Today there are about 3,000 species of cacti. Every day more and more new species appear. These plants live mostly for a long time, if they are followed by proper care.
Cacti: species and names
Cacti, depending on the method of cultivation, are divided into indoor, greenhouse and garden. In order to properly care for the plant, it is necessary to know what kind of plant it belongs to.
The names of the flower has a lot. Here are some of them: Lofofora, Lyubivia, Litopsy, Gatory, Cereus, Gymnocalica, Fraileia, Feroccactus, Leuchtenberg, Hageocereus, Neolloidia, Espostoia.
Not all nature cacti gave prickles, and there are more rare species of cacti without spines. Ezhovy tsereus is a cactus creeping, Cereus cactus-shaped cactus, Epiphyllums are leaf-shaped, Lepishmiums are climbing, Ripsalys are shrubs, Opuntia are erect and creeping shrubs.
There are desert, tropical and forest cacti. The content of these cacti is very different.
How to know the type of cactus?
Many fans of indoor plants are interested in how to determine the type of cactus? Buying a plant from a collector or in a nursery, be sure to ask what kind of this is and how to care for it. When you buy plants elsewhere, make sure you are getting a really cactus.
The most important difference of the cactus from other flowers is that the hairs, spines or setae grow from the so-called areola, which is located on the ribs of the cactus. If the areolas are located on the papillae, but not on the ribs, it's Mamilyaria (flowering top) or Rebutsiya (blooms at the base of the cactus). Echinopsis - cacti, which have spines on their ribs, and Lobivia - a cactus with a blooming crown. Echinopsis has tubular fragrant flowers, which eventually stretch. Feroccactus is a plant with long, sometimes curled spines, brightly colored.
Wedge-shaped ribbed cactus with silky hairs - Cephalocereus. Kleistokaktus - a plant polobedovogo type with low ribs, branching, with thick spines. Has very bright tubular flowers. Astrophytums are a cactus with a waxy bluish on a few ribs. Opuntia - cacti with leaves, like cakes. They rarely blossom.
Types of flowering cacti
In nature, all cacti are blooming, only those species whose flowers are close to nature blossom at home. Ehinopsis, Mamillaria, Astrophytum, Cereus, Epiphyllum, Rebutius, Hamecereus, Freileia, Wilcoxia, Phyllocactus - these are the types of flowering cacti, which are easiest to create suitable conditions.
Cacti very beautifully bloom from white to red-lilac shade, flowers are from small to large funnel-shaped. With proper care, these plants will please their blooming for a very long time. They make a gentle fragrance. The flowering of the cactus requires a lot of effort, so they bloom once a year.
Reproduction of cacti
The most common method is the reproduction of babies. Babies are easily separated from an adult cactus, and also easily rooted.
Separate the baby must be carefully, so that the body of the plant does not have its parts, and vice versa. The remaining parts can lead to decay.
Cut the baby in the spring or summer. In winter and autumn, they do not take root.
Before taking root, the baby should be dried in a warm, dry and bright place. After that, it will take root and will not rot.
Best of all, young cacti themselves feel in the substrate of calcined sand, moss Sphagnum and charcoal. These components are taken in the same parts.
Water the cactus before the roots are extremely cautious.