Visit at C&D's

[AstrophytumCultivars.com]

Question to C&D:
1.How long do you grow cactuses?,
2. and when you started by collecting of Astro cultivars?

IMHO/Remark: I mean for me it's almost impossible to get so many and such expensive plants. Sometimes I think about if those Japanese, who mainly started this, weren't/ aren't just crazy, to take to much money for it - they started this bubble, and other growers / people now see good business in it, so they even continue with so high prize... I really appreciate their work but for what prize ? 
I discussed this topic of cultivar vs. high prize with many growers, and 90% of growers don't like them because of high prize. They appreciate more plant from nature / I mean natural plants, then so called"hybrids" -> because let say ALL cultivars are in fact even defects or hybrids.

[Carlo & Daniele]

hello Tomas,
we've been collecting cactus since about 18 years...but when I was a child the most important thing was to let the plants survive...
after we started collecting seriously all kinds of cactus with preference to mexican small species, but also succulent and caudex.
We started with astro cultivars in 2006 and we have been fascinating from them because you can obtain really strange and different results.
I think the price for some plants are fair for other not at all, but just think that the first book from T. Sato is from 1973 and there were already a lot of cultivars that nowadays are still rare in europe. I'm talking about 40 years! There are some collectors in japan that collects only own roots kabutos and the plants they have now are amazing...now If I'd be the owner of a plant like that I'd not sell it for sure. But how much you think is fair to spend for a plant fruit of selection of 40 years?
The philosophy here in Europe is a bit different and maybe many people do not understand the work that there is behind that, but it's the same thing about selecting orchids, roses or hibiscus...
I also do not think cultivars and hybrids are the same thing, of course they derive from hybridization but with the purpose of selecting a specific character, take a look here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultivar

Daniele

[eve]

you must have been really very young, if you started already 18 years ago!!

[Carlo & Daniele]

In facts I was attending primary school

Daniele

[Carlo & Daniele]

some own roots arios in flower:

[danskibsted]

Very nice daniele. I guess you are busy with your brush these days (:
Dan

[Carlo & Daniele]

We add here some myrio kikko from our collection:

[Karlet]

What a beautiful view! You have a great selection, congratulations!

[Carlo & Daniele]

thanks a lot Carlo!

[danskibsted]

Amazing kikko collection!

[cortona]

i love the two ball shaped ones, the nudum and green one, it are greath!

[Carlo & Daniele]

thank you cortona, we love them too!!!