Repotting a starfish cactus

Question

I have bought a starfish cactus from a yard sale in a pot that looks over crowded. How do I repot it and care for it? I’ve never seen one of these before and I’ve been reading trying to get some insight on how to take care of them, but I’m not exactly finding information I need about repotting them.

Answer 1

Starfish cactus, botanical name Stapelia, is not a true cactus but is actually a succulent in the family Apocynaceae. Most advice on caring for cacti applies to it too, however.

Repot the plant by carefully removing it and the media surrounding its roots from the pot, following the advice in this article:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/cacti-succulents/scgen/cactus-repotting-info.htm

Afterward, be careful not to overwater it, since this can kill succulents quickly.

Use a potting mix designed for succulents and cacti, or one you make, as described in this article:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/cacti-succulents/scgen/cactus-potting-soil.htm