€15,90

🌱 Morphology
Solitary cactus, though it occasionally forms small clusters, with a globose stem that can become cylindrical with age, grayish-green to slightly glaucous. It can reach about 35 cm in height and 12 cm in diameter, and even larger dimensions in exceptional specimens. It presents 12–14 obtuse, slightly notched ribs, with elongated, yellowish-white areoles. The spines are very characteristic: one thick, brown central spine, strongly arched upward and up to 10 cm long, accompanied by 8–10 yellowish or brownish radial spines that are curved and slightly twisted.

🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
A species from northwestern and central Argentina, from the Mendoza region, characteristic of arid environments and dry scrublands of the Monte region, with a wide distribution. It lives on stony, dry terrain, from low-lying areas to higher altitudes. It belongs to the Cactaceae family, subfamily Cactoideae. 

❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 7b
It has excellent cold tolerance, as it inhabits mountains up to 2,300 m in altitude, and withstands temperatures of -15ºC in well-acclimated specimens. During intense cold, it must be kept completely dry.

☀️ Lighting
It requires very intense light and direct sun to maintain compact growth and develop strong, well-colored spines. A DLI PAR of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ is recommended during active growth, with progressive acclimatization.

💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter rest. During winter, it is kept dry. In spring and summer, watering is resumed, kept abundant but spaced out, allowing the substrate to dry out completely between waterings. Prolonged waterlogging should be especially avoided.

🌸 Flowering
It blooms from 5-6 years of age between June and August. The flowers are large, white and occasionally slightly pink, funnel-shaped and very elongated, reaching about 20 cm in length. They appear on the upper part of the stem and open at night, creating an extraordinary contrast with the arched spines. The fruit is fleshy, greenish to reddish.

🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with a high content of assimilable calcium and low nitrogen levels, such as Desert CHOICE® Cactaceae, is recommended, applied once a month when watering. Before flowering, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Flowering.

This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a technological square pot, with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.

9x9 cm pot

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