Decorate the interior with an unusual red cactus. The best types of flowering home cacti with photos and names

L. superb L. superb
Leuchtenbergia principis monstrosa

Lechtenbergia superb(Leuchtenbergia principis)

Lechtenbergia Superb - family Cactus (Cactaceae), in the genus 1 species, Mexico. It looks like an agave. Reaches 70 cm in height, woody with age. Papillae are graceful, bluish-gray, 10-12 cm long, 3-sided. Radial spines 8-14, they are yellowish-brown, flat, papery, up to 10-15 cm long. Central spines 1-2 up to 10 cm long. The flowers are yellow, fragrant, up to 8 cm long, located at the ends of the youngest papillae.
Despite its exotic appearance, cacti are relatively unpretentious. It thrives in nutritious, breathable soil, requires moderate watering and plenty of light, although it needs shelter from too bright colors. sun rays spring.

Aztekium hintonii Aztekium ritterii

Aztecium (Aztekium)

Aztekium- a genus of 2 species of cacti: A. hintonii and ritteri (A. ritteri). Grow in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon in separate populations. The genus is limited in distribution and these species need protection, because due to illegal collection they are on the verge of extinction in the wild. They are shaped like a star. A. ritteri has rounded ribs with many transverse wrinkles, due to which even young plant look old. A. hintonii has much sharper, more distinct ribs with more uniform edging. Both species have non-bulging spines and are quite small - the stems are no more than 10 cm in diameter and are usually only half that size. A. hintonii grows alone, while A. ritteri tends to form "bushes" with age. Graceful flowers appear on the tops of cacti. A. hintonii has dark pink flowers, while A. ritteri is white with slightly visible pink stripes.
Due to limited distribution and unusual conditions growth, this genus is in demand only among experienced cactus lovers. Slow growing and not very easy to grow.

Ariocarpus triangularis Ariocarpus obtuse, or retusus

Ariocarpus (Ariocarpus)

Ariocarpus- strong, like a stone, appearance and subsoil bodies of these plants are unique not only among cacti, but also among other plants. They grow very slowly, so when cactus lovers see a large plant, they appreciate such an achievement.

Ariocarpus bravoanus Ariocarpus fissuratus

Plants living in their natural environment look completely different than those grown by gardeners. In their natural environment, the cactus's star-shaped rosettes are flat in relation to the ground and are almost underground, with the tap root below them. Extreme conditions make these plants look almost lifeless. On the other hand, when bred, admiring growers create the ideal conditions for these plants, and they often grow into plump little mounds with green bumps. Ariocarpus does not have thorns, which is not at all typical for cacti (except for the period when they are still seedlings). flowers appear in the center of the plant, most of them are pinkish red or white, but there are also yellow color. The fruits defy description, usually just dried forms surrounding small black seeds. Ariocarpus live in the desert regions of Chihuahua and South Texas.

Gymnocalycium (Gymnocalycium)

Gymnocalycium - Cactus family, South America, about 100 species, many varieties. Naz-e from Greek. - naked and a tube pointing to characteristic feature- a smooth (without hairs) flower tube. M.b. in diameter from 2.5 cm (Gymnocalycium ragonesii) to 30 cm (Gymnocalycium saglione), plant height is about 2 times less than the diameter. The stem is rounded or flat-spherical, grows singly or in groups. Earth d.b. loose and nutritious.
Popular artificially obtained chlorophyll-free forms - hybrids Mikhanovich's hymnocalycium variety Friedrich(Gymnocalycium mihanovichii friedrichii), also called Hibotan, or Little Red Riding Hood, the color of which, due to the low content of chlorophyll in tissues, is determined by coloring pigments: red or orange - carotene, yellow - xanthophyll. This form cannot grow on its own roots, it is grafted onto green species. After grafting, the graft begins to develop at the expense of the rootstock, so the latter needs good lighting to enhance the photosynthesis process, and cool content in winter.

Discocactus (Discocactus)

Discocactus - about 20 species, the width of the stem is usually 2 times the height, hence the name, from South America. inherent morphological features melocactus and hymnocalycium. In adulthood, just like in melocactus, their growth stops, and a woolly cephalium is formed at the top of the stem, which consists of grayish fluff and thick bristles. The size of the cephalium is much smaller than that of melocactus, 1-4 cm in height and 1-6 cm in diameter. Large (5-10 cm long and 3-7 cm in diameter) white fragrant flowers appear from the cephalium at the end of a long, thin flower tube. The night flowers are very fragrant and are considered by many to be the best fragrant of all cactus flowers. The fruits are edible and taste like raspberries.
Stems - 7 cm high and less than 26 cm in diameter, ribbed and sometimes tuberculate with indistinct areoles or dense spines. Most plants grow alone, but can form shrub clusters.
Difficult for indoor growing. They need a lot of warmth and wet air. In winter, T is not lower than 15 ° C, careful moistening of the substrate at least 1 time per month after the preliminary transfer of the plant to a warmer room. The first spring watering is best replaced by spraying. Grow poorly, grafting is desirable. They are grown from seeds, but the vegetative method is considered more justified - by grafting seedlings and shoots taken from mother plants or their "stumps". Growing recommendations are the same as for those types of melocactus that come from areas with a humid climate.
A poorly developed root system is equally sensitive to both waterlogging and overdrying of the substrate. Therefore, the substrate should be most permeable. Acid, sandy, m. Consist of 30% mixture of soddy and leafy earth, up to 40% gravel (preferably quartz nature), and the rest - fillers with a predominance of vermiculite. At the same time, watering during the growing season should be sufficient to impregnate the entire earthen coma with the frequency necessary for its complete drying.
They are among the interesting and valuable collectible cacti.

Rebutia

Rebutia- the Cactus family, the stem is flattened-spherical in shape with a depressed top and very low, spirally arranged, divided into small tubercles (papillae) ribs. The areoles house small, soft, thin, bristle-like spines. Without flowers, they are easily confused with lobivia or mammillaria. A typical sign is appearing at the bottom side, at the base of the stem, flowers, while almost all other globular cacti flowers bloom at the top.
The flowers are diurnal, funnel-shaped and rather large, naked on the outside (without hairs, spines and bristles), self-pollinating, of various bright colors (red, orange, yellow, purple) appear from older areoles at the base of the stem. In sunny rooms with good ventilation, they bloom profusely and bear fruit. Until the end of February, the cactus should be in a bright and cool place. In the summer, you need to make sure that the earth does not dry out in a pot.

Cereus (Cereus)

cerius- Cactus family, Mexico, 46 ​​species and many varieties. From cereus (lat.) - wax, wax candle .
In the past, it was considered as a large genus, which included all tree and shrub cacti with columnar or cylindrical stems, as well as species with serpentine creeping and climbing stems. The genus consisted of about 900 species names, among which there were many synonyms and simply erroneous names. Only a few species remain in the genus Cereus today. They are united by one common feature: after flowering, the pistil column remains on the plant for a long time without falling off, often remaining on the formed fruit. The fruits are edible.
Large, tree-like, branching or bushy, with a well-developed crown, 1.5-20 m high. and up to 40 cm in diameter. They form a strong root system. Ribs(4-8) mostly high, straight and sharp. areola large, with a felt gray or white coating. Radial spines(3-20) - strong, rigid, straight, 0.5-3 cm long. Central spines(1-8) - subulate, 3-10 cm long. The color of the spines is from gray, brown to reddish and black. flowers in most species nocturnal, white, sometimes pinkish-purple, funnel-shaped, 30 cm long. and up to 10-20 cm in diameter, fragrant. Fruit yellow or red, berry-like, naked, more than 10 cm long.
In indoor culture, they are among the most hardy cacti. They are undemanding to light and soil mixtures, but they develop better in good sunlight and on fertile soil. They respond well to abundant watering and fertilizing with mineral fertilizers during the growing season. Winter content at T 10-12°C and sharply limited watering. They are fast growing and have proven to be one of the hardiest rootstocks.

Cleistocactus (Cleistocactus)

Cleistocactus - name translates as closed, because common property kind is ability flowers self-pollinate, while hardly revealing. Elongated bushy cereus cacti with a thin stem branching straight from the base, the stems are columnar, horizontal or creeping, the ribs are densely strewn with spines or bristles. Spectacular flowering, flowers are tubular and bright.

Echinopsis (Echinopsis)

Echinopsis- a genus of the Cactus family, named from Greek. echinus - hedgehog and opsis - like, because an adult plant resembles a hedgehog curled up into a ball with numerous spines. This name was proposed by Carl Linnaeus in 1737. A number of well-known genera of cacti, previously considered independent (for example, Acantholobivia, Chamaecereus, Lobivia), are now included in the genus Echinopsis.
At a young age. spherical shape, somewhat elongated or columnar over the years. The stem is symmetrical, with sharp ribs, smooth, shiny, from light green to dark green. The root system is quite powerful, shallow in the horizontal direction. Areoles are located at the same distance from each other and bear rigid, depending on the species, or very short, or up to several centimeters spines.
The flowers are often fragrant and bloom usually in the evening. Emerge from the side of the areola in the middle of the stem. They are funnel-shaped, up to 15 cm in diameter, up to 30 cm long, with a pubescent flower tube. The color of the corollas is from white to pink-violet. The number of flowers varies depending on the condition and age of the plant. Old specimens can produce more than 25 flowers at the same time. Flowering is short, 1-3 days, depending on the temperature of the air. The fruits are ovoid. Seeds are black, smooth, shiny, up to 0.2 cm in diameter.
Representatives of the genus Echinopsis are the most common cacti in indoor floriculture. Many hybrids of various colors have been bred.

Echinocactus (Echinocactus)

Echinocactus, or hedgehog cactus- a genus of spherical succulents from the Cactus family (subtribe Northern spherical cacti, tribe Cereus (Cereeae), subfamily Cereus (Cereoideae)), 12 species, slow-growing, but m.b. up to 3 m in height and more than 1 m in width. Deserts of Mexico and the southwestern United States. Naz-e from Greek. echinos - hedgehog.
The stems are spherical, at a young age the diameter of the cacti is equal to their height, with age the proportions change and the plants become slightly elongated. The ribs are numerous, protruding, covered with strong spines, the spines are sometimes curved, variously colored. In some species, the number of ribs may exceed 50. Areoles are large, pubescent. The tops of the stems are covered with felt due to closing pubescent areoles. The flowers are yellow, pink or red, located at the top, often in several circles. Floral tube short, scaly, with tomentose pubescence. Petals are narrow, often with pubescent tips. AT closed ground blooms rarely. They do not give side shoots. The age of individual plants can reach 500 years, and the weight is 1 ton. In the homeland of these plants, the pulp of the species Echinocactus platyacanthus, Echinocactus palmeri and Echinocactus grandis is used to make candied fruit.
Undemanding, grows quickly, lives long. Echinocactus grow in hot alpine deserts and they need daily T differences, as in nature, so it is better to keep them on a closed balcony in summer and winter. It is watered only after the entire earthen coma has dried and once every 2 weeks they are fed with a weak infusion of superphosphate. In winter and early spring, they do not water and keep at T 7–12 ° C. Frost resistance is weak, with minus T, plants can die. Transplanted in spring into a standard soil mixture for cacti with the addition of old plaster or slaked lime (1 teaspoon per 3.5–4 liters of soil). Young is damaged mealybug, spider mites, scale insects. In the spring, it is recommended to shade them a little, later - to keep them in the bright sun.
The wrinkled end of the stem, spots of soft rot at the bottom - the reason: waterlogging of the soil, especially in winter. The lack of growth is the reason: insufficient watering in summer or waterlogging of the soil in winter. Cork spots on the surface of the stem - cause: local pest damage, wound or hypothermia. The reason may also be insufficient watering in the summer. Soft brown spots - cause: stem rot; well-growing cacti are rarely affected. Cut out the affected area, disinfect the soil with a solution of carbendazim. Improve your conditions. An elongated, non-characteristic stem is the reason: overheating in winter or lack of light in summer.

Lobivia

Lobivia- the genus belongs to the group of southern spherical cacti, more than 70 species, the name of the genus is an anagram of Bolivia - the birthplace of these plants.
Young cacti have a spherical shape, which eventually stretches into a cylindrical shape. The ribs of the lobivia are pronounced, tubercles are located below the areoles. The flowers usually open for only 1 day, but the plant will bloom almost all summer, because. flowers are produced in large numbers. The stem itself is small, so the flowers on long peduncles impress with their size. Funnel-shaped flowers may be the most different colors- white, yellow or red, it all depends on the species.
Lobivia is like echinopsis shape, ribs and spines, but has its own difference. Flowering will help to find out what kind of plant: if red or yellow flowers appear on a cactus, these are lobivia.

Parody

Parody is a genus of plants in the Cactus family, named after the Paraguayan botanist Lorenzo Raimundo Parodi (1895-1966). According to the modern version of the taxonomy of cacti, the genus Parody includes such well-known and popular genera among amateurs as notocactus, wigginsia , eriocactus , brazil cactus and some others.
The stem is spherical or short-cylindrical, distinctly ribbed, with low tubercles. Areoles with white pubescence. Radial spines up to 40, from 0.5 to 1.5 cm long; central spines from 1 to 5, one of them often crocheted. flowers funnel-shaped, yellow, orange or red tones. Floral tube with hairs and spines. Fruit dry, small, also covered with hairs and spines.
Decorative, profusely and beautifully bloom. "... small, medium-sized plants of regular geometric shape and having a delicate elegant appearance. Their ribs, more or less or completely distributed in spiral rows of warty tubercles, are covered with thick spikes, which are distinguished by an extraordinary variegation of color. Their long-flowering velvet flowers, although small, are among the most beautiful" - Alexander Urban, "Prickly Miracle".
All parodies need a well-permeable earth mixture with a high content of coarse sand, plenty of sun and fresh air, and good moisture in the summer, provided that the root system of the plants is well developed. In winter, parodies are kept completely dry at T 5-10 ° C.
seeds parodies (very small in plants from the "old kind"), unlike most other cacti, germinate better in the dark. Growing parodies from seeds is considered one of the most difficult disciplines in cactus cultivation. Because the seeds are as fine as dust, and the germinated plants are almost indistinguishable without a magnifying glass. In the first year of life they are very vulnerable. Older parodies should not be transplanted once again so as not to injure the roots. Shoot them better not to separate from mother plant, because they are difficult to root and are likely to die.
Many types of "former" notocactus, on the contrary, are distinguished by unusually easy rooting, and some even form peculiar stolons.
According to modern taxonomy, the genus belongs to tribe Notocacteae subfamily Cactoideae. According to the old classification of Backeberg, the genus Parody belongs to subtribe Southern globular cacti(Austrocactinae Backeb.) tribe Cereus(Cereeae Britton et Rose) subfamily Cereus(Cereoideae Schum.). The genus includes about 50 species.

Ferocactus (Ferocactus)

Ferocactus is a genus of the Cactaceae family, Sev. America, from lat. ferus- wild, cruel. are of interest in terms of collecting. The most popular are species with large and bright spines.
Spherical or cylindrical, often large (up to 4 m in height and 1 m in diameter). The ribs are thick and high, the spines are well developed, straight or hook-shaped, often brightly colored (red or yellow); areolas are usually large, bearing flowers only at a young age. The flowers are usually large, with a very short tube, up to 7 cm in diameter, various shades of yellow and red, appear only on old plants. The fruits are oblong, usually thick-walled and dry, the seeds are black.
The culture demands special knowledge and careful compliance with the conditions of detention. Not suitable for growing on windows. Be sure to have intense sunlight. Necessary large space for root growth, well-drained soil with sufficient minerals. Wintering is completely dry and cold. Vaccination is not performed, as it distorts the appearance, but does not bring significant benefits.


Epiphytic cacti - living conditions in nature and their ways of adaptation for survival and reproduction

epiphytic cacti - genera dysocactus or Aporocactus (Disocactus or Aporocactus), Epiphyllum(Epiphyllum), Hatiora (Hatiora), Hylocereus or forest cereus(Hylocereus), Selenicereus or queen of the night(Selenicereus) Rhipsalis. grow up on trunks and branches trees in low light conditions high humidity air and soil deficiency. You still have to store moisture, because in thin layer loose soil (specialists call such soils "suspended") water is not retained, and therefore the succulence characteristic of cacti (the ability to accumulate water in special tissues) is very useful. In a tropical forest, it is important to increase its surface (for deserts, the task is different - it must be reduced) in order to capture more light and atmospheric moisture. And then, in order to retain the collected moisture and nutrients, they have to maintain the fleshiness inherited from the desert ancestors.

Them. several features associated with their peculiar way of life. Firstly, noticeably the role of the roots changes. There are no real soils in the upper tiers of tropical forests. Therefore, characteristic of desert cacti, developed, deeply penetrating, and even more so epiphytes storing roots, are useless. But they often develop aerial roots, which, like stems, catch water directly from the atmosphere, and search roots ready for as soon as possible develop into real root system as soon as a suitable substrate is reached. Depending on the situation, the roots of epiphytes die off easily, but are easily restored.
Secondly, very grow intensively, since, having happily found themselves in a place favorable for existence, they should occupy it completely as soon as possible, without allowing competitors. For the same reason, thirdly, tropical epiphytic cacti reproduce more intensively - they bloom very profusely, give many more. fruits and seeds, besides they have developed vegetative reproduction in natural conditions. As inhabitants of tropical forests with a relatively even and mild climate, epiphytic cacti are only to a small extent able to tolerate fluctuations in temperature and humidity, which cannot be said about their relatives from places with more severe weather conditions.
"Decembrists"- natives of the Brazilian forests. In nature, our "Decembrists" bloom in early summer, but in the Southern Hemisphere it is just December. Relocated to the northern regions, epiphytic cacti staunchly maintain their usual flowering time and that is why they delight us lush bloom at the height of winter.
These are small bushes with segmented branches. Segments, or segments, in Schlumberger and ripsalidopsis are flat, up to 6 cm long and up to 3 cm wide. New segments grow at the ends of the old ones and very rarely laterally. In old specimens, the segments at the base of the bush noticeably thicken, acquire a cylindrical shape and become woody, forming a trunk and skeletal branches. Terminal shoots grow towards the ground, forming branches hanging down.
The root system is fibrous. In healthy plants, it consists of many thin roots densely penetrating the substrate. There are no thicker central roots. At the base of the stem segments, especially under unfavorable conditions, searching aerial roots often appear. Firstly, they capture atmospheric moisture, and secondly, when they come into contact with some kind of substrate, they quickly cling to it and develop into a real root system.
Buds appear at the ends of the segments long before flowering (1-1.5 months), often several at once at the end of each segment. They are them. conical, arrowhead-like shape and in different species and varieties are painted in green or red tones.
The flowers are simple (that is, the tepals are not subdivided into sepals and petals), with a relatively long tube and several rows of brightly colored petals. The flowers are bisexual, with many stamens and a long pistil with narrow stigma lobes. The fruit produced by cross-pollination is a small juicy berry with a large number of relatively large dark seeds. Schlumberger fruits are rounded, ripsa-lidopsis fruits are ribbed. These fruits can remain on the plant for a very long time - up to 1 year, which is quite beautiful, since numerous juicy berries are painted in soft pinkish tones.

Names of plants with flowers of this shade

Rebutia

If the main goal of the owner is to admire the original flowering of the cactus, then there is no better option than rebutia. The plant is unpretentious and blooms while maintaining minimal necessary conditions care. Flowering can last several months, there are remontant forms.

Rebutia flowers:

  • Sometimes they appear already in the second year of the cactus' life.
  • Numerous. On mature plants, their number can reach up to a hundred.
  • Not small (3-6 cm in length and the same in diameter) and bright red color.
  • Each flower lasts about three days.

Parody


A genus of miniature, highly ornamental cacti:

  • flowering begins in spring or summer;
  • the peduncle is a scaly, hairy tube of small length;
  • flowers are quite large, up to 7 cm in diameter, mostly red in color;
  • bloom individually or simultaneously up to ten pieces, localized at the top of the stem.

Phyllocactus (Phyllocactus)


Forest cactus with magnificent scarlet satin flowers:

  • blooms in April, again - at the end of summer;
  • each bloom lasts a little less than two months;
  • single flowers appear all year round;
  • the flower lasts for several days.

Gymnocalycium - with a colored top (Gymnocalycium)


A globular cactus with a painted head, represented by several species, the size of which can vary from 2.5 cm to 25-30 cm. The stem may be round or spherical.. Floral tubes are elongated, not prickly or hairy, covered with smooth scales-leaves. Flowering begins at two or three years of age. The first flowers appear in spring and continue to open until late autumn.

Opuntia - with burgundy fruits


Cactus with edible, tasty, berry-like fruits that are initially green in color, as they mature, acquiring a rich red-burgundy hue. The fruits are covered with small spines, so gloves are required for picking. The taste of the fruit is sweet, with a sour taste.

Fully painted

The red cactus is the brainchild of Japanese biologist Watanabi, who took a seedling of Gymnocalycium with red spots, cut out a red areola and planted an Echinopsis cactus on it. From the new, resulting specimen, he again took the areola with redness and again planted it on a green cactus. Repeating this procedure many times made it possible to obtain an absolutely red cactus grafted onto a green echinopsis. The resulting creation reproduces beautifully, but there is a peculiarity of cultivation: a red baby cannot be planted in the ground, it must be grafted onto a green cactus.

What is the name of a plant with needles of this shade?

A cactus with red needles is not a creation of nature, but the work of human hands. Why does a common plant turn red? To give the prickly desert dweller an extraordinary look, it is enough to plant it in a pot with a cactus substrate mixed with food coloring. With each watering, the cactus will absorb some of the dye and after 3-4 months its spines will acquire the appropriate color.

When buying such an instance in a store, it should be noted that over time the spines will acquire a normal shade. It is generally accepted that dyes are relatively harmless to the plant, but such a cactus, most likely, will no longer bloom, which can negatively affect its overall health and life expectancy.

Home care

Temperature

In summer time comfortable temperature for cactus from +15 to +30 degrees, in winter +10 - +15.

If possible, in the summer the plant should be taken out to Fresh air.

Watering

Watering the cactus requires moderate watering and the soil between them should dry well. The plant will endure excess moisture more difficult than its lack. Overflows entail rotting of the root system. Water for irrigation is best used settled, soft, room temperature. Excess moisture formed in the pan must be removed.

Light

The plant needs diffused light, so it is best to keep it on an east or west windowsill. On the south side, the cactus can get burned from direct sunlight.

Priming

The soil for the cactus should be loose and slightly acidic.. You can purchase a ready-made substrate for cacti and succulents or prepare the soil mixture yourself. This will require equal proportions of turf and leaf ground, humus, peat and sand. Be sure to lay drainage at the bottom of the pot.

pruning

A cactus needs pruning only if its body is damaged by a disease. Also, the red cap of the plant is cut off if necessary to graft it onto another cactus.

top dressing

You can feed the cactus from early spring to mid-autumn., twice a month. For this, special fertilizers for succulents are suitable.

Pot

When planting, you need to focus on the size of the root system of the cactus, on which the chlorophyll-free specimen is grafted. The container should not be too spacious. When transplanting, you should choose a pot, the diameter of which will be several centimeters larger than the previous one.

Transfer

Young specimens grow more intensively, therefore, they need more frequent transplants, while adult plants are transplanted once every three to four years. The procedure should be carried out in the warm season according to the following scheme:


Important! You can transplant a red cactus only together with the cactus on which it is grafted. It is unable to grow on its own.

Wintering

How to properly care for winter? Winter is a hibernation period for a cactus - watering is reduced at this time, top dressing is not applied, and the temperature in the room should be maintained at no higher than +15 degrees.

Graft

Chlorophyll-free red cacti definitely need to be grafted because they cannot grow on their own. The procedure is carried out as follows:

  1. a sharp sterile instrument makes an even cut on the surface of the rootstock and scion;
  2. the sections are connected as quickly and tightly as possible so that the conductive bundles coincide at least partially;
  3. the parts are connected with an elastic band or a garter and kept in this form for a week.

Diseases and pests


Given that proper care, in compliance with all the features of the variety, the red cactus will give its owner the joy of owning an unusual representative of the world of flora.

The name of such a plant as Gymnocalycium sounds in Latin Gymnocalycium, and is translated as "hollow". The word has two roots: "gymnos", which means "naked", and "calycium", which in Latin means "calyx". This is a cactus that has a spherical shape, only its tubes of flowers are without bristles and hairs, like other cacti, that is, completely naked, covered with scales, smooth to the touch. They form a kind of halo on the stem top. Gymnocalycium red was first bred by the Japanese Watanabi. Therefore, this indoor flower is often called the Japanese cactus.

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Photo gallery: Gymnocalycium - Japanese cactus

Gymnocalycium (Japanese cactus) has ribbed stems, and chin-shaped tubercles are located on the ribs. The flowers of this plant have a short flower tube, and its flowers can have a wide variety of shades: pink, and yellow, and red, and greenish, and brownish with an admixture of yellow. As mentioned above, it grows mainly in South America: in Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil. It can be found up to 3000 meters above sea level. The plant loves granite, clay, compost and gneiss soils. Today there are about six dozen species of this plant, many of them belong to plants of a self-sterile species. Gymnocalycium cactus is valued for its large flowers and beautifully looking stems.

Gymnocalycium: care requirements and growing conditions

Location

These cacti are very fond of light and need plenty of it, especially during the winter months. If it grows in a greenhouse in the summer, then it may need shade. It grows well at moderate temperatures, this applies to all seasons. AT winter season you need to maintain an average temperature of about 18 degrees, but it can grow at temperatures much lower, for example, at 5 degrees. If cacti are kept on window sills or in rooms without heating, then in winter they, of course, must be brought into rooms.

Watering

As for watering, in spring the Japanese cactus needs to be watered more, and in other seasons watering is normal, no different from watering other indoor flowers, which are watered as needed with non-cold water. At the end of summer, water for irrigation and the frequency are reduced, and by mid-autumn they are generally limited. At this time, it should be watered very rarely and a little bit. Humidity should be low. In the summer it does not need to be sprayed. He loves fresh air: when hot days come, the room with him must be ventilated.

reproduction

Cuttings of most types of cactus can easily take root at any time of the year. Before planting the cuttings in a substrate with a peat base, they must be dried for several days, and large ones for several weeks (one or two). During reproduction, in order to avoid depletion of the mother plant, it is necessary to separate the children during transplantation and plant them in separate pots.

The plant can also propagate by seeds, this requires an average temperature of 17 to 25 degrees. Seeds are formed by cross-pollination created artificially. When propagated by seeds, offspring tend to inherit all the characteristics of a given variety. For this reason, breeders use this type of reproduction in their work.

Transfer

The Japanese cactus should be repotted every year, but only while the plant is young, and then it is repotted when needed, preferably in the spring. When transplanting, it is necessary to select pots that are slightly larger than the previous ones. The soil is taken from leaf, sod, peat, sand with large grains in almost equal proportions. Add to soil charcoal, a crumb from a brick. The soil should not be fresh, it should not contain lime, the plant should be watered with slightly acidic water.

Care

Growing most species of this plant does not require any special conditions. The same rules apply here as when caring for ordinary plants. The soil should have a standard set (in equal amounts of leafy soil, soddy, sand and gravel), there should be drainage, watering should be moderate, good lighting, no direct sunlight. The dormant period requires rare watering, the temperature is about 10 degrees. Only some species require a warmer wintering and additional lighting.

Diseases and pests

Flat red tick

It is very easy to fight this kind of ticks, especially on hymnocalyciums. There are few thorns on them, and they are easy to wash. warm water and wipe with a weak solution of alcohol (ethyl). More effective in this regard are universal pesticides, as well as acaricidal agents. This treatment will give results if you have a lot of cacti, if you only have a couple of cacti, then water and ethyl alcohol will sufficient measure.

worms

The worms also settle on the roots, then it is more difficult to detect them. If the growth of the plant has stopped, and there is no flowering, then this should be a signal to start pest control. If such signs appear, then it is necessary to examine the roots, where the coats of the worms are clearly visible. The roots should be washed with hot water or a root bath should be made for 15 minutes. The temperature should be as high as the hand can bear. You can resort to the help of texicidal or universal means for adding to water. You can add a granular product to the ground.

Root rot

If it is wrong to take care of the hymnocalycium: water a lot, plant it in too “fat” soil, fill it with water in cold weather, then various types of rot can affect the roots of the plant. Often the process affects only the root part. The defeat can only be detected when transplanting plants that do not bloom and grow for a suspiciously long time. Cacti can most often be saved. It is recommended to wash them with water. high temperature, cut off the root part to healthy areas, wash with alcohol, fungicidal agents, then dry and leave to take root, just like children during vegetative propagation.

The article tells about cacti of the Gymnocalycium genus, gives advice on their maintenance and care. Including hybrid chlorophyll-free brightly colored hymnocalycium mix, which live off the rootstock ...

Gymnocalycium (Gymnocalycium) is one of the largest genera of spherical cacti. Its numerous species and varieties are found in the territories of Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia and Southern Brazil.

Among the hymnocalyciums, there are extremely hardy species that grow in nature in the harsh conditions of the highlands, on poor, stony soil, where the temperature often drops to minus levels. Among these succulent cacti there are groups of plants that grow in tropical conditions and high humidity.

The genus name has Greek origin and consists of two words - "gymnos", which means "naked" and "calyces", is listed as "pipe". The plants got their name "holocup" because of their completely smooth, thornless flower tube. On this basis, even a novice amateur can easily distinguish hymnocalycium from other cacti.

You can correctly identify a cactus when it matures and blooms.

There are many reasons for the popularity of hymnocalycium. First of all, it is a truly inexhaustible variety of shapes and sizes of stems and thorns. Among them there are both miniature and huge species. Some of them are completely devoid of thorns, while others, on the contrary, are decorated with outlandish spikes. The shape of their flat-spherical stems is beautiful and proportional.

Already all these qualities are enough to inspire any cactus lover to collect hymnocalyciums. But these plants also have unusually attractive flowers of magnificent colors, delicate and silky, which are located on flower tubes.

Gymnocalycium Mikhanovich and its varieties

star among all various kinds is Mihanovich's hymnocalycium (mihanovichii) together with Friedrich's variety (friedrichiae). It was from them that in the forties of the 20th century in Japan color forms were obtained, which later became known throughout the world.

The stem is predominantly ribbed, spherical, wide, often flattened, up to 5 cm high, up to 6 cm in diameter, grey-green, olive or brownish. Ribs 8-10, narrow, triangular in cross section, with a wavy pointed edge, thickened. Radially growing spines up to 1 cm long, grayish, bizarrely curved. It seems that the ribs are located along and across.

Some specimens form a large multi-petalled funnel-shaped flower, most often white, 5-7 cm in diameter. There are varieties that bloom with pink or yellow flowers.

Why are chlorophyll-free red forms interesting?

A real sensation was made among cactus growers - "red cacti". It was first bred by a Japanese in 1940, so often this home flower called Japanese hymnocalycium.

In the photo: a rather original succulent plant, a bright red cactus on a thin green leg - Mikhanovich's hymnocalycium, a variety of Friedrich (G. michanovichii var. friedrichiae).

These succulents are devoid of chlorophyll and are able to exist without full-fledged photosynthesis. "Mikhanovichi" grow only grafted onto another slowly growing green columnar cactus, receiving the missing substances from it.

Currently, there are already other chlorophyll-free color forms of this cactus - bright and saturated with yellow, pink, orange and even purple, which looks incredibly exotic. Grafted onto an elongated green cactus and imported from Holland, mikhanovichi hymnocalyciums appear on the shelves under the names: “neon cacti”, “little red riding hood”, “orange riding hood”, etc.

In principle, it is possible to derive a colored form not only of hymnocalycium, for example, mammillaria, rebutia. Cacti grow well, feed on the rootstock, without requiring special care. Unfortunately, the lifespan of these cute mutants is limited - 3-5 years.

Photo: Gymnocalycium stenopleurum ... The stem is red in various shades, usually overgrown with many bright children.

They readily bloom at home, are not as demanding on lighting as other cacti, and are rarely affected by diseases and pests.

In summer, Gymnocalyciums are kept at a moderate temperature of 22-28 ° C. Wintering should be cool from 5 to 12 ° C. Although the plants are photophilous, on hot days they need to be shaded from the scorching rays of the sun.

From spring to the end of October, watered with warm water, when upper layer soil in a pot will dry out completely. At the end of summer, watering is slowly reduced and completely stopped by the end of October. Wintering of hymnocalyciums should be dry. Watering is resumed in the spring along with an increase in air temperature to 15 ° C. The first watering should be very rare and careful.

They are transplanted in early spring, before the start of the growing season. Ordinary soil for cacti is suitable, in which you can add a little expanded clay or brick chips.

The fruits of the Gymnocalycium cactus, which hide the seeds, are very interesting - the range of colors in different species can be green, blue, pink, red. Ripening lasts about 2 months.

How to propagate hymnocalycium?

1. There is only one way to propagate chlorophyll-free color forms. On painted specimens of hymnocalycium, lateral children are occasionally born. In early spring from such a shoot, a tiny growth point (areola) with a piece of tissue is carefully cut off and they try to graft it onto a horizontal cut of the most stable and viable green cactus, which will become a stock.

2. Ordinary cacti that form lateral layers reproduce very easily. To do this, carefully separate the baby from the mother stem, dry it for several days, and then plant it in a slightly moistened substrate.

3. However, it must be remembered that cacti grown from seeds are healthier and better than offspring obtained by rooting lateral processes.

Gymnocalycium seeds germinate easily at temperatures above 20°C. It is sown on the surface of the substrate, which is moistened as needed from the spray gun. The container with seeds is covered with glass, making sure that the surface of the soil does not dry out.