3-7cm Aztekium ritteri

Introducing Aztekium ritteri—commonly known as Old Aztec Cactus or Laohua Long (老花笼)—the iconic "founding species" of the Aztekium genus and a timeless treasure for rare cactus enthusiasts. Revered for its weathered, "ancient" appearance and status as a pioneer in succulent taxonomy, this plant is more than a collector’s item—it’s a piece of botanical history.

Grown from ethically sourced, carefully propagated stock (supporting sustainable cultivation of wild-threatened species), Aztekium ritteri features a compact, flat-globular body (mature specimens reach 4-6cm in diameter) cloaked in a thick, powdery blue-gray to gray-green waxy coating. Its defining trait lies in 5-8 shallow, broad ribs—each lined with tiny, woolly white areoles and almost invisible short spines—that fold gently like aged stone, giving it the "worn-by-time" look that inspired its "老花笼" (Old Flower Cage) nickname.