Description

Astrophytum Asterias | Sand Dollar Cactus

This is one of the most attractive cactus species. Astrophytum asterias is mainly found in the shade of other plants or rocks  almost completely buried underground, often covered by sand. Its colours match that of the surrounding soil and is difficult to spot if not in flower. Much of its original habitat has been destroyed by habitat destruction, agriculture, collecting and foraging by cottontail-rabbits in Texas and in Tamaulipas. Once fairly widely distributed in south Texas, the species is now known from only one locality near Rio Grande City.

Astrophytum asterias (a.k.a. Sea-Urchin Cactus or Sand Dollar) is an extremely flat barrel cactus with unique and remarkably beautiful form and no typical covering of spines, but with tiny speckled tuft of hairs less than pinhead-sized. It produces large yellow flowers with orange throats often larger than the plant itself. This cactus is spineless much like Lophophora. This cactus may flower at any time during the warmer months of the year if adequate water is provided.

Astrophytum asterias cactus seeds can be found here.