Gyeonggi Agricultural Research Institute Introduces Two New High-Value Cactus Varieties of Astrophytum

Gyeonggi-do Agricultural Research Institute Develops 'Cookie Ball' and 'Hidden Star' The Gyeonggi-do Agricultural Research Institute announced on the 28th that it has developed two new cactus astrophytum varieties: 'Cookie Ball' and 'Hidden Star'. Astrophytum is a cactus variety popular for its unique helmet-shaped appearance. However, it has been slow-growing and difficult to propagate, making it rare and expensive. The institute began developing new astrophytum varieties in 2010 to respond to consumer trends seeking rare and distinctive plants, and to strengthen domestic and international competitiveness amid the expanding houseplant market. In 2018, they first released the astrophytum variety 'Snow Ball', and since then have developed a total of 7 varieties, distributing 85,000 plants to farmers. The 'Cookie Ball' developed this year features a greenish-brown base with small white hairs evenly distributed. Unlike typical astrophytum varieties that rarely produce offsets, ...