Cacti are a unique family of plants. They grow in the desert or in the mountains, where there is practically no vegetation, and they amaze with their variety of shapes and sizes. The body of a cactus can be spherical, in the form of disks, have elongated stems. Almost all of them are succulents. Their thickened meaty parts are adapted for the accumulation and storage of water. This helps the plant survive in extreme, extremely dry desert conditions or in mountain heights. Most cactus species are covered with thorns, which are highly modified leaves. Spines perform a protective function, saving the plant from herbivores.
Types of Flowering Cacti
Mammillaria is one of the species representing the cactus family, whose unusual forms conquer flower growers. The main difference between the representatives of Mammillaria is the absence of ribs. They are replaced by tubercles, due to which moisture is retained and sunlight is reflected. Mammillaria inhabits a vast territory from the south of the United States to the central part of Latin America. This type of cactus has more than 200 registered representatives. All kinds of Mammillaria can be found in the botanical gardens and greenhouses of flower growers engaged in cacti.
Its most unusual samples include:
Mammillaria Luti. The cactus consists of several pear-like heads of dark green color. Small thorns are scattered throughout the body. Luti flowers are at the top. Usually these are 2-3 violet flowers with a whitish core and bright yellow stamens. The diameter of the flowers is small - about 3 cm.
Mammillaria Luti
Mammillaria Wild. The main feature of Wild is the presence of many stems of dark green color, the diameter of which is 1-2 cm. The entire stem is in whitish short golden spines. When the cactus blooms, it is literally covered with medium-sized white or light yellow flowers with a lemon-colored core. It grows very quickly, thanks to the children formed around it.
Mammillaria Wild
Mammillaria Baum. Cactus of this species is a bush of light green columns, covered with whitish soft spines. Grows in flocks. During flowering, the bushes are covered with yellow fragrant flowers.
Mammillaria Baum
Mammillaria Bokasana. The uniqueness of this species of Mammillaria in its cylindrical trunk, covered with stiff hook-like spines and a long whitish pile, due to which the spherical stalk seems gray-blue. This is a low cactus, grows up to 6 cm.
Mammillaria Bokasana
It is interesting to observe how a cactus blooms. Almost at the very top there is flowering in the form of a wreath of white-pink small flowers.
Features of flowering cactus
For the cactus to bloom, conditions must be created close to its natural environment. For a beginner florist who has been breeding cacti, this can take years. For the cactus to bloom, you need not only to take care of it, but also to know all the subtleties of the technology for caring for this capricious flower. For example, not all varieties of cacti bloom in a year. There are species that need to grow up to five years old in order to show their unique flowers to the world.
Flowering time
Cactus flowering at home is the most pleasant moment of cactus breeding. Experienced flower growers note that among representatives of the Cactus family flowering occurs at different times. Some throw away color in the spring months in the second or third year of life. The Schlumberger Christmas cactus or the Decembrist (popular name) blooms in winter. The total flowering of the bush lasts two months (December and January), while the life of one flower is several days.
In the collections of cacti there are species of cacti with different flowering periods. These include the long-papillary Mammillaria. It is covered with many elongated tubercles (nipples) of dark green color. Blooms in large lemon yellow flowers. One of the most common in cactus collections is Mammillaria Seilman. It has a long flowering. There are also species that are in no hurry to bloom.
How many times during the life a cactus bears fruit
Some may be surprised at the issue of fruiting cacti, believing that they only bloom. However, residents of South America and Africa use cactus fruits in their daily diets. All their parts are consumed: stalks, seeds, and fruits. In total, there are more than 170 species of fruiting cacti.
Decembrist fruits
For example, on Zygocactus Rozhdestvennik one month after flowering, if pollination occurs, green fruits may appear.
It should be noted! Pollination is very difficult to obtain if it is the Decembrists of the same color. If zigocactuses of different colors are nearby, pollination is most likely.
Maturation occurs within 5-7 months. The fruits turn into juicy bright ruby berries. The taste of berries with sourness, inside are small seeds.
Fruiting is a cactus with the botanical name Hilocereus, or Dragon Heart, as it is popularly called. It bears fruit from May to November, giving up to 6 crops per season. The fruits of Hilocereus weigh from 150 grams to 1 kilogram.
Dragon heart
No less famous is the variety of cactus, called yellow Pitayhaya. It is juicy and has a delicate taste. The people of Pitayhaya are called the Queen of the Night. Its main supplier is Colombia. In appearance, the Queen of the Night is a simple indoor cactus, but it is unusual in that its flowers bloom at night and wilt by morning. Many botanical gardens arrange special night excursions for those wishing to see the flowering of Pitayhaya.
Reasons why a cactus does not bloom
Florists engaged in cacti for a number of years have noted, based on their own experience, that there are species of cacti that do not bloom in nature at all. Therefore, when acquiring a cactus, you need to inquire about its name and read everything that is written about it in sources for its breeding, and consult with specialists.
The second reason why a cactus does not bloom may be improper care of it. There may be another reason. This is when the cactus has not passed the rest period. According to experts, this period is different for African and South American cacti. For some, the rest period is winter, for others, summer. When buying a cactus, you need to clarify what type the purchased copy belongs to.
Grafted cacti
Another equally important reason why the cactus does not want to bloom may be too spacious a pot or an unsuitable soil mixture for a cactus.
Attention! To get a flowering cactus, cactusists recommend grafting the cuttings from a flowering plant to a section of a non-flowering one. For example, peirescia can serve as a stock, and the flowering epiphyllum can be used as a stock. The best vaccination takes root, if done in the winter.
Why a cactus gives a baby, but not blooms
The appearance of children on a cactus suggests that the soil is oversaturated with nitrogen. Cactusists note that potassium and phosphorus, which contribute to flowering, must be present in fertilizers. If you periodically remove children from the cactus, this is an occasion for him to further detkovit. In this case, flowering is out of the question. All cactus energy will be directed to vegetative propagation. Cactusists draw the attention of beginners that cacti that are planted from children in the 3rd generation and grown from seed, as a rule, do not bloom.
For your information. When cultivating cacti on the windowsills of city apartments, they do not receive the necessary spectral composition of light and its necessary intensity, which leads to the growth of vegetative organs, but not to bloom.
Cactus Care at Home
Cacti in indoor floriculture is a fairly common culture. Almost every house has a computer, near it is the main absorber of harmful radiation - a cactus. However, many forget that he needs to be looked after. When purchasing a cactus, you need to study the conditions of its maintenance so that it looks healthy and beautiful. Group placement of cacti is recommended. When they develop in such a group colony, their uniform and friendly growth is observed.
Cactus in the design of the apartment
In order to successfully grow cacti in the house, it should be borne in mind that such factors as lighting, temperature, humidity, soil composition and watering influence their development. The season makes certain adjustments to all of these parameters. The growing season for the cactus lasts from March to September. Winter rest will be from October to February.
Temperature
The vital activity of a cactus depends on the temperature regime. During the growing season, the cactus is not affected by small temperature fluctuations from 26 to 28 ° C. But, if the ambient temperature becomes more than 30 ° C, the metabolic processes occurring in the plant begin to slow down. The cactus falls into a state of stagnation, suspends growth and drops buds.
During the winter period, for most cacti, the temperature range ranges from +10 to + 15C.
Everyone has it type of cactus, it will be different:
- Wintering of Mammillaria and Echinopsis goes well at a temperature of + 12-15 ° C.
- Rebucia, Atrophytum and Echinocerius hibernate at temperatures from +8 to + 10 ° C.
- Lower temperatures from 0 to + 5 ° C are well tolerated by Neobessia and Ecobaria.
As cactiists note, at such temperatures during the winter period, an important stage for the plant occurs - the laying of buds. In comfortable conditions, succulents spend all their strength on growth.
Note! If the cactus does not bloom, you need to put it on the insulated balcony for the winter period, thereby creating discomfort, which means that you can bookmark the buds.
Lighting
Bright diffused light is the best lighting for almost all representatives of the Cactus species. If the illumination is insufficient, this leads to the stretching of the plant, regardless of its shape. The color of the cactus becomes pale, and it is not necessary to dream that such a cactus will bloom.
With an excess of lighting, the plant appears "tan" on the side facing the sun. Therefore, the cactus pot should not be located close to the window pane. The window during the bright sun should be shaded in all possible ways. Moving a cactus pot is not recommended. This is stress for him. As a result, all buds and flowers can be dropped.
Humidity
In a room with cacti, it is advisable to maintain moderate humidity. They do not like hot, stale air. Airing needed, but without drafts. Florists recommend spraying the plant in the morning and evening hours. It is better to use a small spray that creates fog over the cacti that resembles living conditions in natural conditions.
Watering
The opinion that succulents do not need systematic watering is erroneous. Excess watering is more destructive for them than dry land. In order for the cactus to bloom in the summer, it does not need abundant watering, it is enough to water once a week with water that has been protected for several days. The earth should not be flooded with water, only a lump of land is moistened. In the fall, the interval between watering increases. Water should be watered only completely dry land.
Watering cacti
During the dormant period, the cactus ceases to absorb moisture from the soil, so its excess can lead to decay of the roots. Land in winter should be completely dry. Light hydration is done once a month.
As soon as daylight hours begin to increase, the cactus needs to be awakened from hibernation by spraying it with hot water, the temperature of which is not more than 50 ° C. After a week, the cactus needs to be abundantly watered. After this procedure, switch to summer watering mode.
If you properly take care of home plants, including cacti, they perfectly develop and bloom. Illiterate care, in particular, watering with cold water, dry air, improper temperature and lack of light, will become the main cause of the disease. We must not forget to periodically inspect the cacti.
