Just like in any other market, the plant industry is full of trends and shifting fashions—and the rise and fall of what’s popular. But in spite of all these ups and downs, there’s a world where values hardly change: that’s the world of cacti. Of course, even within cacti, there are new faces and fleeting crazes, but compared to other plants, the waves are gentler and they shift far less often. Especially those cacti that have been cherished for years—they’re still held in high regard to this day.
I have a pretty good idea of which cacti are always valued, and you might think I’d just go out and buy a bunch. But, personally, I choose not to. I purposefully let myself admire them from afar. The biggest reason is simply that I feel like “they’re too special for someone like me.” Still, there are rare occasions where I quietly wonder, “Isn’t it about time I finally brought one home?” That’s when I pull out this “wish list.”
So for this column, it’s a list of the time-honored cacti I’ve always admired, that I hope to add to my collection someday.
The inspiration to make this wish list came from these. When you think of Astrophytum, the well-known カブト A. asterias and ランポー A. myriostigma 'Onzuka' are both favorites and absolutely belong on any wish list—but rather than those major stars, it was a lesser-known cactus of this type that caught my eye at Yamashiro Aisenen. The first time I noticed it, I just paused a bit, but after a few more visits it became truly unforgettable. Since I usually go by train, I couldn’t take it home, but during the pandemic when trains were hard to use, I finally drove there and was able to bring it back.
That experience—not buying the moment I wanted it, but waiting and hoping until I finally could—made it so much more precious. That’s really what inspired me to really think about this wish list.
When it comes to high-end cacti, ‘Kokuoumari’ is super popular, but personally, what I really love is 'Raitei', with its blue-grey body and deep reddish-black spines. You can often see it at Yamashiro Aisenen, but once it hits a certain size, the price jumps way up. Interestingly, the 'Raitei' you see at Yamashiro Aisenen looks quite different from others you see around—the power of the spines is on another level. It really feels like a different “lineage.” On one of my many visits, I spotted a baby plant at a reasonable price and just had to bring it home. Who knows if mine will ever become as grand, but that’s part of the fun.
It’s been a few years since I got it, and it doesn’t seem to have changed much at all. I once asked the shop owner, “How long does it take to get big and impressive?” The answer: “Oh, about 20 years.”
There are two main types of Ariocarpus—one is these smaller ones. I first dreamed of owning a 竜角牡丹 A. scapharostrum after seeing a gorgeous example in a “Habitat-Style” guidebook. It took a while to find, but now that I finally have it, I love how it looks in my collection.
All these little Ariocarpus come with hefty price tags, but once you experience how slowly they grow, it starts to make sense. Mine have been with me for years, yet they’ve barely changed in appearance...
This was actually another inspiration for writing this column. When choosing cacti, I realized I always have a “wish list” in my head. Pectinifera was always one I admired from the start, but its price made it hard to take the plunge. In the end, I bought it not because I planned to, but because my collection had hit a pause and I thought, “I want to bring something home—what should it be?” That’s when pectinifera suddenly came to mind.
After years of indecision, I ended up buying it in 30 minutes. I guess that’s the magic of the right moment.
At first, these seemed pricey because they were newly discovered, but as people learned just how slowly they grow and how hard they are to propagate, prices remained high. Each has a truly unique look—no matter if you’re new to cacti or a seasoned grower, you’re sure to be fascinated by them. As for me, I’m still watching with longing from afar.
Some might say, “Is anyone still raving about field-collected Copiapoa these days?” I’ve talked about the issue in my own columns, so I do know the complexities—but still, or maybe because of that, I have to say it: the last and ultimate item on my wish list is a field-collected ‘Kokuoumari.’
Honestly, this is the classic, “They’re way out of my league.” Field-collected ‘Kokuoumari’ are no longer allowed to be taken or sold—so please don’t even think of wanting a newly collected specimen. The ones in Japan today were brought here decades ago, and have been carefully protected by collectors and enthusiasts ever since. The original “wild” plants can only decrease in number—they’re a treasure, an asset, a living resource that needs to be treasured above all. Letting such a precious thing die under your care? Totally unacceptable. If you’re not 100% sure you have the skills and resources to keep one alive and well for the next generation, you simply shouldn’t own it.
What’s truly remarkable: cacti often outlive people. The ones you own today must be passed on someday; those rare moments when a field ‘Kokuoumari’ changes hands are really “handover ceremonies” for the next generation. And me, in that chain? That’s the ultimate dream, isn’t it?
#Sometimes I wonder if these will one day end up “donated to a botanical garden.” But, as far as I can tell, the only place with a permanent Copiapoa ‘Kokuoumari’ display is Tokiwa Museum in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Even though you often spot others like horridus, ‘Kokuoumari’ seems too rare for most gardens to even manage.
‘Sekai no Zu’ (means 'World Map') is a common species found just about everywhere—but I’ve never seen a variegated specimen as striking as this one. The pattern on the variegation is only clear once they reach a certain size, but unless you’ve got lots of space, these bigger ‘Sekai no Zu’ are strictly for admiring, not for owning.
That’s the list...for now. As I learn more, I’m sure I’ll be adding to it. If it ever grows too long, I might just have to build a whole new cactus greenhouse for them!
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