Astrophytum asterias variegata flowering. Perfect specimen. Looking for pollen!

[hostilis]

Hi everyone. My favorite seed grown A. asterias variegata looks like it's forming a bud!! I would love to make some seed! The seeds it came from were near 100% variegates. So variegata has long been bred into it's genes. If one of you lovely people would donate me some pollen from an asterias (preferably) or even another type of astrophytum. It would be awesome if it was a cool cultivar or another variegata strain, but even if it's just plain old astro pollen I'd be happy.

I will share seeds with whoever can share some pollen!! By the way, I'm in the US.

Thanks!

hostilis

[zelly]

I've a couple of astros flowering in the next few days, an asterias the size of a softball & a capricorn.

A variegated myriostigma nudem has some buds showing....but they may be too late...

[hostilis]

Awesome!! Let me know.

[mutant]

myriostigma doesn't cross with asterias

its a bit early for asterias flowers (even myriostigmas) for the norther hemisphere

stenos, mammilarias and other earliy bloomers are now flowering / begining to flower

maybe if you take it outside it will flower again in end may begining of june

Edited March 25, 2015 by mutant

[hostilis]

You can cross those. I've literally grown out Asterias x myriostigma seeds and vise versa.

And I will take it outside for sure once it is warm enough.

Here's a picture of an Asterias x Myriostigma "Onzuka" from cactus art.

Edited March 25, 2015 by hostilis

[spooge]

Beutiful plant Hostilis.

I've not thought yet of saving pollen from my plants, I swirl the paint brush on day 3 of a flower being open and that's it - seeds in 60% of the flowers.

Now I'll do a few cotton buds before I pollinate some of the nicer ones and save them for times such as these.

If the flower pollinates the seeds from your plants will be wonderful.

Awsome that Zelly may have some pollen.

Crossing it with a coloured kikko or a hakujo would be special.

[mutant]

I dont think so hostilis

http://www.cactus-art.biz/schede/ASTROPHYTUM/Astrophytum_hybrids/Astrophytum_hybrid_ONZ-AS/Astrophytum_hybrid_ONZ-AS.htm

the only crosses asterias X myriostigma are mentioned are with an onzuka , which means myriostigma onzuka might be more or totally compatible with asterias, in contrary to true myriostigma..

Edited March 26, 2015 by mutant

[Myeloblast]

I have an A. coahuilense that should flower soon if you want another pollen option. Let me know

[hostilis]

I've seen other crosses of asterias and myriostigma as well. And onzuka is basically just a myriostigma with flecking. I wouldn't consider it not to be a "true myriostigma"

This is a non onzuka asterias x myriostigma.

But I guess we can agree to dissagree.

Myleoblast. I am getting pollen from zelly, but thanks for the offer!

Edited March 27, 2015 by hostilis

[mutant]

the fact that it can be done doesnt mean it can be done easily.

For example Ferobergias CAN be done, but whats the rate if you try it?

Onzuka is a cultivar / var or myriostigma, in that sense I meant the plain myrio form as true

anyways, its a given some species are more compatible with others

[mutant]

I just remembered something...

how would you know a hyrbid is actually asterias X myrio and not the much easier to create asterias X coahuilense ?

because I have one like the one you show and its asterias X coahuilense ...

[hostilis]

You can use that same exact argument on your plant or any hybrid other than ones you've made. Anyways, like I said agree to disagree. Lets drop it. That's not the point of this thread.

Edited March 28, 2015 by hostilis

[mutant]

maybe but, hey, I LOVE to disagree!! what the point in discussing when agreeing??

Besides, this is exactly the point of the thread or at least my point:

cluster 1 : asterias capricorn and coachiluensis hybridise freely,

and so do cluster 2: myriostigma and ornatum

flower phenotype confirms this

but cluster 1 does not hybridise freely with cluster 2 , and if they could, it would not be a regular and 100 thing..

or at least thats what I know ... if someone knows something else, and there are more experienced cacti people in here than me, please say so!

PS: hostilis, have you owned a coachiluensis?

PS2: my point is get something from cluster 1 to cross your asterias variegata

Edited March 29, 2015 by mutant

[hostilis]

I actually do have an asterias x coahuilense variegata and a few coahuilense seedlings. And you're the first person I've ever heard say that asterias and myriostigma don't cross, but I've seen other people showing pictures of or talking about asterias x myriostigma or vise versa. I even have some growing myself from seed. This is why I don't really get your point.

The first two pictures are my asterias x coahuilense variegata plant. The third picture is an asterias "super kabuto" x myriostigma seedling.

Edited March 29, 2015 by hostilis

[mutant]

maybe you dont know it yet, or maybe I am wrong...

and, in 1927, H. Möller found out that interbreeding does not occur between species with red-throated flowers and those with yellow-throated flowers, since they evolved along different genetic lines.

http://www.cactusedintorni.com/fr/Astrophytum/index.html

[gr33ntea]

I got three variegated seedlings grafted and growing. Can't wait until they big boyz.
Edit: and exchange pollen

Edited March 31, 2015 by gr33ntea

[zelly]

want some of this pollen?

[_Cursive]

Wooooah. That is a beauty!!

[hostilis]

Mutant. I've seen hybrids of the two species around, but I can believe that it's hard to do.

Zelly, is that the pollen you sent me?

Edit: Nevermind, just saw the date. And the flower hasn't opened yet, so you still could send me some of that ;)

Edited April 8, 2015 by hostilis

[hostilis]

By the way. This plant is actually grafted onto a seed grown TPQC x TPM that wasn't a mutant. Turned out to be amazing grafting stock!

[franky]

Hopefully get some funky asterias from this batch. Seeds came from variagated lineage.

[hostilis]

So the flower was pink!!! Super stoked on that, but it died randomly before it opened. It just stopped growing and then the petals dried out. My other asterias are flower now though so oh well. Maybe it'll flower again too. It has almost doubled in size since the flower first showed up. It must have aborted the flower to focus on growth or something. I have no clue. I'll post a picture of it before it died later today. It had a really nice color.

[_Cursive]

Ah man!

[hostilis]

I know.

Mutant, check this out.

http://www.cactus-art.biz/note-book/Dictionary/Dictionary_C/dictionary_crossbreeding.htm

What do you think of that example? They seem to think that AS X CO is possible.

[Myeloblast]

cluster 1 : asterias capricorn and coachiluensis hybridise freely,

and so do cluster 2: myriostigma and ornatum

but cluster 1 does not hybridise freely with cluster 2 , and if they could, it would not be a regular and 100 thing..

It's asterias x myrio that is the more difficult, but not impossible, cross to make