Hildewintera

Family. Cactaceae.

Origin. Bolivia.

Description. Hildewintera is a charming cactus with long, often drooping shoots, resembling a hairy octopus or spider from afar. The stems are thin - up to 3 cm in diameter, green, round in cross-section, branch abundantly and bend in different directions. The length and color of the spines vary; often these cacti have what appears to be long fur consisting of soft, thin needles. The flowers are funnel-shaped, in pink and red tones, appearing in any part of the stems.

Height. The length of the shoots reaches 30 - 150 cm and grows quickly.

Home care

Temperature conditions

In spring and summer, keep at normal room temperature. During the dormant period in winter, place it in a cool place - 10 - 15 ° C. 

Lighting

Maximum possible lighting in autumn and winter with slight shading in spring and summer during the daytime. Lack of light affects the flowering of plants.

Care

Hildewintera is unpretentious and at the same time very impressive. 

Substrate

The soil should easily pass water and air, pH not higher than 6.5. A mixture of leaf humus, turf soil with a large amount of coarse river sand - at least 30 percent or perlite to improve drainage and small pieces of charcoal - is suitable. You can use a ready-made substrate for cacti and succulents. The root collar can be surrounded with a layer of coarse sand. 

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.

Flowering time

Summer.

Air humidity

This cactus can grow in rooms with dry air and does not need spraying. Long spines can retain moisture, so drops of water falling on the stems often provoke the appearance of rot. 

Soil moisture

During the period of active growth, water moderately, so as to completely wet the soil lump. Before each subsequent watering, the top 3 cm layer of the substrate should dry out. During the winter dormant period, simply protect the soil from drying out completely. 

Transplant

Hildewintera grows quite quickly and needs to be transplanted every year in the spring into a larger pot. When planting, do not bury the root collar into the ground.

Reproduction

With stem cuttings, the cut site should be dried for several days. Rooting is carried out in damp sand and takes 3 to 8 weeks. Seeds, which are slightly pressed into the substrate in the spring. The seedlings are covered with glass and placed in a warm place - about 25 ° C. Germination time is 1 - 2 weeks. 

Pests and diseases

Rotting in the absence of good drainage or high air humidity. When kept warm all year round, the cactus continues to grow during the winter, and since the weather is cloudy at this time, it lacks light and the stem becomes thinner.

Red mites, mealybugs, thrips and aphids sometimes appear.