Reicheocactus

Family. Cactaceae.

Origin. Chile, Argentina.

Description. Reicheoctus is a small cactus with a spherical, cylindrical trunk, slightly flattened at the top. Sometimes adult cacti form lateral shoots at the base. The ribs are numerous, often shallow, vertical or spirally arranged. The spines are very short, straight and, as a rule, tightly adhere to the body of the plant. The flowers, compared to the size of the cactus itself, are simply huge - their diameter reaches 5 cm, they are often yellow, less often red, bell-shaped and appear on the side at the top of the trunk. Each bud remains open and attractive for 2 - 3 days.

Height. Up to 15 cm, grows very slowly.

Home care

Temperature conditions

In spring and summer, keep at normal room temperature. During the winter dormant period, the temperature must be lowered to 8 - 12 ° C. It tolerates short frosts if it is in dry soil. 

Lighting

Like most cacti, it needs very good lighting. Shading is possible only on very hot spring and summer days, when sun activity is high.

Care

A cool dormant period stimulates the formation of flower buds and also slows down the growth of the cactus, which, in the absence of sufficient lighting, will contribute to the development of fungal diseases. 

Substrate

Very well-drained, porous soil with a high sand content and a slightly acidic pH of up to 5.8. The drainage part must be at least 30 percent of the total volume of the mixture.

Feeding

From spring to autumn, feed monthly with fertilizer for cacti and succulents.

Purpose

A small species, a whole collection of reicheocacti can be placed on a small windowsill.

Flowering time

Summer. It blooms only with good care.

Air humidity

It tolerates the dry air of heated rooms well and does not require spraying. Loves ventilated rooms with constant air movement.

Soil moisture

The soil should dry out between waterings at any time of the year. In autumn, watering is reduced to a minimum and in winter it simply protects the soil from drying out completely. 

Transfer

Choose a deep pot with large drainage holes for replanting, as reicheoctus has a large taproot system. Replanting is done when necessary; adult specimens can remain in one pot for several years and need to be replanted every 2-3 years, in the spring. When planting, the root collar can be surrounded by a layer of coarse sand or fine gravel.

Reproduction

Seeds, cuttings or root shoots. Seeds are sown in spring, and spraying is used instead of watering. Cuttings and root shoots are carefully separated with a sharp sterile instrument. The cutting site is dried for several days to prevent the cuttings from rotting. Rooting occurs within 2 - 6 weeks. Vaccinations.

Pests and diseases

When overmoistened, especially during the winter dormant period, it becomes susceptible to rot.

Red mites, mealybugs, thrips and aphids sometimes appear.