CACTI

The first fact to get straight is this: all cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti.
Since nearly all plants in the cactus family are succulents or water and moisture holding
plants, most people think anything with stickers on it and thick leaves is a cactus.

STAR CACTUS
Astrophytum myriostigma
CACTACEAE

Description
The Mexico is the home of this plant. Astrophytums have succulent stems without
foliage, the photosynthesis having been taken over by the outer surface of the thickened
stem. The thick outer skin is colored greenish grey to whitish grey and thickly covered
with white-felted spots. There are usually 5 pronounced ribs (rarely 3 or 4) with sharp
edges on which are spaced round or elliptic areoles with brown wool, which later
disappears. The body of young plant is almost globose, becoming columnar in age. This
species has no spines.
Flower color
The flowers, which appear on the crown, are pale yellow and measure about 5 cm
(2 inch) in diameter.
Flowering time
Flowers are produced at irregular intervals throughout growing period.
Best site
It requires full sun. In summer it should be watered frequently, while in winter it
should be watered when the soil become almost dry. It grows well at temperatures
ranging from 8 to 25º C.
Soil
They should be provided with a well-drained soil; with additional fine gravel
thoroughly mixed in. A thick layer of stones should be spread over the bottom of the pot
or container before filling it with the compost. Also becoming widespread nowadays are
crushed bricks with water, to which nutrients are added from time to time. Cacti grown in
this way do very well. The soil for cacti should be alkaline, containing lime.
Landscape uses
Star cactus serves as a good specimen plant for the dry rock garden, sunny border,
or for stonewalls.

OLD MAN CACTUS

Description
The popular ‘old man’ introduces us to the vast realm of columnar cacti. Naturally
the cactus purchased at the florist’s is only a small specimen, but if it could be grown in
favorable conditions for several decades (this being the time necessary for it to reach its
true proportions) then it would become tall. Young plants (the ones usually available) are
covered whit long, soft white hairs, which practically hide the body from view. The stem
under the hair is greatly furrowed, the number of ribs being 20 to 30. The edges of these
are thickly set with areoles.
Adult plants, when they are about 6 m (20 ft) high, develop a cephalium at the top
of the column, the ribs change into sprially arranged tubercles covered with areoles which
produce a thick cover of spines.
Flower color
The flowers are produced from the cephalium. These are almost 10 cm (4 inch)
long and 7.5 cm (3 inch) across and colored white and pale yellow. Fruit is lovely red
colored and contains a large number of seeds in the dark red pulp.
Height
It may grow to a height of 15 m (50 ft) in decades.
Best site
The optimum growing temperature is 10 to 25º C. It should be grown in full sun
and watered infrequently. It can tolerate drought.
Soil
The substrate for this cactus must be free draining and should contain some lime,
therefore limestone rubble should be added to the compost.
Landscape uses
Grown in ordinary pots, columnar cacti are not as attractive as if put in a dish
arrangement where the bizarre stems of the succulents make a more striking effect. The
dish should be simple in design, ideally off-white ceramic ware. Also very attractive is a
group of large porous rocks planted with small species of cacti or either succulents.

PEANUT CACTUS
Chamaecereus silvestrii
CACTACEAE

Description
Peanut cactus is one such undemanding plant, and for good measure, it is
practically unbreakable. This cactus is native to the mountains of northwestern Argentina.
The ‘branches’ are horizontal and attractively ribbed. The ribs, 6 to 9, are dotted with
areoles from which emerge short spines, generally colored white.
Flower color
 Loveliest, however, are the bright red flowers, which are surprisingly large for
such a small plant, up to 4 cm long. There are always several on a branch at one time so
that plant is truly covered in blooms.
Height
It is a small, branching cactus reaching a height of 10 cm (4 inch) at the most.
Best site
It is almost entirely hardy. It must, however, in cultivation is that the soil be kept
absolutely dry if the temperature drops to freezing point or below. It require full sun, and
grows best in summer temperature of 10 to 20º C, while winter temperature of 0 to 5º C.
In summer it should be watered once after every 15 days.
Landscape uses
They are undemanding plants that reliably produce flowers and because they are
small it is no problem to find room for them.

ORCHID CACTUS
Epiphyllum hybridum
CACTACEAE

Description
A complex hybrid derived from crossings between the species themselves and
usually also with related genera. True epiphyllum species are cacti that generally flower
at night and that is why they are often hybridized; the resulting hybrids have flowers that
often remain open for 2 days.
Epiphyllums, as their name indicates, are of epiphytic nature, generally rooting in
the forks of branches, their long thin stems twining over the bark to which they hold fast
by means of clinging rootlets; the leaf-like expanded shoots either hang downwards or
stand away from the trunk.
Flower color
A great many hybrids in colors ranging from pure white to violet purple are
cultivated nowadays. The flowers are truly huge, sometimes up to 30 cm (1 ft) in
diameter.
Best site
Leafy cacti may be grown as epiphytes, but then (because of the other plants) it is
difficult to provide them with the necessary dry and cool conditions in winter, without
which they flower poorly. It can be grown in full sun to partial shade. It requires
irrigation frequently. The optimum growing temperature is 10 to 25º C.
Soil
Seedlings often root in the humus collected in the fork of a branch by another
plant and so. It is better to grow them in the traditional way in porous humusy compost
where they make very rapid growth.
Landscape uses
Orchid cactus has become very popular, even with those who did not cultivate
them otherwise, because of their showy flowers.
CACTUS
Gymnocalycium quehlianum
CACTACEAE

Description
Gymnocalycium is native to the mountains of Cordoba in central Argentina. This
species is a flattened spherical shape. There are usually 11 ribs broken into tubercles
separated by sharp cross grooves. Each areole produces 5 radial spines about 0.5 cm long.
The skin is grey green, appearing reddish in the sun.
Flower color
The flowers are relatively large, about 6 cm long, white with a red center.
Height & spread
It grows to a height of 15 cm (6 inch) and about 7 cm (2 inch) across.
Best site
Because it grows at high altitudes it does not tolerate excessive sunlight and heat
combined with a dry atmosphere, in its native habitat it grows in grassy places and thus it
is best to provide it with light shade in summer. Summer mean temperatures should be 15
to 25º C, and winter mean temperatures should be 5 to 10º C.
Soil
Alkaline soil causes the plant to lose its roots for they are intolerant of an alkaline
environment. It is therefore, recommended that Gymnocalycium be grown in fine crushed
brick, the required nutrients being supplied by being added to the water. Cultivation will
thus pose no problems and the plant need not be moved for years.
Landscape uses
This cactus serves as a good specimen plant for the dry rock garden, sunny border,
or for stonewalls.

CACTUS
Lobivia famatimensis
CACTACEAE

Description
The body of this tiny cactus is shortly cylindrical when grows in the wild; in
cultivation, where the plants are frequently misted, it is longish cylindrical. The skin is
colored vivid green or greyish green. There are 24 shallow ribs covered fairly thickly
with areoles from which grow short, soft, white spines. This cactus is native to Famatima
Mountain range, which is part of the Argentine Andes, at elevations of 2,000 to 3,000 m.

Flower color
The flowers are surprisingly large, the same length as the body of the cactus, in
other words about 3 cm (1 inch) and colored pale yellow.
Height & spread
 It grows to a height of about 3.5 cm and slightly less across.
Best site
It is a hardy mountain type of cactus, therefore, it require full sunshine. Summer
mean temperatures should be 10 to 20º C, and winter mean temperatures should be 0 to 5º
C. In summer it should be watered profusely; in winter, however, it requires a cool and
dry atmosphere and completely compost.
Soil
It can be grown in standard cactus mix of humusy loam, sand and stone rubble.
Landscape uses
In clear air and direct sun that it attains its full beauty. However, there is no need
to be wary of growing it in a city in the lowlands for it can be relied on to do well even
there.

SACRED MUSHROOM CACTUS, (PEYOTE)

Description
In the wild it grows in the Southern USA (Mexico). The body of this cactus is grey
green with a bluish shade. It has 8 to 10 shallow ribs. In young plants tufts of stiff hairs
grow from the areoles. The turnip-like root is approximately 15 cm (6 inch) long.

Flower color
The flowers are not large, only about 1 to 1.5 cm in diameter, and colored pale
pink. Sometimes one may come across specimens with violet-pink flowers.
Height & spread
It measure about 8 cm (3 inch) across.
Best site
In summer it require frequent irrigation, and the temperature of 15 to 25º C, while
in winter it require less water, and the temperature of 8 to 12º C. It grows best in full
sunshine.
Soil
In the wild it grows in heavy, compacting soils.
Landscape uses
In cultivation this soft-bodied cactus is considered to be one of the hardiest,
practically indestructible plants for room decoration. If it is to bear flowers it must have a
period of winter rest at a temperature of about 10º C.

NIPPLE CACTUS
Mammillaria bombycina
CACTACEAE

Description
 Few cacti are as popular as mammillarias. For one thing they include a vast
number of species and secondly they can be relied on to flower. The flowers further
more, form a delightful garland on the crown and are followed by crimson red or bright
red club-shaped fruits. The name of the genus is derived from the word mammilla,
meaning nipple. This species is native to Mexico. It is covered with conical areoles from
which grow two types of spines; radial spines and central spines. The first number 30 to
40, are white, and radiate outwards; the central spines are darker, and colored pale
carmine, often with a darker center.
Height & spread
The body of mammillaria is about 20 cm (8 inch) high and 6 cm (2.3 inch) across.
Best site
It can tolerate very low temperatures in winter if kept dry; therefore, the winter
temperatures should be 5 to 10º C. The summer temperatures for optimum growth should
be 15 to 25º C. It requires full sunshine.
Landscape uses
The thick white wool growing from the axils of the areoles enhances the plant’s
attractiveness. Can be successfully grown in a window glasshouse placed outside the
window.

PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS

Description
Prickly pear cactus is native to North America (Mexico). It is a jointed, rather tall,
shrub-like cactus. Thick fleshy sections (joints) are 2 to 6 inch (5 to 15 cm) long and 4
inch (10 cm) wide, having spines on them. There are small, red-brown hairs on the
smooth surface of the cactus, which detach easily and lodge under the skin. Care should
be taken in cultivating around the plants.
Flower color
The yellow frilled flowers are borne toward the upper part of the joints; 2 to 3 inch
across. The flowers are numerous.
Flowering time
June to July. A dark red 1-inch oblong fruit will sometimes follow flowering. The
fruit is inedible.
Height and spread
60 to 100 cm (24 to 40 inches) high, clump forming plant.
Best site
Opuntia performs well in full sun and very well-drained soils. The segments
become somewhat wilted and shriveled during the winter but regain their turgor during
the growing season. The winter temperatures 5 to 10º C, and summer temperatures 15 to
25º C, are best for growth. It is drought resistant plant and therefore requires less water.
Propagation
 Placing cuttings in slightly moist sand can propagate new plants. Division and
seed can also be utilized.
Landscape uses
Prickly pear serves as a good specimen plant for the dry rock garden, sunny
border, or for stonewalls.

REBUTIA CACTUS
Rebutia senilis
CACTACEAE

Description
The Argentina is the home of this Rebutia cactus. The spines are many, numbering
some 25, about 3 cm long and pure white.
Flower color
The flowers, usually several at one time, are crimson red and measure about 3.5
cm across. A note worthy characteristic is that they are self-pollinating.
Height & spread
Rebutia is just about 8 cm (3 inch) high and only a little less abroad.
Best site
In the wild rebutia grow on stony slopes together with grasses and low shrubs and
their natural environment may be simulated in cultivation. It grows well in full sunshine.
In summer season 15 to 25º C, while in winter season 5 to 10º C, is best for its growth. In
winter it requires less soil moisture, while in summer it require a lot of water.
Landscape uses
Rebutia is an excellent specimen for rock garden, container and window boxes.
Grow it in a relatively large dish.