Gymnocalycium ochoterenae subsp. vatteri (Buining) Papsch 

🌱 Morphology
Small, very slowly growing Gymnocalycium, generally solitary, although older specimens may form small basal clumps. The body is globose-flattened, with a grey-green to blue-green epidermis, and can reach about 9 cm in height and 4–10 cm in diameter. It has wide, indistinct ribs, with areoles that produce a characteristic, very reduced spine cover: usually 1–3 recurved spines, although practically bare areoles may also appear. This scarcity of spines is one of the features that has historically allowed it to be distinguished from other forms of G. ochoterenae.

🌍 Distribution, habitat and family
Native to Argentina, mainly the province of Córdoba, in the Sierras de Córdoba. Populations are known in the vicinity of Sierra Grande, Nono and Las Rabonas, at approximately 700 to 1,000 m above sea level. It grows in scrubland and xerophytic vegetation environments, where it remains protected among rocks and other plants. It belongs to the Cactaceae family, subfamily Cactoideae.

❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 9a
Tolerates minimum temperatures of up to −5 ºC when dry and with well-acclimatized specimens. Although it is resistant to light frosts when kept completely dry, the much lower temperatures attributed to other mountain Gymnocalycium species should not be extrapolated to this subspecies.

☀️ Lighting
Prefers bright partial shade or softened direct sunlight, especially during the hours of highest radiation. Lighting above 20 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ of PAR DLI is recommended, with gradual adaptation to the sun. Slight summer protection helps maintain the blue-green epidermis and prevents sunburn.

💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter dormancy. During winter, it is kept dry and cool. In spring and summer, it begins its active growth, and it is recommended to water thoroughly but infrequently, allowing the substrate to dry out completely before watering again. Towards the end of summer, watering is gradually reduced until it enters dormancy again.

🌸 Flowering
The flowers are white, with a pink to reddish throat, about 3.5–5.5 cm in size, and appear near the apex. In cultivation, it may begin to flower after approximately 4–5 years, although the age depends greatly on growth and the size achieved. It exhibits prolonged flowering during the warm season, with the possibility of successive flowers between June and September.

🌿 Nutrition
During active growth, Desert CHOICE® Cactaceae NPK (Ca-Mg) 4-4-7 (4-4) is recommended. Assimilable calcium promotes the formation of firm tissues and the maintenance of turgidity, while magnesium participates in chlorophyll synthesis. Flowering can be stimulated with Desert CHOICE® Flowering.

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

9x9 cm pot 

* As this is an online purchase, the appearance of the specimen sent may vary slightly from the product image. The dimensions of the plant are specified in the photo description, but these may also vary slightly because it is a living thing! Each of the plants at Desert CITY has unique characteristics.