How to choose a Bishop's Cap (Astrophytum myriostigma) succulent? How can you make a Bishop's Cap cluster and fill its pot?

The Bishop's Cap (Astrophytum myriostigma) is a particularly exquisite succulent, with a round, plump spherical body marked by regular ribs, like a small work of art with a built-in sense of geometric beauty, no wonder so many plant lovers enjoy growing it. But if you want to grow it well and turn a single plant into a full pot, both choosing and caring for it require quite a bit of know-how. Today let'stalk abouthow to pick a healthy Bishop's Cap, and how to grow it so that it clusters and fills its pot.

When we go to the flower market to buy a Bishop's Cap, the first thing we look at is of course its appearance. A good Bishop's Cap should have a body that is upright and properly round, like a standard geometric solid, not crooked or flat. For example, the common five-ribbed Bishop's Cap should have its five ribbed faces evenly distributed with smooth lines, looking very pleasing. As for color, different varieties have different colors, but no matter which color, a healthy plant's color should be even and glossy, as if coated with a natural layer of wax. If you find the body looks gray, yellowed, or spotted, it may have been poorly grown or be sick, so try not to choose that kind.

Then look carefully at the skin: a healthy Bishop's Cap has smooth skin, like a child's skin, without breaks, spots, or wrinkles. If you see wounds on the skin, or strange spots, or even wrinkled areas, it means this one may be short of water or has been bitten by insects, and it will easily develop problems after you take it home. Also, its areoles and fuzz: the areoles are the little dots where spines grow, and they should be neatly arranged and undamaged, while the fuzz should be clean and white, without clumping or falling off, which shows it has grown in a clean environment and has not suffered. In addition, each variety of Bishop's Cap has its own "characteristics", for example a five-ribbed one should have five ribs, and the tubercles on each rib (that is, those small bumps) should be plump and even. If you find the tubercles shriveled or the number is wrong, then the variety may not be pure or it may be growing poorly.

After looking at the surface, we also need to look at the roots and the growing point. Gently pull the plant out; healthy roots should be white and tender, with many fibrous roots and a thick main root. If you see the roots are black, rotting, or dried out, then it definitely will not do, and such roots are very hard to keep alive after buying. The growing point is at the top of the body, where new leaves and offsets grow, and it should be green and plump. If you find this area discolored, shrunken, or damaged, then the plant's growth ability will be affected, and it will not easily grow new branches later.

After choosing a good seedling, care becomes the key. First you have to find it a comfortable "home". The Bishop's Cap especially loves sunlight. Except when the summer sun is especially harsh and it needs a little shading, at other times put it in a sunny place as much as possible and let it get at least 6 hours of sun a day, so it can grow sturdy and is more likely to produce offsets. Temperature also needs attention: 15 - 25℃ is the most comfortable; in winter do not let it go below 5℃, and in summer do not let it go above 35℃, otherwise it will enter a "dormant" state and stop growing.

As for soil, the Bishop's Cap does not like soil that is too sticky; it likes a loose, breathable, well-draining "sandy soil". We can mix it ourselves, using 60% - 70% granular soil, such as volcanic rock, vermiculite, and perlite, plus 30% - 40% peat soil. This ensures breathability so the roots will not rot, while also providing a little nutrients.

Fertilizing also has its rules. Spring and autumn are its peak growing seasons, and at this time give it a dilute succulent-specific fertilizer once a month, just like giving it "an extra meal" , but remember not to let the fertilizer touch the plant directly, otherwise it easily burns the roots. When watering, you must control your hand even more, following the principle of "water thoroughly only after the soil dries out" , that is, wait until the soil is completely dry before watering, and when you water, water until it leaks from the bottom of the pot. Do not water only halfway, and do not let water accumulate in the pot, otherwise the roots will rot. In summer and winter it grows slowly, so water less and just keep the soil slightly dry.

If you want the Bishop's Cap to quickly cluster and fill the pot, you can also try propagation methods. If you have seeds at home, you can sow them in spring or autumn, scattering the seeds on moist soil, keeping the temperature at 20 - 25℃, and they will sprout in about 1 - 2 weeks, though seedlings grow slowly, so you need to be patient. If offsets grow beside the mother plant, just twist them off, let the wounds dry, and plant them in new soil, and they will quickly grow into new plants; this method is simple and fast. There is also grafting: graft the Bishop's Cap onto a rootstock such as a Hylocereus undatus (dragon fruit cactus), and it will grow faster and more easily produce more offsets.

Actually, growing a Bishop's Cap is not that hard. As long as you keep your eyes open when choosing, pay more attention when caring for it, give it suitable light, temperature, and soil, and combine that with propagation methods, you will gradually see it cluster and fill the pot. Watching your own Bishop's Cap go from a single plant to a "small clump" brings a real sense of accomplishment! Everyone hurry up and give it a try; maybe the next person to grow a Bishop's Cap into a full pot is you!