Cactus hymnocalicium is considered the most common in floriculture. Often this cactus is called "Japanese", although the birthplace of the plant is South America. The breeding varieties have a unique color, which was obtained after extraction of chlorophyll. It was an attractive appearance that made this plant popular among fans of succulents. It’s easy to look after the hymnocalycium if you create the right conditions for growth.
What does a cactus hymnocalycium look like?
The plant belongs to the Cactus family. In Latin, the name Gymnocalicium translates as "bare cup". Flowers are not covered with hairs, but covered with smooth scales. The height of the trunk can be different from 1.5 to 7 cm. The diameter can be 2.5-15 cm. The shape of the aboveground part is round or flat. Flowers can have a different shade.
Appearance
There are more than 150 types of hymnocalicium that have the same botanical description. This is a perennial plant with dense roots that go deep into the ground. The aboveground part has a dark green color, and the skin itself is smooth to the touch.
Additional Information! Varieties in which shoots can be yellow, red or orange are bred.
The most common types of hymnocalycium:
- Reduktum;
- Frederick or Japanese;
- Baldianum or Balda;
- Mikhanovich;
- Horst.
The appearance of one of the varieties
There is also a separate group of the species, which is formed from several plants that are similar in form and size.
Common varieties
In floriculture, this type of cactus is widespread. Therefore, many varieties are selected for decorative cultivation, among which there are the most popular:
- Gymnocalycium Reductum (humpbacked) is the largest representative of the species. With growth, the shape and color of the stem changes. A plant from a ball grows into an oval, which is divided by furrows. Reductum is able to grow to half a meter. Spines are located radially. At the top of each segment is a bundle with sharp long spines.
- Friedrich Gymnocalycium (Albiflorum). Succulent is obtained thanks to the efforts of Japanese breeders and therefore has a second name: Japanese Gimnokalitsium. After removal of chlorophyll, the plant stem began to change color - purple, burgundy, red, yellow. Appearance attracts with its originality. But the hybrid cannot grow on its own, it must be grafted onto another cactus.
- Gymnocalycium baldianum - in Russia it is most often called Balda Gymnocalycium. It has the shape of a flattened ball of blue-green color. The height of the trunk reaches 10 cm and a width of 9 cm. The Baldianum Gymnocalycium is covered with furrows, which, as they grow, turn into "tubercles". At the top of each segment are needles. Depending on the prefix, the color of the buds is determined - Kla, Yellow.
- The Horst Gymnocalycium reaches a height of 20 cm. The stem has the shape of a flattened ball of dark green color. At the time of flowering, you can see a bud of pink, lilac or cream color.
- Gymnocalycium mihanovichii has a stalk 5 cm high with crest-shaped protrusions. Along the ridges are waves that visually change the shape of the aerial part. At the top of the ridges there are bright spines located only radially. The flower is pink-green, sometimes there are white-green buds.
The appearance of Friedrich
- Aqua Dulce is a miniature version of the hymnocalycium, which is characterized by a low powerful stalk. On the surface of the aerial parts there are rare spines.
- Gymnocalycium denudatum is a miniature species. The stem height does not exceed 30 mm in height, and the diameter is 80 mm. The shape of the aerial part is a ball that is slightly flattened on top. At the time of flowering, produces several small white buds.
- Damsy belongs to succulents due to its small size (height 20 mm, diameter - 50 mm). It has a round trunk of light green color with radially spaced needles along.
- Gymnocalycium ragonesii is a small cactus with a brown-green stem. On the surface of the aerial part of Ragoneso has not too clear furrows, which are radially covered with thorns.
- Gymnocalycium quehlianum (Kvela) - succulent no more than 10 cm high. The color of the aerial part is bluish-green. When flowering, the bud is painted red with a more expressive edging of the same color.
- Gymnocalycium spegazzinii has a barrel-shaped aerial part, which is painted in gray-green color. The trunk is divided into ribs with areoles. They have curved spines 5-7 mm long.
Note! The label "montain" defines a cactus as a frost-resistant plant. The maximum temperature drop can be +5 ° C.
Appearance of Ruduktum
Cactus Gimnocalicium Mix is a group of several small varieties. The diameter of the trunks does not exceed 50 mm. "Mix" is usually planted in one container, creating a combination of plants of different colors and different shapes.
Features of home care
If we talk about this variety of cacti, including the hymnocalicium mix option, home care is not too complicated. Agricultural technology involves control over the main indicators - watering, temperature, humidity and lighting. If you properly care for a group of plants, then in the allotted time you can observe flowering, and the trunk itself will increase in size.
Temperature
The flower is not whimsical to temperature conditions, but its homeland is South America, which means it should still be warm. At different times of the year, succulents are grown at different temperatures:
- In summer, any temperature is suitable.
- In winter - + 8-12 degrees Celsius, some need a temperature of + 15-18 ° C.
- Mikhanovich cactus in winter can grow at +5 ° C.
If the air temperature is too low, the plant will die.
Lighting
The plant needs good lighting. Direct sunlight should not fall on the stem, otherwise burns in the form of brown spots will appear on the skin. The room should be well ventilated.
Cactus outdoors
Important! Flowerpots with plants should be placed on window sills on the south side to improve lighting at any time of the year.
If direct sunlight enters through the window, then you need to artificially scatter them or remove the pot for several hours in a more suitable place.
Watering
Watering is done about 2-3 times a month. It is necessary to monitor the dryness of the soil. Use in the irrigation process can only be settled water at room temperature.
Watering
During flowering, the amount of watering may increase.
Attention! Once a month, a drop of lemon juice can be added to the irrigation liquid.
Spraying
Do not spray the cactus stem under any circumstances. Water entering the aerial part may cause rotting. Exceptions are those “bathing” that include treatment.
Humidity
Humidity in the summertime does not need to be controlled, but it should not be 100%.
In winter, the figure should not exceed 70%. Otherwise, the plant will begin to rot. To maintain normal humidity in the room, you can use special devices.
Priming
The soil for a cactus is a mixture of humus, sod land, peat, sand. All components are taken in equal amounts.
Correct substrate
Attention! To improve the quality of the substrate, you can add a little charcoal.
Top dressing
Top dressing is done once a month during the growing season. In winter and autumn, the application of any fertilizer is prohibited. Mineral fertilizers, in which there are no organic components, are used as top dressing. Supplements should contain a little nitrogen.
Features of winter care, rest period
Gymnocalycium is a flower, care for which during wintering requires the creation of special conditions. What you have to pay attention to:
- Watering is reduced to 1 time per month. Some species do not need to be watered at all.
- In the cold season, you need to reduce air humidity.
- It must be moved to a room with a temperature not lower than +15 ° С.
- If the plant does not have enough light, then diseases can appear, so sometimes the installation of artificial lighting is required.
There are no other features in winter care. After the end of the dormant period, succulent must be returned to standard conditions of detention.
When and how it blooms
Gymnocalycium blooms at the age of 2-3 years. Some species may first throw the bud after 5 years. A plant may bloom annually, but some species are only 2-3 times in life.
Blooming succulent
Flowering begins in early to mid-April and this process continues until the fall.
The bud appears in the shaded part of the trunk from the sun. The flower blooms 10-14 days after emergence. The life span of the bud is 10 days.
For reference! The size, quantity and color of the buds depend on the particular variety of cactus.
If the bloom falls in the fall, then the buds may not bloom. Such a nuisance may arise due to too good lighting.
How cactus hymnocalycium propagates
Cactus can be propagated at home using lateral branches or seeds. Each option is distinguished by the principle of care and the procedure itself. The simplest option for reproduction is a transplant of a lateral or basal process. Germinating seeds is a more laborious process that requires certain conditions to be met.
Seed germination
Propagation by seed germination is considered the most difficult, but cacti grown in this way are resistant to any negative factors. It is necessary to prepare a box with a depth of 2-5 cm, pour a substrate of coarse sand and peat into the container.
Attention! Previously, the substrate is baked in the oven for 1-2 hours.
When the ground cools down, you need to put seeds at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other and sprinkle a little with a soil mixture. The ground in the box must be constantly moist. Maintain the necessary level of moisture with a spray bottle. Air temperature should not fall below +20 ° С.
After about 10 days, seedlings appear. Transplanting such seedlings is possible only after 1-2 years.
Side layering
To multiply the hymnocalycium using lateral branches, you need to perform the following actions:
- Separate the process from an adult.
- Lay it on a paper towel and dry in a dark place for 1 day.
- Prepare a pot of sandy soil.
- Press the stem into the soil so that it does not fall.
Lateral processes of cactus
Within 14 days, the appendix has roots. It is better to carry out the procedure in the spring, when the plant goes into the vegetation stage.
Transfer
Sometimes basal processes appear. They have an almost complete root system with a mother plant. Separation is carried out at the time of transplant.
Plant transplant
It is necessary to carefully separate the root systems and plant the shoot in a pot of soil. The substrate is used the same as for an adult plant.
Pests and diseases
Due to the incorrect content of the flower, a spider mite, rot or mealybug can hit it. The causes of disease and the fight against them are diverse:
- Spider mites start only on young plants. Dry and "rusty" spots appear on the skin. Appears due to low humidity. To get rid of the pest, you need to treat the surface of the cactus with a solution of water and alcohol, and at the end it is imperative to ventilate the room.
- Mealybug parasitizes on the root system and trunk. If there is no flowering, and the flower itself grows slowly, then the problem is in the mealybug. To neutralize the pest, you need to dig a plant and wash the roots and trunk under hot running water.
- Rot occurs as a result of too much watering. It is necessary to dig a cactus, to remove rotten processes of roots. Sprinkle slices with activated carbon powder. And then land in a new, disinfected soil.
Spider mite
If you adhere to the recommendations for care, then problems with pests will not arise. Other infected plants may be the only source of their appearance.
Flowering specimen
You can decorate the house with unusual plants from the Cactus family, which belong to the genus Gymnocalycium. The cactus does not require special attention to itself, has a non-standard appearance. Bright colors of trunks and flowers, inherent in certain types of this succulent, make them the "kings" in indoor floriculture. It is possible to attach some varieties to adults already.
