Tacinga

Family. Cactaceae.

Origin. Brazil.

Description. Tacinga is a fairly large cactus. The stems are green, branching, divided into oval segments, each of which can reach 30 cm in length. At the tops of old segments, 1 - 2 new ones appear. The spines are located in the areoles, short, light. Some species do not have spines. The flowers are bright - red, orange or white, formed at the tops of the stems, their petals have a silky sheen. The fruits are spherical. Tacinga resembles prickly pear in appearance, but its leaf segments have a more rounded shape.

Height. In the natural environment it reaches 150 cm; when grown in pots, the height will be much less.

Home care

Temperature conditions

In spring and summer, the temperature ranges from 18 to 24 ° C, in the winter months there is a rest period at a temperature of 5 - 8 ° C. 

Lighting

Good lighting is necessary for flower buds to appear. Shade plants only on very hot summer days.

Care

Tacinga is quite easy to grow indoors. 

Substrate

The soil should contain up to 40 percent of drainage material in the form of coarse river sand. A ready-made mineral mixture for cacti and succulent plants with a pH no higher than 6.8 is suitable.

Feeding

Feed with a water-soluble, high-potassium cactus fertilizer at half strength monthly in the spring and summer. Feeding begins with the beginning of new growth in the spring and ends in late summer - early autumn. 

Purpose

A plant rarely found in indoor culture.

Flowering time

Summer.

Air humidity

It is undemanding about air humidity, but prefers to be in well-ventilated areas with a constant flow of fresh air. 

Soil moisture

During the growing season, water so that the top layer of soil has time to dry before the next watering. In autumn, the frequency of watering is reduced, and in winter it is completely reduced to a minimum.

Transfer

Replant in the spring. Tacingas can remain in the same soil for several years. 

Reproduction

The cactus is propagated by stem cuttings. The cuttings are cut with a sharp sterile pruner, and the cut site is dried for several days before planting. Root in a warm place, in a damp mixture of peat and sand.

Pests and diseases

With insufficient drainage and excessive watering, especially in autumn and winter, plants rot.

Red mites, mealybugs, thrips and aphids sometimes appear.