Tunilla
Family. Cactaceae.
Origin. Argentina, Bolivia.
Description. Tunillas are low cacti with abundantly branching stems, which are divided into oval, round, or less often flat segments of green or bluish-green color, each 6 - 10 cm long. The areoles densely puncture the shoot segments. The spines are straight and long, light gray, however, in some species they are absent. At the tops of the segments, the tunilla forms buds that open into very bright flowers of yellow, orange or red.
Height. 30-60 cm, with good care grows quickly.
Home care
Temperature conditions
The optimum temperature range during the period of active growth is 18 - 24 °C. To set flower buds during the dormant period, the temperature should be reduced to 14 - 16 °C for 8 - 10 weeks. When the buds reach 2.5 cm, move the cactus to a warmer room.
Lighting
Bright light, but not direct sunlight. In autumn and winter, move plants to the maximum light possible.
Care
Easy to grow cactus. Regular pruning of overly long stems in the spring, when new growth begins, allows the formation of a denser, bushier plant.
Substrate
Tunilla requires more nutritious soil than most cacti. 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
Representatives of this species look great in a hanging basket, with long stems hanging down in a beautiful cascade.
Flowering time
Spring Summer.
Air humidity
Does not require spraying.
Soil moisture
Tunilla 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
Transplantation is carried out immediately after flowering or before its onset; adult plants are transplanted every 2 - 3 years into larger pots. This cactus prefers slightly cramped conditions and should be replanted 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. Tunilla seeds are sown in spring.
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.