Almost every home you can see these unusual plants. Many get them, believing that they are completely unpretentious and do not need care. It's a delusion. In order for cacti to develop well, they must be properly cared for. Only in this case you will be able to see cactus flowers, which rarely appear at home.
Description of cacti
These are unusual thorny plants that have successfully adapted to life in hot deserts, on the barren plateaus of southern countries. They belong to the large cactus family. Under natural conditions, plants store moisture in the stem during the rainy season, which they need during the dry season. As a rule, these flowers do not have leaves - their function is performed by a thick and dense green stem, which can have a wide variety of shapes: columnar and cylindrical, trihedral and spherical, etc.
These prickly flowers also differ in their stems. They are ribbed and smooth, wrinkled and tuberculate, with notches or papillae. On top they are covered with a tough cuticle with a wax coating.
Cactus leaves have changed andturned into bristles, hairs of various shapes, spines. Cactus needles can reach 12 cm in length, and they are colored in different ways. They grow from felt-pubescent pads. Only Peyrescia (leafy cactus) can boast of real leaves, which look a little like the leaves of citrus plants.
The bristles and spines of this plant are necessary in natural conditions for protection from animals. But this is not their only function. Sharp needles are a kind of device that helps animals to carry the thorny fruits of the plant, as well as reducing the evaporation of moisture.
Since ancient times, people have noticed that on bizarre in shape, and sometimes quite small plants, large, unusually beautiful cactus flowers appear, which differ in shape and color. They are funnel-shaped, tubular, bisexual. There are species in which flowers appear only at night. And in many varieties, they emit a delicate, refined aroma.
Cactus seeds and fruits
The fruits of this plant are tied in early summer and ripen by the end of the warm season, after which they are easily separated from the stem. If the fruit is not ripe by autumn due to late pollination, the plant must be transferred to the greenhouse and provided with additional lighting, otherwise the seeds will not ripen. Cactus fruits are spherical, oval or elongated in shape and can be variously colored - red, yellow, green, brown, purple.
In melocactus and mammillaria, they ripen inside the stem andthen pushed out. Cactus seeds often occupy the entire internal space of the fetus and are attached to its walls with seed stalks or are located there freely. Seeds in one fruit in different types of cacti can be from several pieces to one and a half thousand. They have different sizes and shapes. The smallest ones are in the Azteciums, Strombocactus and parodies. There are irregularly spherical or elongated seeds, shiny or dull, brown or black, with microscopic tubercles on the surface.
In this article, we will introduce you to indoor plants. You can see photos and names of these cacti below.
Varieties
In our time, there are more than three thousand species of cacti. Today, experts divide them according to the method of cultivation - greenhouse, garden and indoor. In order for the cactus to receive proper care, you should know what species this or that specimen belongs to. Nature has endowed not all plants with thorns. There are rare species that are completely devoid of sharp spikes. For example, creeping cereus cactus, leaf-shaped epiphyllums, climbing lepismiums, ripsalis shrubs, etc.
Desert, forest and tropical cacti are known, which are strikingly different in appearance.
Blossoming cacti
Under natural conditions, all representatives of this family bloom. Domestic cactus flowers can be seen on certain species, the content of which is as close to natural as possible. These plants include:
- mamillaria;
- Echinopsis;
- astrophytum;
- epiphyllums;
- cereus;
- chamecereuses;
- rebutions;
- wilkoxy;
- frailei,
- phyllocactus.
The listed plants are much easier to create the necessary conditions. Flowers can have a wide variety of shades - from white to bright red. In addition, they are very small or quite large. With proper care of this thorny plant, you can enjoy its flowering for a very long time.
Owners need to know that cactus require a lot of strength to bloom, for this reason this process occurs only once a year. Echinopsis cacti, which many call sea urchins, are considered the most popular of flowering cacti among flower growers. With the right care and enough light, you can grow cacti with red flowers. Sometimes they are pale yellow or white.
Cactus care
Today these flowers are very common and popular. Such indoor plants, photos and names of which can be seen in almost all publications on floriculture, attract with their original appearance.
First, let's decide where to put the cactus so that it develops and grows most actively. The cactus needs a lot of light, so it is advisable to place it on the south and southeast window sills. In late spring and summer, your plant can be taken outside.
In the early days, when the tender stem gets used to direct sunlight, it needs a little shade. Suitable for thisthin tissue or wrapping paper. After three weeks, it can be removed, but it is necessary to ensure that dust does not settle on the flower, and rain does not fall on it. If your pet has a smooth, rich green stem, then it will most likely need partial shade throughout the summer. Such a plant is not recommended to be exposed to direct sunlight.
Temperature
One of the most common myths is the great love of these plants for the heat. In fact, it depends on the particular species, as well as the time of year. But in any case, temperatures above +35°C can cause plant growth to stop. Cactus is a flower, the care of which requires compliance with certain rules.
You should know that this plant tolerates significant temperature fluctuations during the day and night, but the comfortable air temperature should not be lower than + 6°C.
Lighting
If there are no special recommendations for any particular species, then in winter it does not need additional lighting. However, most varieties need it. For this, special lamps are used, which are needed from November to February.
Irrigation
There is an opinion that cacti should be watered no more than once a month. This is a big misconception. Your plant may not die with this watering schedule, but it will become a lot of stress for it. During the growing season, the soil should be moistened as needed. To find out how much watering is needed, touch the soil with your finger. If it remains absolutely dry - the cactus needsin irrigation.
The only exception can be periods of rest - in extreme heat, as well as in winter. In summer, instead of watering, it is more advisable to spray the plant from a spray bottle once a day.
In winter, it is necessary to moisten the cactus carefully - you must not allow water to fall on the stem. On rainy summer days, the plant can not be sprayed - it will receive the necessary moisture from the air. Water for irrigation should be separated, at room temperature. Make sure that it does not accumulate in the pan.
Ground
To see the magnificent cactus flowers, you need to take care of the soil. Usually cacti are sold in a ready-made substrate, but if it becomes necessary to transplant a flower, then you should choose a light, breathable soil. You can make it yourself by mixing leafy soil, turf, river sand in equal proportions and adding a little gravel, brick chips for drainage.
Popular types and names of cacti
Mammillaria can be found in almost every connoisseur of these plants. Its distinctive feature is a small white cobweb between the needles. The stem is most often cylindrical, but sometimes globular. Usually, a lot of baby cacti appear near the stem. The reason for the popularity of this plant is that it blooms even at a young age.
Cactus flowers are small, painted in red, white or deep pink. Flowering begins in late February or early March. After its completion, the original fruits ripen, which adorn the plants.
Rebutia
This cactus belongs to the mountain species. Its stem, which has a spherical shape, is completely covered with thorns. Rebutia usually blooms once a year, at the very beginning of spring. The flowers are large in different colors - orange, red, purple, pink. If this cactus hibernates in comfortable cool, sunny conditions, and in the spring it is transferred to a room that is regularly ventilated, then the rebutia blooms profusely. It should be noted that this cactus does not tolerate overdried soil.
Chamecereuses
The most popular species is Sylvester's Chamecereus. The flowers of this cactus are large, bright. Chamecereus prefers dry air and sunny conditions, so it does not need additional moisture. In winter, the owner can forget about this flower altogether, since at this time one or two waterings are enough for him, and from spring, chamecereuses should be fertilized with special fertilizers (for cacti) and watering should be increased.
Ountia
The plant has flat and succulent branches. Prickly pear cactus is a large plant. Under natural conditions, it grows up to six meters in height. This type of cactus is usually grown as an ornamental plant, but not everyone knows that it is edible. The flower does not contain toxic substances, so it is safe for humans. In cooking, all its parts are used - stems, flowers, fruits, juice.
Indians use the juice of this cactus instead of plaster bandages. Its adhesive texture, combined with feathers, is able to perfectly fix a brokenlimb.
Useful properties
The presence of vitamins and minerals in the composition determine the beneficial properties of the flower. Its berries contain vitamin C in a fairly large amount. The tissues contain potassium and calcium. In the Mediterranean, the prickly pear cactus is known as an effective remedy for stomach pain and diarrhea. Flowers and branches of the plant are indicated for the complex treatment of ulcers, hypertension, liver diseases, and obesity. Prickly pear restores blood sugar levels, lowers cholesterol.
Scientists who studied the composition and properties of the plant concluded that soap, deodorants, vitamins can be produced from this cactus. In many tropical countries where this species is common, prickly pear is grown for the manufacture of cosmetics and medicines.
