€10,60

Gymnocalycium catamarcense H.Till & W.Till 

🌱 Morphology
Globular cactus, generally solitary, with a bluish-green or grayish-green body, which can reach about 10–15 cm in diameter and 8–12 cm in height. It has 10–14 low ribs, divided by transverse grooves that give it a gently bulging appearance. The areoles normally produce 4–7 flattened and curved spines, 1–2 cm long, initially dark, almost black, which become grayish with age. In plants of the form traditionally called catamarcense, the spines can be particularly robust and pectinate.

🌍 Distribution, habitat and family
It is native to Catamarca, Argentina, where it appears at approximately 900 to 1,900 m, on stony slopes and in transitional environments between the Monte and the Chaco Serrano. It is found associated with rocks, xerophytic shrubs, and open vegetation. The name G. catamarcense is treated by Lodé as a synonym of G. pugionacanthum.
Family Cactaceae · Subfamily Cactoideae · Tribe Cereeae · Genus Gymnocalycium · Species Gymnocalycium pugionacanthum Backeb. ex H.Till (syn. Gymnocalycium catamarcense H.Till & W.Till).

❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 8a
It tolerates minimum temperatures of up to −12 ºC for short periods and with the substrate completely dry.

☀️ Lighting
It needs plenty of light to maintain compact growth and develop intense spination. Full sun is recommended, with progressive acclimatization, and a PAR radiation of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ (DLI).

💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter dormancy. During active growth, it is recommended to water abundantly and let the substrate dry completely before the next watering. In autumn, watering is progressively reduced until it is kept dry throughout the winter. Excess moisture can cause rot, so a highly porous and well-draining substrate is essential.

🌸 Flowering
The flowers appear on the top of the body and reach about 4–5 cm in diameter. They are creamy-white, sometimes with pinkish or reddish-brown tones towards the base. Flowering occurs during the warm season. In collections, seed-grown specimens have been documented flowering at approximately 7 years of age, although there is no sufficiently solid data to establish this age as universal.

🌿 Nutrition
During active growth, Desert CHOICE® Cactaceae NPK (Ca-Mg) 4-4-7 (4-4) is recommended once a month along with watering. Assimilable calcium promotes the formation of firm tissues and the maintenance of turgor, while magnesium participates in chlorophyll synthesis. Before flowering, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Flowering.

🪴 Pot
9x9 cm gourmet black pot

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

10x10x9 cm black pot

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