Homalocephala

Family. Cactaceae.

Origin. Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma.

Description. Homalocephala is a spherical cactus with a green or gray-green stem. The ribs are numerous, well defined, often curved, the apex of the stem is flattened. The spines are small, thick, pale brown, pink, reddish-gray. The shades of the funnel-shaped flowers include white, pink, silvery pink with a red center, the diameter of the buds is about 5 cm. The cacti bloom when they reach a diameter of about 10 cm, the flowers have a pleasant aroma. The fruits are bright scarlet or crimson, spherical or ovoid, up to 4 cm in diameter, fleshy. It grows slowly.

Height. Up to 20 cm in height and 30 cm in diameter.

Home care

Temperature conditions

In spring and summer, keep the plant at normal room temperature; in winter, keep it cool at 7 - 10 ° C. This cactus can withstand short-term frosts down to -18 ° C if kept dry.

Lighting

Needs lots of sun, with some direct sunlight in the morning and evening. Lack of light affects health and can even lead to death.

Care

Homalocephala flowers quite easily if kept in proper conditions. It is often grown grafted onto less demanding cacti.

Substrate

Well-drained soils containing coarse sand and up to half the volume of perlite. 

Feeding

Monthly with fertilizers for cacti and succulents at half strength. During the dormant period, feeding is stopped.

Purpose

Quite a rare cactus for collectors.

Flowering time

Blooms in late spring - early summer, flowering is short-lived.

Air humidity

Does not require spraying.

Soil moisture

Watering is moderate in summer. Keep it almost completely dry in winter. 

Transfer

This cactus stores water in its above-ground parts, so its root system is small enough to fit into a relatively small flowerpot. Adult specimens need to be repotted every 2-3 years, in the spring.

Reproduction

Homalocephala is relatively easy to propagate by seeds.

Pests and diseases

Of the harmful insects, the main dangers are spider mites, scale insects, and mealybugs.