13 January 2008
Seedling update - Astros and Turbs
Posted by Stuart under: Cacti; Propagation .
Whenever I’ve attempted to grow Astrophytums from seed in the past, I’ve always found them quick to germinate and equally quick to start producing the white flecking that is so characteristic of many of the adult forms.
These young Astrophytum myriostigma are no exception. Sown on December the 21st 2007, they took less than a week to come up, and are already starting to look like baby astros instead of green ellipses.
Germination is about 70% for these, and the seed was from Doug & Vivi Rowland.
The turbs have been a bit variable. Two pots of Turbinicarpus polaskii are doing fine, as is this pot of Turbinicarpus pseudomacrochele, but another pot of Turbinicarpus swobodae produced a handful of extremely weak seedlings that seem to have very little - or no - will to live.
What’s very pleasing to me is the fact that these too are starting to look like baby cacti. These were sown on December the 18th.