Planetaceae contains some of the most precious plants for cactus enthusiasts, and specimens can be found in almost every common gathering place. Although this species appears to be numerous on the surface, it consists of only six species. 1. Planet (Chinese customary name "Pocket"), 2. Rui Fengyu, 3. Medusa, 4. White Luan Fengyu, 5. Luan Fengyu, 6. Prajna (one of the newest and most special planetary genera, originally described as a new genus, digitalis, but British botanist David Hunt mentions that this genus is mainly because its flowers and seeds are very similar to the planetary genus, including its habitat, although its physical appearance is very different from other species, which has led to various speculations about its origin).
Planetary genera have remained independent and indivisible individuals for the past few years, but this is only one exception. Ruifengyu, Luanfengyu and Prajna have been divided into various types and forms, some of which have reached special status. This is most notable in one case, Luan Fengyu. Most of the species have been abandoned. Except for one species that is now considered a good species, separated from one species of Luan Fengyu, the White Luan Fengyu, its body form is very similar to that of Luan Fengyu. However, the current trend of increasing concentration of cacti (such as focusing on rock peony or black feather jade or delicate, etc.) has not forced lovers of the planet genus to limit themselves to a certain category, because the kaleidoscopic nature of the planet genus is eagerly welcomed by enthusiasts. The Latin name Astrophytum translates to "planetary genus" and does not refer to the shape of a protruding ridge of the plant body. Instead, the plant body is covered with white scales like a sky full of stars.
A feature of the genus is that it can be easily cultivated from seeds, which makes amateur growers ok too. Large brown helmet-shaped seeds common to the genus germinate quickly, and if the seeds are fresh, they usually germinate within a week after sowing and grow rapidly to form fruity seedlings. Another feature is that different species can easily cross, leading to uncertainty about the attribution of certain plant names.
Pockets in the wild state
As you can see from the publications of endemic species in Japan, the variability obtained through selective breeding in these species is almost unlimited, which is also a wonderful attraction for enthusiasts of the planet genus. The genus was first discovered in northeastern Mexico, a species called the starfish pocket (a.asterias) that had just crossed the border into southeast texas.
I. Planet (Pocket)
Planets are ideal for many growers, and often, the hardest to cultivate. Its maximum diameter is reported to be close to 24 cm, but during incubation, the maximum diameter seen is mostly about 12 cm. If it grows in plenty of light, it will remain very flat and not more than 2-3 cm tall. To our surprise, the plant grows from between the edges of the body, not from the top of the bulb. A tall planet usually means that future life may be short, or it may be a grafted product. The body usually has eight ridges, each with a row of large, fluffy, thornless warts in the middle. White spots are a feature of the genus Planet, and their number is diverse, from none to almost completely obscuring the plant body. Planets (pockets) can form a new plant by hybridization.
In recent years, they have been sought after by enthusiasts for their bizarre features. These beautiful flowers bloom from the center of the plant and are yellow, sometimes pink, about 4 cm in diameter. This plant is prone to over-watering and dies, and should grow in an alkaline, very gravelly mixture of soil. Cold resistance is not strong, it is recommended that the absolute minimum temperature is 5 ° C or slightly higher to ensure absolute safety. Like other members of the genus, it is easy to grow from seeds, but care is needed to ensure its survival. Planet (Pocket) is the most commonly used species in hybridization experiments of the genus.
Introduction to Japanese horticultural ornamental pockets
After years of hybrid selection by Japanese craftsmen, the Japanese horticultural ornamental pocket is roughly divided into the following five categories: glass pocket, thick white dot pocket, star pocket, super pocket and miracle pocket. There will also be subdivisions of the above categories.
1. Glass pocket
The glass sphere is green, and except for the warts with fluff, the skin is as smooth as glass, which is called glass pocket.
Glass hood
2. Thick white dot pocket
It is a long-term preferred product of star pocket, and the spot characteristic is very similar to the spot of star pocket, but the fluff feeling and distribution density are significantly higher than that of star pocket. The fine velvet of the thick white dots is different from the thin paper of the miracle spots. Thick white dot pocket is called "white pocket" in Japan.
There will be almost no closed line between the thick white dot pockets, and there will be no obvious wart dots connecting the dot spots of the miracle pocket, but the identification of the thick white dot pocket is mainly to see the spot traits, the history of the thick white dot pocket is also long, the iterative optimization is high, and now the starfish and large-scale are also very obvious. A large white dot with good quality is also expensive. It's just that the heat is lower than the Super Pocket and the Miracle Pocket.
3. Star Pocket
The star pocket can be seen as a glass pocket full of stars, and it is also a kind of glass pocket that we often see in the flower market.
Reminder: The spots of the star pocket are not connected into pieces, and the patches belong to the super pocket, which is more ornamental.
4. Super Pocket (Super Pocket)
The spots of the super pocket are basically connected into pieces to form a variety of various, kaleidoscopic patterns, so it is more ornamental than the star pocket and the glass pocket, and the super pocket that is currently popular in the Chinese market is basically influenced by Japan, and the super pocket that collects a high-quality pattern is definitely a fanatical pursuit of powerful enthusiasts.
(1) Super Pocket Upgraded V-Shaped Pocket
V-word pocket
V-word pocket
(2) Royal Pocket
Originated from the Japanese craftsman Iwata Daijin's choice, the full name is imperial super pocket (RS), obtained through the high-velvet ultra white super pocket hybrid without spots and genetically pure glass pocket. Characteristics of the royal pocket: the glass leather surface and the high velvet spot array, which echo each other, showing that it is not as clean as the glass pocket, and it is also different from the effect of the uniform cloth spot like the super pocket, but there is one thing that can be affirmed, the uniqueness of the super white high velvet spots of the royal pocket is beyond doubt.
5. Miracle Pocket
The status of the miracle pocket can be said to be the ceiling level of the pocket world, unshakable, the following is the recognized domestic and foreign miracle pocket judgment standards:
(1) There are no stray hairs between the edges
(2) The star spots are relatively independent and smooth and hairless
(3) The thinner the star spot, the better
(4) The larger the body, the better
The above is the personal opinion of the editor, if there is something wrong, welcome flower friends in the comment area axe (remember to like the attention, the editor will work harder to write).