The Beauty Of The Star Cactus
The Beauty Of The Star Cactus
The star cactus is a beautiful species of cactus so named because of its beautiful speckles that look like stars. It other names are sea urchin cactus, sand dollar cactus and star peyote. One thing that makes this cactus stand out among the others is that it is listed as an endangered species.
What It Looks Like
A star cactus has no spines - really unusual for a cactus. It has a small, dome shaped circular body and has an average diameter of two to six inches depending on the age and can also reach up to a couple of inches tall. It looks segmented into several sections, usually around eight segments, and each segment has a line or indentations which are full of wooly hair. It has a greenish-brown color that sometimes may look speckled.
The star cactus flowers are yellow with a darker yellow often orange center that can grow up to three inches in diameter. It bears a fleshy fruit that grows up to half an inch in length and has an oval shape. Fruit colors vary from red to gray and the fruit is covered with wooly hairs very similar to the ones in its body. The condition of the environment is said to have an effect on the color of the star cactus. The more water it has, the greener it is and when there is les water it turns brown.
Habitat and How They Grow
The star cactus is commonly found in the Rio Grande Plains. They bloom from the months of March up to May and their fruits come during April up to June. Many other species of cactus can be found where the star cactus is abundant. They usually grow in sparse vegetation and can survive the harshest conditions.
Many people prize the star cactus, maybe because it is endangered and there are not a lot outside of the Rio Grande Plains. Due to its highly prized status, the star cactus population has diminished. It is difficult to keep their population stable since these plants are often collected illegally by cactus poachers.
Despite warnings on their endangered status, many poachers still illegally collect this species of cactus, sadly because there are collectors willing to pay poachers for a star cactus. Hopefully, the people who prize this plant will also realize that they need to stop buying and poaching them in order for them to thrive in the wild.