[5] Previously more abundant, this species is today restricted to a small portion of Starr County, Texas,[9][10] and a few localized sites in Tamaulipas.

[11] Today this species is associated with thorn scrub, amongst rocky ground; it may have previously occupied richer, flat grasslands that have since been developed.

One such cultivar is the 'Super Kabuto', a clonally propagated variety whose large trichomes congregate into dense spots, arranged in a striking pattern.

[9] The United States Fish and Wildlife Service have drafted a Recovery Plan in an attempt to secure the future of this species.

[9] This article incorporates text from the ARKive fact-file "Astrophytum asterias" under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License and the GFDL.