€10,60

🌱 Morphology
     Small, globose to slightly elongated cactus, about 7–8 cm in diameter and up to 8 cm in height. It features approximately 17–20 well-defined ribs, with closely set areoles. The most distinctive characteristic of this form is its abundant armor: around 20 fine, intertwined radial spines, and 4–7 sturdier central spines, straight or slightly curved, which can reach about 2 cm. The epidermis is green to grayish-green. The former subsp. densispina derives its name precisely from this particularly dense spination.

🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Native to northwestern Argentina, especially the province of Jujuy, in the Quebrada de Humahuaca and the surroundings of Tumbaya, where populations are found at altitudes between approximately 2,100 and 2,500 m. It lives in dry mountainous environments, among rocks and xerophytic vegetation. It belongs to the Cactaceae family, Cactoideae subfamily, and Trichocereeae tribe. In Joël Lodé's taxonomy, the former Lobivia haematantha subsp. densispina is integrated into Lobivia haematantha.

❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 8b–11b
It tolerates minimum temperatures down to −9 ºC in dry, acclimatized specimens protected from winter moisture. Its mountainous origin explains its good cold hardiness, provided the substrate remains dry.

☀️ Lighting
It requires very intense lighting and several hours of direct sun to maintain a compact epidermis and properly develop its characteristic spination. As a guide during active growth, a DLI PAR of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ is recommended.

💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter rest. During spring and summer, it undergoes active growth and can be watered deeply once the substrate has completely dried out. In autumn, watering is progressively reduced until it is kept completely dry during winter.

🌸 Flowering
It produces large flowers relative to the size of the body, about 6–8 cm in length and diameter, generally yellow, although orange or reddish shades may also appear. They are diurnal and emerge laterally from the upper part of the stem, creating a marked contrast with the numerous spines.

🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with a high content of assimilable calcium and low nitrogen levels is recommended, such as Desert CHOICE® Cactaceae, 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 technical square pot with substrate activated by mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.

7x7 cm gourmet black pot

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