From northern Mexico, Astrophytum capricorne is unique among Astros for it's long curly spines. It's given the common name Goats Head Cactus for obvious reasons. Another eventual columnar, it gets to be about 4 foot tall and 4 - 6 inches around. It's fragile spines break away easily, especially the older ones. I've tried to imagine what they look like that big. Most of the older lower spines would probably drop off leaving a semi nude speckled trunk with a ball of new growth spines on top? I don't know, I've never seen a picture of one in habitat that tall.
     At B&B Cactus Farm, late winter 2006, I bought another that's just a wee bit bigger. Like about 4 inches around. This one flowered for me on March 26. Breathtaking!
     Update August 26th 2006. I paid another visit to B & B Cactus Farm today and took my camera this time. I don't know how I missed their specimen collection the first time but got a lot of pics this time. Including a 2 foot tall A. capricorne! Now I know what a big one looks like. Wow!!!!!!!!

My new A. capricorne	Buds starting to burst	View from the top	Fully open!
A Nice one at B & B	June 2007, more flowers	June 2007, a closeup