€15,90

🌱 Morphology
Cespitose cactus that forms large, compact colonies, capable of exceeding 100 stems and exceptionally reaching up to 500. The stems are erect or slightly decumbent, cylindrical, approximately 12–30 cm tall and 4.5–10 cm in diameter. It presents 11–13 ribs, smooth or slightly tuberculate, with areoles separated from each other. The spination is very characteristic: 1–4 central spines, generally 3.5–9 cm long, and 7–14 radial spines up to 3 cm, white, straw-colored, or yellowish, which may darken with age.

🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
It is distributed throughout the southwestern United States —New Mexico and Texas— and northern Mexico, mainly in Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, and San Luis Potosí. It inhabits rocky slopes and desert scrub areas of the Chihuahuan Desert, generally on stony and frequently calcareous terrain, at altitudes between approximately 600 and 1,600 m. It belongs to the Cactaceae family.

❄️ Temperature — USDA Zone 8a–10b
It is a notably cold-hardy species when kept dry and well-acclimated. It tolerates minimum temperatures down to −12 ºC for short periods. In winter, it must be kept dry, especially in the face of low and prolonged temperatures.

☀️ Lighting
During active growth, it requires very intense lighting, with an approximate target of 18–25 mol/m²/day of DLI PAR. Direct sun promotes compact stem development and dense, well-colored spination.

💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter dormancy. Growth is concentrated mainly during spring and summer. During the active period, it is recommended to water abundantly and allow the substrate to dry completely before watering again. During winter, it should be kept practically dry to reduce the risk of rot.

🌸 Flowering
It produces large flowers, approximately 7.5–10 cm, purple-pink to magenta in color, with numerous tepals and a generally lighter throat. In Madrid, flowering can occur mainly between May and June. After flowering, it develops reddish, edible fruits with pink or red pulp, described for their characteristic flavor similar to strawberry.

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

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

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