Cactus Seed Growing System Kit Instructions

Step One: Remove plastic wrap from seed starting supplies; 10oz cup, peat pot, seed package and plastic baggie containing growing medium.

Step Two: Pour growing medium into peat pot at bottom of 10oz cup, and set plastic baggie aside.

Step Three: Pour 1/8 cup of distilled or filtered water into 10oz cup, soaking the growing medium and peat pot. Water may take several minutes to soak in.

Step Four: Open seed package and sprinkle seeds on top of wet growing medium.

Step Five: Keep seeds wet inside of plastic baggie, and then remove baggie after seeds begin to germinate.

Ambient daytime temperature for seeds to germinate will need to be over 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Germination times will vary between 1 to 4 weeks, and some cactus seeds may germinate as late as 2 years after having been planted.

After seeds begin to germinate remove plastic baggie keeping seedlings uncovered. Water seedlings alternating between wet and dry growing medium until seedlings are large enough to transplant into their own small flower pots.

Astrophytum ornatum

Adult Plant Growing Information

Five-Spine Rating - 4^?

Yes - small container size plant. This variety will occupy a small flower pot comfortably and remain a manageable sized house plant.

This variety will do their best as houseplants with lots of sun and they become stressed with inadequate light which could result in poor health or even death.

Yes - does well with cool winter time temperatures. This variety will tolerate temperatures down below 50 °F. if the roots are kept dry, and will do very well in a home with energy saving thermostat setting.

Yes - easy care root system. This variety stores water in the parts of the plant which are above the soil leaving the root system small enough to fit into a proportionally sized flower pot.

Yes - flowers easily as a house plant. This variety is likely to flower as a house plant, but results will depend on a variety of growing conditions.

good locations

Potential living space locations include; East, West windows, but a South window or a three to four seasons room will work better where the plants get more sun. This species will tolerate very cool days and cold nights, but will need the temperatures to remain above 20 °F. This species will survive better than any other Astrophytum in wet climates, and appears to be the hardiest variety outside of its habitat. Like all Astrophytum this plant is a sun lover, and will benefit from being outdoors in the growing season.

Most plants continue to grow only having 7 - 9 ribs, but sometimes plants may increase the number of ribs as they grow depending on the individual plant genetics.

Flowers can be up to 3 inches wide on large adult plants and they are almost always bright yellow.

size

Ornatum is a cactus that grows from 4 to 12 inches wide, and may become columnar with age. They remain in a globular form for many years, and if they do become columnar they can get up to 4 feet high. These plants have a common name, 'Monk's Hood', but whatever... They sport fairly thick spines along their ribs and vary in the amount of, what's called, fleck or frocking. Individual plants can vary in appearance with different frocking patterns, which gives a lot of variety to the visual appearance of ornatum.

ancestry

Mexico; Hidalgo, Queretaro

plant propagation origin

Plants and seeds are grown and propagated by windowsillcactus.com.

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