Introduction to Cactus Species
Main content introduction: Knowledge about succulent plants, cacti, introduction to the types of cacti, detailed content will be shared next.
There are narrow and broad definitions of cacti. Narrowly defined cacti refer to those in the cactus family, cactus genus, while broadly defined cacti refer to all spherical or quasi-spherical cacti. Here we are referring to the broad definition of cacti. People usually think of cacti as being covered with spines, famous for being "prickly". In fact, the flowers of cacti are also beautiful, colorful and unique.
Cactus flower buds usually grow from areoles, and a few varieties grow from the axils of tubercles, some varieties even have very long flower tubes. The flowers are bisexual, with the pistil located in the center of the flower. There are usually many petals, long elliptical, with pointed tips, mostly in single or double layers. Depending on the variety, flower size varies greatly, with large ones being tens of centimeters in diameter and small ones only a few millimeters. Flower shapes include funnel-shaped, trumpet-shaped, bell-shaped, radiant, tubular, cylindrical, etc. Flower colors include white, pink, red, yellow, orange, purple-red, and some have a special metallic luster. Most cactus varieties bloom in the morning on sunny days and close in the afternoon, while a few white-flowered varieties bloom at night. The lifespan of a single flower is usually 2 days, but some varieties can last more than 10 days.
Cacti are diverse in species, vary in shape, are not large in size, are easy to care for, and bloom easily with bright colors, making them very suitable for home cultivation and appreciation. When planted in small pots and placed on window sills, balconies, bookshelves, desks, etc., they are like living crafts, unique and interesting. Common ornamental cactus varieties include 'Grass Ball', 'Lion King', 'White Snow Light', 'Color翁玉', 'Great Commander', 'Exquisite Hall', 'Descendant Ball', 'Descendant Ball Brocade', 'Venus', 'White Bird', 'Dragon King Ball', 'Black Beauty Ball', 'Belly Button' and so on.
Cacti are native to the tropical deserts and semi-deserts of the Americas, preferring warm, dry, and sunny environments, drought-resistant and semi-shady, but怕积水. Different varieties have different habits due to different growing environments. In cultivation and care, they should be classified by variety.
1. Varieties with strong growth
'Grass Ball', 'Dragon King Ball', 'Lion King', 'Belly Button' and other varieties should be provided with sufficient light during the growing period and can be placed outdoors in sunny, well-ventilated areas. Even in the high temperatures of midsummer, there is no need to shade them, as long as there is good ventilation; otherwise, heat and humidity can cause red spider damage. Watering should follow the principle of "do not water when dry, water thoroughly when watering". During the rainy season, attention should be paid to drainage to prevent waterlogging, preferably placing the plants in places where they are not exposed to rain to prevent root rot or even the entire cactus rotting. Apply a thin liquid fertilizer or compound fertilizer every 20 days, with the fertilizer solution being light rather than concentrated, and with a focus on phosphorus and potassium fertilizers and auxiliary nitrogen fertilizers. Stop fertilizing after autumn to keep the cactus compact and beneficial for overwintering. In winter, keep the plants in a sunny room, strictly control watering, and maintain the temperature at 3°C to 5°C, which is conducive to ensuring that the plants get sufficient rest and grow well the following year.
Young plants need to be repotted every spring, and adult plants every 3 to 4 years. Due to the large number of spines on cacti, it is best to use newspaper as padding when changing pots to avoid injury. Cut off 2/3 to 1/2 of the withered and rotting roots, and remove all the old roots that have lost their absorption capacity to promote the growth of strong new roots. The potting soil should be loose and breathable with good drainage, and can be mixed with garden soil, sandy soil, and cinder in equal parts.
2. Varieties with weaker growth
'Descendant Ball', 'Black Beauty Ball' and other small ball varieties, which are native to grasslands and have weeds shading them in summer, should avoid direct sunlight in summer. 'White Bird', 'White Snow Light', 'Exquisite Hall', 'Color翁玉' and other varieties, which are native to high-altitude areas, are suitable for growing in environments with sufficient light, good ventilation, and large day and night temperature differences. Since their white spines and hairs easily get dirty, it is best to keep them in a well-lit indoor environment all year round.
Spring and autumn are the main growing seasons for these types of cacti. Avoid waterlogging in the potting soil and apply a "low nitrogen, high phosphorus and potassium" thin fertilizer once a month. As they are intolerant to high temperatures, the plants stop growing and are in a state of dormancy or semi-dormancy during the high summer temperatures, so fertilizing should be stopped and watering should be controlled. If the temperature can be maintained above 10°C in winter, watering can continue to promote plant growth. If watering is controlled and the plant is allowed to dormancy, it can also tolerate a low temperature of 5°C. These types of cacti grow slowly from their own roots, have difficulty blooming, and are therefore best grafted onto strong-growing cacti such as 'Three Prong Arrow' and 'Grass Ball' using a flat grafting method to accelerate plant growth and early flowering. However, grafted plants tend to age prematurely and their ornamental value is not as high as that of seedlings.
3. Propagation of cacti
The propagation of cacti varies by variety. Varieties that easily produce offsets, such as 'Grass Ball', 'Descendant Ball', and 'Venus', can have their offsets picked during the growing season, dried for a few days, and then inserted after the wound has dried. Varieties that do not easily produce offsets, such as 'Great Commander', 'Dragon King Ball', and 'Lion King', can be propagated by sowing. Weaker-growing varieties like 'White Bird', 'White Snow Light', 'Exquisite Hall', 'Color翁玉', and 'Black Beauty Ball' are commonly propagated by grafting. For varieties that do not easily produce offsets and from which seeds cannot be harvested, the growing point at the top of a strong-growing plant can be damaged to promote the growth of offsets, which can then be removed and inserted or grafted when they reach a certain size.
White Bird is a plant in the Cactus family, Lophophora genus, with single or clustering stems, about 3.5 cm in diameter, cylindrical tubercles. The fine white spines are about 0.5 cm long, with about 100 spines per areole, all spreading horizontally and densely covering the cactus. The flowers are funnel-shaped, 2 to 3 cm in diameter, and light red.
Leopard Head is a plant in the Cactus family, Chilopsis genus, with thick, radish-like succulent roots, gray-green to dark red stems, rounded tubercles arranged spirally, black or brown spines. The flowers are yellow, 4 to 4.5 cm in diameter.
Color翁玉, also known as 'Colorful Jade', is a plant in the Cactus family, Chilopsis genus, with single stems, round to short cylindrical, about 5 cm in diameter, 10 to 14 cm high, with green stems densely covered with irregular淡黄色 or brown bristles. The flowers are terminal, long-tubed, funnel-shaped, and pink.
Lion King, also known as 'Lion King Ball', is a plant in the Cactus family, Rhipsalis genus, with single, oblate to spherical stems, deep green, about 16 cm in diameter, with 13 to 15 tuberculate ridges, white or light yellow spines, and reddish-brown tips and bases. The flowers are terminal, funnel-shaped, 4 to 6 cm in diameter, and light yellow.
Grass Ball is a plant in the Cactus family, Cactus genus, with single or clustering stems, globular when young, later becoming cylindrical, up to 75 cm tall, 12 to 15 cm in diameter, dark green stems, 11 to 12 ridges, conical black spines. The flowers are lateral, trumpet-shaped, about 24 cm long, 10 cm in diameter, white or light pink.
Descendant Ball Brocade is a variegated mutation of 'Descendant Ball', a plant in the Cactus family, Descendant Ball genus, with yellow stems, clustering, small spherical or cylindrical, with 16 to 20 fine ridges spirally arranged, spines 0.2 to 0.3 cm long, white or light yellow. The flowers grow from the areoles at the lower part of the stem, with thin and long flower tubes, small red flowers, funnel-shaped.
White Snow Light, also known as 'Snow Light', is a plant in the Cactus family, Rhipsalis genus, with single stems, oblate to spherical, 6 to 10 cm in diameter, with 30 ridges, stems covered with spiral small tubercles. The spines are silky, initially yellow, then white. The flowers are funnel-shaped, 1.5 cm long, 2 to 3 cm in diameter, orange-red or red, a single flower can bloom for 7 to 10 days.
Belly Button, also known as 'Planet', is a plant in the Cactus family, Astrophytum genus, with single stems, initially spherical, later becoming oblate or disc-shaped. The epidermis is gray-green and glossy, covered with white spots composed of short hairs. There are 4 to 12 ridges, regular, with flat ridges, a certain distance between the central ridges, there are circular tufts of hair组成的刺座, but no spines. The flowers are funnel-shaped, mostly yellow, rarely red.
Dragon King Ball is a plant in the Cactus family, Hamatocactus genus, with single stems, spherical to short cylindrical, 15 to 20 cm tall, 8 to 12 cm in diameter, deep green, 13 ridges, high ridges, wavy ridge edges, spirally arranged. The areoles are closely spaced, the central spines are hook-tipped, yellow-white or yellow-brown. The flowers grow on the top of the ball, funnel-shaped, yellow with red hearts, 6 to 7 cm in diameter.
The above [] introduces the detailed introduction of the types of cacti, do you know now?