Notocactus herteri subsp. roseoluteus | Fire rose cactus
€50,00
🌱 Morphology
A solitary cactus with a globose, somewhat depressed body that may become slightly cylindrical with age. It reaches approximately 10–18 cm in diameter, with an epidermis ranging from bright green to copper-green. It features about 15–20 vertical ribs, which are distinct and somewhat tuberculate, crossed by woolly areoles. The spines are thin and flexible, whitish with reddish-brown tips, accompanied by more robust central spines that are reddish or brown and up to 2.5 cm long. The depressed apex is covered in white wool.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
It is mainly found in Uruguay, with related populations in southern Brazil, in open environments of the Pampas region and on well-drained soils or rocky outcrops. It belongs to the Cactaceae family, Cactoideae subfamily, and Notocacteae tribe. It is a taxon with a relatively restricted distribution and is morphologically intermediate between the pink- and yellow-flowered forms of the complex to which it belongs.
❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 9b
It tolerates minimum temperatures down to −4 ºC under dry conditions and with well-acclimated specimens. It is recommended to keep it dry during the winter, as the combination of low temperatures and moisture can cause root damage.
☀️ Lighting
It requires intense light, with several hours of direct sun once acclimated. As a general guideline during active growth, a DLI PAR of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ is recommended. Good lighting promotes a compact body and enhances the contrast between the green epidermis and the reddish spines.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter rest. During the cold months, watering is reduced and the substrate is kept dry or nearly dry. It is preferable for the rest period to be relatively short: as temperatures rise, watering is gradually resumed. During active growth, it can be watered abundantly, allowing the substrate to dry out completely between waterings. It is not advisable to prolong dryness excessively, as its roots may suffer.
🌸 Flowering
This is one of its most spectacular features. It produces large apical flowers, up to 8 cm in diameter, with bright pink, salmon-pink, or purplish-pink petals that transition into an intense yellow throat. In the center, yellow stamens and a pink stigma stand out. An adult plant can produce numerous flowers during successive flowering waves.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with high assimilable calcium and low nitrogen levels, such as Desert CHOICE® Cactaceae, is recommended, 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 technological square pot with substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
* As this is an online purchase, the appearance of the sent specimen may vary slightly from the product image. The plant measurements are specified in the photo description, but these may also vary slightly because it is a living being! Each Desert CITY plant has unique characteristics.
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