease-free
Get involved
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