Nopalxochia

Family. Cactaceae.

Origin. Mexico, Costa Rica. 

Description. Nopalxochia is an epiphytic cactus with flat, jagged, flattened, reclining stems that reach 60 cm in length and 5 cm in width, branching at the base, green, sometimes with a reddish tint. With age, the bases of the stems become woody and brown. Funnel-shaped flowers, pink or red, up to 10 cm in diameter, appear at the tops of the stems. After flowering, it forms oblong fruits that turn red as they ripen.

Height. In a hanging basket, the stems can grow up to 1 m in length.

Home care

Temperature conditions

The optimal temperature range during the period of active growth is 18 - 24 ° C. To lay flower buds during the dormant period, the temperature must be reduced to 14 - 16 ° C for 8 - 10 weeks. When flower buds reach 2.5 cm, move the plant to a warmer room.

Lighting

Bright light, but not direct sunlight.

Care

Regular pruning of overly long stems in the spring, when new growth begins, allows you to form a denser and bushier cactus.

Substrate

Nopalxochia will appreciate more organic matter in the soil than most terrestrial cacti and grows well in soils containing sphagnum moss. The soil should easily pass water and air, pH not higher than 6.5. A mixture of leaf humus, sphagnum, turf soil with the addition of coarse river sand or perlite to improve drainage and small pieces of charcoal is suitable.

Feeding

Feed monthly with fertilizers for cacti and succulents high in potassium, calcium and phosphorus. The fertilizer is diluted to half the recommended dose and applied in spring and summer. During the dormant period, cacti are not fed. 

Purpose

Looks great in a hanging basket that allows the plant's long stems to cascade down.

Flowering time

Spring Summer.

Air humidity

Does not require spraying.

Soil moisture

Nopalxochia needs regular watering from spring to mid-autumn. During the dormant period, watering is reduced to a minimum, trying to prevent the stems from wrinkling. 

Transfer

Repotting is done immediately after flowering or before it occurs; adult specimens are repotted every 2-3 years into larger pots. This cactus prefers slightly cramped conditions and should be repotted if the roots have completely filled the pot.

Reproduction

Stem cuttings taken after flowering. The cut site is dried for several days and rooting is carried out in a mixture of sphagnum, leaf humus and sand for 6 - 8 weeks. 

Pests and diseases

Rotting due to waterlogging. Shriveled, limp stems are a sign of lack of moisture in the soil.

Red mites, mealybugs, thrips and aphids sometimes appear.