Neobuxbaumia

Family. Cactaceae.

Origin. Mexico.

Description. In their habitat, neobuxbaumia grow into large cactus “trees” and have impressive dimensions - their height reaches 15 m. The stems are green, slender with clearly defined ribs, and branch with age. The spines are in golden tones; in large plants, the stems become woody over time and lose spines. flowers can appear in any part of the plant, are pink, white or orange, bell-shaped, up to 4 cm in diameter, open at night.

Height. It grows quite quickly and can gain up to 15 cm per season. The culture contains young plants.

Neobuxbaumia - care at home

Temperature conditions

Loves warm conditions and will enjoy the summer heat. Keep at normal room temperature during spring and summer. In autumn, it is moved to a cooler room with a temperature of about 15° C. It does not tolerate frost.

Lighting

Like most cacti, neobuxbaumia requires bright light with some shading on particularly hot days.

Care

A persistent cactus that does not require much time and labor to grow. 

Substrate

Can be grown in ready-made mixtures for cacti based on mineral components. The soil should have excellent drainage and a slightly acidic pH. Tolerates very nutrient-poor soils.

Feeding

Monthly during the growing season with fertilizers for cacti and succulents with a high potassium content and low nitrogen content. Fertilizers are diluted to half the recommended concentration. 

Purpose

Over time it grows into a large tree - give neobuxbaumia plenty of room to grow.

Flowering time

Summer, they bloom a few years after planting, when they already have impressive dimensions. 

Air humidity

Do not spray; in autumn and winter, the air in the room should be dry.

Soil moisture

Water until the earthen ball is completely soaked, but between waterings, dry the soil at least halfway. In autumn, reduce the frequency of watering to a minimum - the soil should be almost dry. 

Transfer

Since this cactus develops quickly, it requires an annual transplant, which is carried out in the spring. With each transplant, slightly increase the volume of the pot. 

Reproduction

By grafting or cuttings. The cuttings are separated with a sharp, sterile instrument and dried in air for several days before planting. Rooting is carried out in wet sand. Sowing seeds in spring. 

Pests and diseases

Cacti can rot if overwatered and insufficiently drained. 

Red mites, mealybugs, thrips and aphids sometimes appear. 

Note

Be careful when working with cacti as they have sharp thorns.