I have a nice SK, I have noticed a brown patch appear recently, the weird thing is I have noticed that it is there more in the morning and diminishes a lot during the heat of the day. I think it's a moisture issue. Doesn't seem to be effecting the plant at all. Just wondering if I should leave it or hit it with some Fongarid? I dislike using chemicals, but have used Fongarid to good effect earlier in the season and will use it again if I need to.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Oh and enjoy the flower too







The second pic shows the brown patch earlier in the day (morning) and the above ones show it after it has dissipated. The brown patch is a bit more obvious than in this picture. I can get better pics if needed. I don't want to lose this specimen. It's a beauty! I really like it.

that's normal with many asterias cv's. usually, i find, from watering them one the plant. some breeders here grow certain fuzzy kinds (ie. hanazono) in plastic bags loosly put on top to keep them SUPER white. i find the different lines of hanazono tend to brown more than others. i have one that is a brown-cream colour and another one right beside it is the purist of whites.

no worries bro, sometimes jsut hte way she goes with these kinds of cv's. try bottom watering see if it goes away.

Yeah, I would give this recommendation as Kada.
It looks superficial so bottom watering should help.

I've seen the fur on some of my astros, particularly myriostigma go light brown from top watering. I thought it might be impurities like rust in the water that might be causing it. My SK's don't seem to get it as much though.

Thanks guys. That put's my mind at ease somewhat I suspected something benign as it only appears to be on the flecks/fur and not on the epidermis.

I will bottom water it and see if it changes over time. I have another one that has a bit of grey colouring on the flecks, but it's always been like that.

Gets pretty humid here too KanJe so I guess that doesn't help. I just need to adjust my potting media a watering regime accordingly. I sure Kada can relate to that You Southerners are lucky having lower humidity.

Cheers.

Trig

OH and...what are your thoughts on that little semi nude A. asterias Kada? The one with the trigonus writing on it.

what do you mean? looks like a hybrid if that's what your wondering but many astros are "mixed" blood, probably more uncommon to find pure ones than not now a days lol.

soil can also "dirty" the flecks and the skin.....this is why i no longer keep slower release fertilizers on the surface of the substrate in these slower growing type plants, they tend to "stain" the skin and tufts when watered.

are yours seed grown? looks kinda tall, but still be cool....beautiful plants! i have so little patience for astros on their own....i just leave them in trays and let them do their thing....if they are at the front i just drive myself nuts watching them not grow lol. oddly i dont mind waiting for otehrs liek ariocarpus and lophophora

Was more wondering a hybrid with what. Pretty hard to guess I suppose. It was sold to me as a cultivar, pretty sure it's not though.

I did feed them with some slow release. That might explain it too.

I think it's been grafted and then re-rooted. I bought it like that. I haven't done much grafting with Astros, Arios & other Mexicans except for lophs, I don't have enough to experiment with just yet. Need my seedlings to get a bit bigger first. So it's the extremly slow way for me right now. I don't mind, they are such attractive cacti. If I didn't let them flower all the time they might grow a bit faster, but I like the flowers and making hybrids is very enjoyable.

impossible to be 100% sure on things like that. i have some ornatum x asterias that look quite similar to that one.....but unless you made the cross or know the person who did, there is always going to be doubt.

Even SK are likely mixed blood to varying degrees. a lot of hanazono and other cv's will even have spines sometimes when young (relatively large).....many cv's are brought about by carious chemicals, often times used to try and hybridize diofferent species.

trigonus
Your super kabuto shows a typical degrapfted plant shape. An own-root plant grown from seedlings is flatter.
Brown color is stain but it is not too bad. Some of mines are also simmilar.
I am not sure your greenhous environment but many Japanese asterias collectors circulate air in the greenhouse by a fan to minimize turning the color. Is it enough air circulation in your greenhouse?

I wash super kabuto by baby-soap if it is neccessary to display the plant in public. It will be improved brown color when repeat washings around 3 times. You need good rinsings also.

The shape of ribs on the small asterias are too sharp compared to a normal asterias.
I think there was crossing with an Astrophytum, other than asterias in history.
Hanazono

Hanazona you are just full of knowledge. Would never have thought about washing my cacti to remove stains (3 times)
Great advice.

Yep as others said simply a stain. Can also be caused by air pollution ! Washing will generally fix it.