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October giveaway: win my SS02 mother plant. Free to enter, ends October 31. No purchase necessary; see the rules. Enter freeSee the Yard

The top of a column where broad cream-yellow patches run down the blue-green ribs, set off from the plain green stem below by a clear ring, with short orange-brown spines and a few brown scabs on the lower areoles.
Growing

Althea

Also written as Variegated Althea

Both forms grow in this yard, the plain Althea and the variegated one, which is marbled rather than striped. Tip grafts of the variegated one are kept going to harvest areoles for other grafting projects.

Read about Althea in the cultivar library →

Nothing off this one is listed at the moment. It's growing in the yard and gets cut when it's ready.

Tell me when it’s cut

When a cutting off Althea is listed, I’ll email you to say so (if you are not signed in, after you have opened the link I send first). I only have one of most things, so it is first come — nothing is held.

Email me when this is available. I understand this notice is about the plant I asked about, that I can opt out from any message, and that my address is not shared with anyone.

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Species group
Peruvianus
Photographed since
August 2026
Photographs
4 on this page

Family line

On record: Ikaros DNA (seed parent).

What it looks like

Skin
Exceptionally blue farina is reportedly one of its defining features, on thick, deeply notched columns.
Growth habit
Areoles are reportedly fat and woolly on thick growth.

Photographs

My own pictures of this plant, taken in the yard.

  • The yellow starts at a hard line. Everything below the ring is plain green. · August 2026

  • August 2026

  • The blue line was drawn on the photo, not on the plant. · August 2026

  • August 2026

Learn more