🌿 Morphology:  All pink... It doesn't prick, it invites you to touch it and withstands frost. Globose to cylindrical cactus, normally solitary or forming small groups with age. Stem approximately 7–15 cm in diameter, with numerous low ribs and indistinct tubercles. The areoles are densely covered by short, flattened radial spines that are very close together, in colors of red, pink, magenta, yellow, and white, forming bands that give the plant its characteristic multicolored appearance. The roots are fibrous. It is also known as the Rainbow Cactus.

🌍 Origin and habitat: Family Cactaceae. Native to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States; the subsp. rubispinus is mainly associated with Sonora and Chihuahua, in arid mountain environments, rocky slopes, and mineral soils, generally at altitudes between approximately 1,200 and 2,000 m.

🌡️ Temperature: Approximately USDA 7b. It can withstand temperatures close to −15 °C when completely dry and properly acclimated. For cultivation in Spain, we recommend keeping it above −7 °C, especially in a pot, protecting it from rain and persistent moisture during frosts.

☀️ Light: A species with very high light requirements. During active growth, we recommend an approximate DLI of 25–35 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ of PAR. Intense lighting is essential to maintain compact growth and enhance the spectacular coloration of the spines.

💧 Watering and dormancy: It mainly exhibits spring-summer growth, with a marked slowdown during the winter. In spring and summer, water abundantly and let the substrate dry out completely before the next watering. In autumn, gradually reduce watering and during the winter keep it completely dry, especially below 10 °C.

🌸 Flowering: Large and very striking flowers, from pink to magenta, with a lighter center, which appear near the top of the stem. Flowering usually occurs mainly between April and June, coinciding with the start of the growing period.

🧪 Nutrition: During spring and summer, fertilize with a nutrient solution with a high content of assimilable Calcium such as Desert CHOICE Cactaceae at a moderate and regular dose. At the end of summer, gradually reduce fertilization and suspend it during the winter dormancy. Avoid excess nitrogen to preserve the compact growth habit and the quality of the spines.

* As this is an online purchase, the appearance of the sent specimen may vary slightly from the product image. The photo description specifies the plant's measurements, but this may also vary slightly because it is a living being! Each of the plants at Desert CITY has unique characteristics.