A general description with the names of the cactus family, and their classification and photos are given. Presented varieties of cacti available for growing at home
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General information about cacti
Cacti are a relatively young family of plants on our planet; they appeared at a time when mammals already reigned on earth. The homeland of cacti is South America, from where they settled throughout the Western Hemisphere. And thanks to migratory birds, some of their species came to Africa and Asia.
At their core, all cacti are succulents, that is, plants that can accumulate water in the stems in case of long periods of drought.. A distinctive feature that distinguishes the cactus family is the presence of areoles in them - special modified branches that have the shape of kidneys. It is from the areoles that thorns, flowers and “children” grow in cacti, with the help of which cacti carry out vegetative reproduction.
Areoles of Grandifolius cactus
Cacti are truly unique plants. Even their photosynthesis goes differently than the rest of the plant world: carbon dioxide for it is collected by the plant at night, and not during the day. This is due to the fact that during the day, in order to avoid moisture loss, the stomata of the cactus are closed.
The living conditions of cacti are the most extreme. Some of them live in desert regions with destructive diurnal temperature fluctuations and very little rainfall. Others, on the contrary, live in conditions of exceptional humidity, capable of destroying all other plant species.
The appearance of cacti has always surprised flower growers: the appearance of the plant cannot be called attractive or friendly, but the flowers that appear on it from time to time can capture the imagination of any connoisseur.
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From the point of view of biology, cacti are divided into 4 subfamilies and 11 tribes. However, cactus growers are not interested in such a division. They share cacti either in appearance, according to living conditions in their natural environment.
In appearance, cacti are:
- treelike
- shrubby
- herbaceous
- vines
The classification by habitat is simpler: cacti are divided into desert and forest. Such a division of these plants is purely practical in nature: in order not to refresh all 11 knees in memory, it is easier for a cactus grower to immediately point out its shape and “place of residence”, and it immediately becomes clear what he is dealing with.
Forest or tropical cacti, as a rule, are very similar to each other. These are vine-like plants, often epiphytes (using other plants as support). Sometimes among them there are also species that parasitize other plants. Some types of tropical cacti grow even in the ground.
Forest cactus epiphyllum with flowers
However, in the bulk, these are plants whose roots practically do not come into contact with rich soils and organic matter, which they are forced to be content with, is very poor in nutrients.The shape of the leaves of tropical cacti is also very specific - these are long flattened shoots with thin short antennae instead of thorns.
If forest cacti are more or less similar to each other, then their desert relatives are represented by three types:
Echinopsis
- They have spherical or cylindrical stems.
- Areoles, relatively evenly distributed, may be located on small ribs.
- Extremely tenacious and adaptable plants.
- Grafting of any cactus is impossible without echinopsis, which are used as rootstocks.
- However, it would be a mistake to consider them exclusively a "technical" plant.
- There are many varieties of these cacti with excellent decorative properties.
prickly pear
- The most common type of cactus.
- They are distinguished by the characteristic shape of the stem - it is flattened and resembles a small cake.
- There are a huge number of varieties of prickly pear, which in their natural habitats find a wide variety of uses: from food to dyes or raw materials for the production of alcoholic or medicinal products.
- The living conditions of prickly pear are also very different.
- There are species that can tolerate negative temperatures and a short stay under the snow, or partially grown into the ice.
astrophytums
- Cacti with pronounced ribs, on which thick spines are located.
- Unlike echinopsis, they are smaller, but have more ribs, and are also equipped with many small specks on the stem that can absorb water.
- Despite their small size, astrophytums begin to bloom at a very early age.
- Their flowering lasts from May to October, which is a kind of record among cacti.
- However, you have to pay for everything.
- In winter, this type of plant is dormant and practically does not grow.
- In addition, astrophytums have the slowest growth rate of both the stem and root system.
- They are not recommended to be transplanted more than once every 5-6 years.
Not all cacti can be grown at home. Some representatives of this family simply will not be able to fit in a living room. In addition, there are poisonous cacti that can cause both allergic reactions and serious poisoning, so it is better not to keep them at home.
A separate category are plants used in folk medicine by the indigenous people of Central and South America. Among them, there are both harmless antiseptics and very serious hallucinogens, containing up to 2% mescaline in their mass.
Consider the most popular types and varieties of cacti in home floriculture, the features of their cultivation and maintenance.
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Types of home cacti
At home, cacti change their lifestyle and sometimes even their appearance. This is due to the ability of all succulents to adapt to environmental conditions. Most often, such a manifestation can occur imperceptibly for the host, for example, the root system decreases or the growth rate of the flower changes.
In some cases, these lifestyle changes are reflected in the appearance of the cactus. As a rule, this does not lead to deterioration in the appearance of the flowers; sometimes due to these changes, their classification can be difficult.
Ariocarpus
- An original cactus with reduced spines. Most varieties have a flattened shape and triangular branches from the stem.
- The nondescript appearance of the plant is compensated by large beautiful flowers or inflorescences that appear on it every spring.
- It has a tap root system, often having a large thickening, which must be taken into account when choosing a pot for this pet. Sometimes the size of the root is 4 times the size of the ground part of the flower.
- Flowering occurs at the end of autumn and lasts for several days.
- After that, fruits ripen on the plant, containing many small seeds. Ariocarpus seeds have a germination capacity for several years.
Gymnocalyciums
- The spherical stems of this plant can have a wide variety of sizes, depending on the variety.
- There are also giants up to 30 cm in diameter among them, and there are also very small specimens, no more than 2 cm in size.
- A distinctive feature of these flowers are bare flower tubes, completely devoid of any hairy protective cover.
- The plant is able to bloom in the second year of life. Flowering is long, lasting almost the entire season. The shades are very diverse - from white to dark purple.
- Some types of these flowers are devoid of chlorophyll in the stems, which makes their coloring very original. The stems of these cacti can be yellow or bright red.
- Gymnocalyciums are often grafted onto other cacti, for example, some varieties of astrophytums.
Cleistocactus
- Plants with a long cylindrical shape.
- Their height, even at home, can reach up to 4 meters, and thickness up to 15 cm.
- Although, basically, specimens are grown in pots that do not exceed 0.5 m in height.
- The plant is always perfectly straight, with about a dozen unexpressed ribs.
- The root system is very developed, which must be taken into account when growing.
- A distinctive feature of these plants is a large number of thin spines growing from areoles.
- Moreover, the spines can be both thick and thin. Sometimes, with a large number of soft spines, the cactus seems to be covered with a kind of fluff.
astrophytums
- Plants with a stem with pronounced ribs.
- Their number can reach up to 10, although there are usually specimens with 5 "rays".
- The stem has a strong, almost rigid structure, so it does not have spines to protect against potential predators.
- Blossom for 2 years of life. Flowering time depends on the species, however, its duration rarely exceeds 3 days.
- The flowers are mostly yellow or red.
- Almost all astrophytums grow slowly, which, however, does not prevent them from “exploiting” free areas quickly enough, propagating both vegetatively and with the help of seeds.
Mammillaria
- Cacti of this type are extremely common. Some botanists believe that mammillaria is even larger than all prickly pear.
- The main difference from other cacti is the characteristic shape of areoles and their large number.
- In addition, the flowers in these plants do not appear from the areoles, but from special sinuses located between them.
- The plant requires a lot of heat and light to maintain.
- This is one of the most demanding cacti, however, if all conditions are met, its flowering will be one of the most abundant in the entire family.
- Mammillaria do not allow temperatures below +15°C in summer.
- Also critical for them are daily temperature fluctuations greater than 8-11°C.
- In winter, plants are able to tolerate temperatures of the order of 10 ° C, however, already in mid-March, the plant requires “summer” conditions.
Lophophora
- He is peyote or peyote. The same cactus rich in mescaline, which was used in their practices by representatives of the clergy of the Aztec and Mayan civilizations.
- And although its cultivation is prohibited by law in most countries, there are a fairly large number of photos of this plant on the net, which is clearly not grown in the wild.
- It is a relatively small plant, up to 9 cm in diameter, spherical or cylindrical in shape, devoid of thorns.
- The root system is quite developed, it is from it that many "children" of this cactus are formed.
- Flowers appear at the top of the cactus. The older he is, the more flowers.
- Flowering time is about a month.
Cephalocereus
- From Latin it is translated as "the head of an old man."It grows slowly, but under natural conditions it reaches truly gigantic sizes: specimens up to 15 m high and up to 0.5 m in diameter have been recorded.
- An amazing feature of this plant is its theoretically unlimited growth at home.
- If you do not take measures to stop the root system, the plant is able to grow at home to its natural, natural size.
- In summer, it requires good lighting and ventilation; watering is moderate, not more than 1 time in 10 days.
- In winter, the plant requires non-irrigated dormancy with a temperature of about + 5 ° C, which can sometimes be a problem for a cactus grower.
- The flowers of this cactus, although they are quite large (up to 10 cm in diameter), however, it is difficult to call them attractive because of the unpleasant smell with which cephaloceruses attract bats in nature.
Rhipsalis
- One of the unusual representatives of cactus. Belongs to the tropical type.
- Cultivated in hanging pots or placed on tall supplies.
- For about three years, it is able, growing downwards, to completely hide the support on which it is located.
- It is an epiphyte with small roots, serving mainly for attachment to a support.
- The stem is branched, up to 1.5 m long, while one hundred of their thickness does not exceed 4-5 mm.
- It has a large number of areoles, in each of which a flower is formed.
- Usually, all flowers, except for those located on the growth cone, fall off, while the latter can bloom within a week.
- After flowering, all branches of ripsalis are covered with berries in shape similar to large currants.
Ripsalidopsis
- The so-called "Easter cactus" or "Decembrist".
- It got its name because of the time of flowering, coming in December, closer to the Catholic Christmas.
- It has many varieties and hybrids, differing both in the shape of the stems and in the shades of flowers.
- It is an epiphyte with a record short dormant period, lasting from October to November.
- Then comes the time of active flowering. About a month after flowering and fruit ripening, the plant enters a phase of active vegetation, lasting until dormant.
- During this time, it significantly increases its green mass, so transplantation of ripsalidopsis, especially in the first years of life, is a common phenomenon.
- They are made immediately after the end of the flowering process; at the same time, the capacity of the pot is selected, approximately 1.5 times larger than the previous one.
Epiphyllum
- This epiphyte has about 20 varieties and has been one of the most beloved forest cacti by many gardeners for more than 200 years.
- It has flat or tetrahedral flattened stems up to 1 m long.
- The flowers of the epiphyllum are large, reaching, together with the stem, up to 40 cm in length.
- Each plant can have several dozen.
- A feature of the cultivation of this plant is its fairly long ability to endure drought in natural conditions, but you should not subject it to such tests at home: the more water the plant receives, the more flowers it can form.
- The conditions for keeping the epiphyllum are as follows: the temperature in summer is from 20 to 25 ° C.
- During the dormant period - no more than 10-15 ° C. Watering is rare, 1 time in 2-3 weeks. At rest, it is necessary to completely exclude watering.
- For abundant flowering, the plant needs top dressing in the form of special fertilizers for succulents or cacti.
- Usually, they are applied several times a season: every month, from June to September, top dressing is carried out twice.
- With proper care and sufficient feeding, the plant can bloom twice a season: in May and September.
- Flowering time is about 2 weeks.
Rebutia
- A spherical cactus native to Bolivia. Has a size of about 8 cm.
- It is unpretentious in keeping conditions, although it requires obligatory exposure at rest at a temperature of about + 5 ° C for about 2-3 months.
- In summer, bright lighting with direct rays of the Sun is necessary.
- At the same time, the cactus is able to withstand temperatures up to + 40 ° C.
- Fresh air is a prerequisite, so the presence of drafts is only welcome.
- In general, it is better to put the plants on the balcony in the summer or take them out in garden where there is wind. This is due to the conditions in which rebutia grows in its natural environment: the semi-arid highlands of Bolivia.
- The plant should be watered as follows: in spring and summer moderately, once every 1-2 weeks, and in autumn (the time corresponding to the rainy season in the plant's homeland) - every 2-3 days abundantly.
- However, care should be taken to ensure that the soil is not wet. It is better to take care of this in advance by making the plant sufficient drainage.
- It is possible to apply top dressing at the beginning of summer to stimulate the first flowering, however, as practice shows, rebutia, under the conditions of maintenance, feels great without any fertilizers.
Cereus
- In nature, the cereus is a giant cactus, up to 20 meters high, sometimes living for 200-300 years.
- Its name means "candle". The plant in its dwarf forms is unusually common. It is appreciated not only by flower growers, but also by designers.
- Cereus blooms in May or June. Blooms exclusively at night.
- The flowers are quite beautiful - they are giant lily-like inflorescences located on the sides of the stems.
- Flowering lasts only a day, but produces a mystical impression, often accompanied by a pleasant aroma.
- Many people start cereus solely to see its flowering process.
- As with all cacti, under the conditions of detention, flowering occurs without problems.
- Cereus requires a lot of light, but does not like direct sunlight. It is best to place it outside at the end of April and keep it there until September.
- Watering - moderate, water should be at a temperature of 3-5 ° C above room temperature.
- Winter hibernation in the cereus begins in December and lasts 2 months. At this time, it is better not to water it at all.
notocactus
- They are spherical or cylindrical in shape. They have about a dozen different varieties, differing in the shape of the stem and its thickness. All species have slow growth rates.
- The temperature regime of the plant: in summer + 24-26 ° С, in winter - at least + 10 ° С.
- Watering once a week, plentiful. If the stem of the plant began to shine, this means that it lacks moisture.
- In summer, it is better for the plant to be on the street, while it is better to put it in partial shade or block it from the direct rays of the sun.
- They bloom from 2 to 3 months. Flowering time is from March to July.
- Shades from bright yellow to purple.
- Usually, with normal care, they bloom at 4 years of age, after which they bloom regularly, during each season. Seed propagation is possible.
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As mentioned earlier, these plants require little to no care, as their living conditions are very harsh and cacti have adapted to survive in them. This does not mean that you can not follow the cactus at all, or ignore the conditions of its maintenance - our prickly pet will still have to provide some minimum of amenities.
Soil mixtures and pots for cacti.
The main requirement for the substrate in which cacti will be grown is the large particle size of which it consists. Cacti need air nourishment of the roots and free penetration of even minimal volumes of water from the surface, so there should be no obstacles for this.
A very non-standard solution
In addition, the peculiarity of the root system, and indeed the entire metabolism of cacti, is such that these plants do not tolerate a large amount of organic matter (and sometimes simply nitrogen compounds) in the soil. Excessive intake of nitrogen causes a disruption in the growth of plant cells, and it can die within a few days.Nitrogen, of course, is necessary for cacti, but its amount must be strictly limited.
The approximate composition of the mixture for growing cactus is as follows:
- Leaf ground, from which any particles of wood (branches, sticks, large sawdust) have been removed - 4 parts
- Sod clay soil - 4 parts
- Coarse sand, fine gravel or pebbles - 4 parts
- Medium crushed stone, brick chips, medium pebbles - 1 part
- Charcoal - 1 part
You can use a simpler composition:
- Sod land - 2 parts
- Coarse sand - 3 parts
- Small gravel - 1 part
Sometimes you can add a little fertilizer to the substrate. Superphosphate or potassium nitrate is well suited for this purpose (a teaspoon per 2-2.5 liter pot). When using superphosphate, a teaspoon of calcium carbonate is also added.
Approximate view of the substrate for cacti
The volume of the pot in which it is planned to grow a cactus must exactly match the volume of the straightened root system of the cactus. If there is too much free space in the pot, the cactus will not grow until it forms a root system sufficient for the pot. With a small amount of free space, the root system of the cactus will begin to die off, which will also negatively affect the growth of the prickly pet.
It should be understood that not the entire volume of the pot will be used for soil. About a quarter of the bottom of the pot will be occupied by drainage (usually made of expanded clay or large gravel). And in the upper part of the pot there will be a so-called powder - a layer of small gravel or pebbles, completely covering the soil from above.
A pot of cacti that uses powder
Sometimes ordinary sand is used as a powder. The total amount of drainage and powder in a pot can take up to half of its volume.
Watering and spraying issues
Depending on the natural conditions of the life of a cactus, the conditions for its watering also differ. Basically, this refers to the amount of water applied under the cactus and the frequency of watering. These parameters depend not so much on the type of cactus, but on the climatic conditions in the area of \u200b\u200bits growth.
It is due to the fact that many cacti grow in similar natural conditions that it is allowed to grow several cacti of various types in one pot at once. In addition, there are general rules that apply to all plants, regardless of their conditions of detention or "native" climate.
All cacti need watering with settled water (without chlorine and impurities), which has room temperature. Of course, melt water is best for watering these plants, but few people will collect it.
Watering a cactus with a watering can
Cacti are watered either in the usual way, from above, or with the help of a pallet. It is believed that watering with a cactus tray is more desirable because it does not destroy the soil structure and does not damage the root system. However, most cacti growers prefer watering from above.
In this case, a mistake is often made, as a result of which water gets on the cactus stem. This is not entirely correct, since water should only get to the cactus in the form of a finely dispersed suspension in the air. Therefore, watering must be done by directing the stream of water not in the center of the pot, but at the edges.
Cacti love spraying, because in natural conditions they are covered every morning with small droplets of moisture that fall on them in the form of dew. In this case, a spray gun is used that can create the smallest droplets of water. Dew temperatures are usually less than air temperature, however, at home, it is better to spray cacti with warm water, about 30-35 ° C.
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Cactus transplant
Transplanting cacti is much easier than transplanting any other plants.Firstly, because cacti are more hardy, and secondly, since the substrate has a large fraction, the root system of the plant is easier to get rid of it.
Transfer process in progress
Before transplanting, it is necessary not to water the cactus for at least a week. In this case, the substrate will dry out enough, it will become lighter and removing it from the pot will not be a problem. In order not to damage your hands with cactus thorns, you can use various devices - from gloves to specially made tapes.
Holding a cactus during transplantation with household sponges
- Usually, when transplanting, a new pot is selected with a diameter of 2-3 cm larger than the previous one.
- Drainage and a little new substrate are laid at the bottom. After that, a cactus is installed in a new pot and sprinkled to the level of the root collar.
- It is undesirable to sprinkle more, since the stem above the root, immersed in the substrate or even the powder, may begin to rot.
- The first watering after transplantation is carried out no earlier than two days later. It is advisable not to expose the cactus to drafts for the first week after transplantation.
VIDEO: Care rules
Care rules
Types and varieties of home cacti with photos - names, descriptions, care
Very good article, helped us in determining the type of our cactus and the rules for caring for it
Thanks! It's nice to read comments like this :)
Thank you, I emphasized for myself a lot of new and useful information?