Melocactus concinnus | Pink-cephalium Melocactus
€53,00
Melocactus concinnus Buining & Brederoo
🌱 Morphology
Solitary, small-sized cactus with a depressed-globose body, grayish-green and slightly glaucous, about 8–13 cm tall and 11–16 cm in diameter. It has 10–12 rounded ribs, with areoles spaced 1.5–3 cm apart. Young spines can be reddish, black, or yellowish, acquiring grayish tones with age: typically 0–1 central, curved downward, and 6–8 radial, slightly recurved, some longer and occasionally hooked. Upon reaching maturity, it develops a terminal cephalium up to about 5.5 cm high and 4–9 cm in diameter, formed by light-colored wool and abundant fine, pale red to pink bristles. Melocactus axiniphorus Buining & Brederoo is a historical synonym for this species.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Endemic to eastern Brazil, mainly in Bahia and Minas Gerais, where it grows in dry Caatinga environments and rock formations, especially on sandy soils and rock outcrops. It is found approximately from the central areas of Bahia to northern Minas Gerais. It belongs to the Cactaceae family, Cactoideae subfamily.
❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 10b
It tolerates minimum temperatures down to 4 ºC for short periods and in completely dry conditions, although for safe cultivation, it is recommended to keep it above 8–10 ºC. It is especially sensitive to the combination of cold and humidity.
☀️ Lighting
It requires very intense light, preferably with several hours of direct sun, gradually acclimating specimens grown under protection. High lighting promotes compact growth, good spination, and the formation of the cephalium. As a general guideline during active growth, a DLI PAR of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ is recommended.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter rest. This is a tropical cactus that grows primarily in warm conditions. During autumn, watering should be gradually reduced, and in winter it should be very sparse, avoiding keeping the substrate moist. During active growth, it needs regular watering, but only after the substrate has dried out, as its roots are sensitive to both excess water and prolonged extreme dryness.
🌸 Flowering
The small flowers appear deeply inserted into the cephalium and are intense pink to deep pink in color, about 2–2.3 cm long. After flowering, fleshy, pale pink to lilac-pink fruits are formed, which gradually protrude from the cephalium. Under suitable conditions, it can produce flowers and fruits for a prolonged season.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with high assimilable calcium content and low nitrogen levels is recommended, such as Desert CHOICE® Cactaceae, applied once a month during watering. Before flowering, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Flowering.
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a technological square pot with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides. 25 cm tub
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