Weingartia gemmae subsp. gemmae | ex. Sulcorebutia gemmae
€15,90
🌱 Morphology
Chuquisaca Jewel Cactus... A small, globose, somewhat depressed mountain cactus that can form compact clusters with age. The body is green to grayish-green, with a slightly sunken top. The ribs are deeply divided into small, spirally arranged tubercles, and the areoles are narrow, producing numerous short, fine, and generally pectinate spines in white, yellowish, or golden tones. It is a highly variable plant: populations can show appreciable differences in the length and color of the spines and, especially, in the color of the flowers. Field records document yellow, red, violet, and magenta-flowered forms.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Endemic to Bolivia, mainly from the Mojocoya and Villa Redención Pampa basin in the department of Chuquisaca. It inhabits mountain slopes and rocky outcrops at approximately 2,350 to 2,800 m altitude. It belongs to the Cactaceae family, subfamily Cactoideae. The combination Weingartia gemmae is the one used by Joël Lodé; Sulcorebutia gemmae is the historical name by which it remains very well-known in collections.
❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 9a
It tolerates minimum temperatures down to −6 ºC when kept dry and with well-acclimated specimens. Cold must always be combined with a completely dry substrate.
☀️ Lighting
It requires plenty of light and direct sun. During active growth, a DLI PAR of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ is recommended, performing a gradual acclimatization when moving the plant from protected conditions to full sun.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter rest. During winter, it should be kept completely dry. In spring, when growth begins, resume abundant but spaced watering, allowing the substrate to dry out completely between waterings. Excellent drainage and root aeration are essential to avoid losses due to excess moisture.
🌸 Flowering
It produces relatively large flowers for its small size, which emerge laterally and open widely. The color is highly variable: there are populations and clones with yellow, red, violet, or magenta flowers, which can reach approximately 3–4 cm in diameter.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with a high content of 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 high-tech square pot, with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
10x10 cm pot
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