Representatives of the big world of cacti attract florists with their exoticism and ease of care. Oddly enough, but many prefer the lovely spines of lush greenery. It's all a matter of taste. Particularly loved by people are the flowering forms that can briefly please the owners with bright colors. The article is dedicated to the most beautiful cacti.
Astrophytum
Now it’s fashionable to make all kinds of ratings, without them in the world of fashion, technology, beauty, literature and other areas it’s simply nowhere. But floriculture is not far behind. Lovers of prickly plants compiled their rating of the most beautiful flowering cacti, based on reviews from people, unpretentiousness and beauty of the tropical world.
In general, it is worth noting that the cactus family is incredibly vast. But we want to pay attention to the most famous and unpretentious forms that deserve to be popular.
The leading position in the ranking among beautiful cacti is held by astrophytum. The bizarre plant impresses with its species diversity. Its distinctive feature is the presence of small woolen hairs on the surface, which prevent the evaporation of moisture. The birthplace of the plant is considered to be Mexico and the USA. In nature, there are several varieties of astrophytum:
- Capricorn (he has curved thorns),
- decorated,
- multi-stalked (speckled).
This type of beautiful cactus is the most unpretentious. Plants bloom in large yellow flowers with a characteristic pubescent tubule. Caring for such a friend will not be a hassle. A cactus needs only bright light. It does not require fertilizer and is very resistant to pests and diseases, which makes it incredibly popular.
Cacti are watered extremely rarely, and by autumn, the amount of moisture is further reduced. In winter, the plant can not be watered at all. Top dressing can be applied only in the warm season. Every year, the plant can be transplanted into a mixture consisting of equal parts of turf, leaf, peat land and sand. Inoculate cacti is not worth it, as this reduces its lifespan and is poorly reflected in appearance.
Gymnocalycium
Another representative of the world of beautiful cacti (photo is in the article). The gray-green hue has a spherical shape. In height reaches no more than fifteen centimeters, and in diameter - from 4 to 10 centimeters. Its surface is dotted with unusual spines, which are collected in bunches. On the top of the cactus, white and very large graceful elongated petals bloom beautifully, revealing a delicate yellow core.
According to different authors, flower growers, the number of species of such a cactus ranges from 60-80. In wildlife, plants grow both in valleys and mountains. Hymnocalciums in the world of cacti resemble important persons. They are burly and sedate, their spherical shape and ribs with beautiful spines make them very attractive not only during the flowering period. Gymnocalciums are incredibly unpretentious and resistant to pests. They are not as demanding on the sun as other relatives. But it is worth remembering that excess moisture is badly affecting them. But the warmth and moisture of greenhouses they like.
Schlumbergera
The second name is zygocactus. Another representative of the prickly world. The cactus blooms beautifully from December to February, which is why the people nicknamed it the Decembrist or the Christmas tree. On the eve of the New Year holidays, plants are actively sold in all flower shops. Their flowering is so beautiful that every year there are more and more fans of zigocactus.
Epiphytic cactus has strongly altered thorns. A flat stalk is equipped with the same flat leaves with small teeth (spines). The homeland of the plant is the moist forests of South America and Brazil. Zygocactus flowers can be white, cream, pink and red. A lot of buds are planted on the plant. Each flower pleases the eye from two to three days. In total, the flowering of the bush lasts two to three weeks, and sometimes up to a month. With age, the trunk of the plant becomes stiff, but at the same time it begins to slightly branch.
Zygocactus is unpretentious, but there are some nuances of their content. Plants do not like direct sunlight, they feel good in ambient light. Cacti need a stable temperature regime, without drops (18-20 degrees). For planting, it is better to take a loose nutrient mixture. Zygocactus need to provide abundant watering.
If you want your Schlumbergera to bloom profusely, it is necessary for her to provide a period of rest. In August and September, you need to stop spraying, top dressing, and watering to minimize. In such conditions, the cactus must be kept for about a month at a low temperature. It is also necessary to remove from a state of rest gradually, increasing the intensity of irrigation. Do not be discouraged if you acquired a flowering handsome man, and at home he took off most of the buds. This is a common zygocactus response to habitat change.
Ripsalis
Unusual beautiful cactus, which is grown as an ampelous form, since its shoots consist of branching segments. Like zigocactus, it is an epiphyte and devoid of thorns. Beautiful cactus flowers delight hosts throughout the winter. They are small and painted white, pink or yellow. The birthplace of the plant is South and Central America. The people of Schlumberger and Ripsalis are called forest cacti, because they grow on trees and rocks in moist forests.
The plants reach a height of 50 cm. The stems of the bushes hang or have an upright shape, they consist of separate segments, in the junctions of which air roots appear in humid conditions. Cacti lack spines, but are covered with hard bristles. Ripsalis flowering begins in late spring.
The plant loves very light soil, but the universal soil is not suitable for it. Ripsalis needs moisture, but it does not tolerate its excess. Abundant flowering can only be achieved with direct sunlight.
Echinopsis
Among the beautiful indoor cacti, it is worth highlighting echinopsis. These are one of the most common representatives of the cactus world in our homes. The popularity of Ekinopsis is explained by its unpretentiousness and ease of care. During the painstaking work of breeders, a lot of new hybrid forms were created. Beautiful cacti battle with their flowering.
Large funnel-shaped flowers can be colored pink, yellow or red.
Rebucia and Sulkorebuciya
Among the beautiful cacti for the house, you can recommend rebuts and sulkorebutsii. Miniature representatives of the cactus family bloom profusely in spring or early summer. Luxurious flowers appear on the sides of the trunk and can have different shades. Of these, whole compositions are usually created. The birthplace of plants is Argentina and Bolivia, where they grow in crevices of rocks.
Mammillaria
Mammillaria are small cacti with small shoots that have a characteristic structure. Plants are good to plant in large flat pots, growing, they form entire colonies. Mammillaria are very diverse forms of stem and color of flowers that delight hosts in early spring. They form a crown on the plant at the top of the stem or a belt around it.
Flowers do not exceed one centimeter in diameter. The birthplace of the plant is Mexico and southern North America. Under natural conditions, they grow on rocky slopes, where it is cold at night and hot in the daytime. In total, there are 500 varieties of mammillaria in the world. Each species has external features and a different color of flowers.
At home, mammals often lack light. If you notice that the cactus is leaning and reaching for the window, then you need to move it to another place. In summer, plants are best taken outside. Watering in warm time should be moderate, and in winter it should be completely reduced to once a month.
Epiphyllum
This is a beautiful leafy cactus with flat long shoots with prongs and notches along the edges. The birthplace of the epiphytic cactus is Mexico and America. There are many varieties and hybrids of epiphyllum. Outwardly, they have a bushy shape and are not very attractive. But the plant is incredibly transformed during flowering. Epiphyllum profusely produce buds. Flowers are quite large and can reach a diameter of 10 cm. The plant needs bright diffused light. The color of the flowers of the epiphyllum can be different: pink, white, yellow, cream. Plants are often called "orchid cactus." They are able to bear fruit in cross-pollination. Edible fruits are armed with thorns and have a pineapple-strawberry flavor.
The cactus needs regular watering and spraying. But he does not need high humidity. In the summer, it must be taken outside.
How beautiful to plant cacti?
Single growing cacti are very beautiful during flowering. However, it is now incredibly fashionable to create whole compositions from them. They look very impressive, creating a thematic oasis. In stores, such compositions are quite expensive. But at home, you can create no less spectacular plantings. To do this, you need to purchase a flat wide pot. It is in such plants that they feel most comfortable.
At the bottom it is necessary to lay out a drainage layer of expanded clay or gravel up to three centimeters. Planting plants must be carried out in a special substrate for cacti. But you can make the soil yourself by mixing humus and sand in a ratio of 2: 1. We fill the earth in a container, prepare pits for planting.
Planting plants
For the background of the composition, you can choose higher plants. Spherical cacti are located in the center of the pot. And along the edges of the container, branched and low-growing forms look good.
Between plants, it is better to sprinkle the soil with colored gravel, which can be purchased at a specialized store. The composition can also be decorated with curly pebbles of different sizes. In general, here you can freely show your imagination by creating a certain theme. Such a composition will become a real decoration of your interior.
Instead of an afterword
For planting in one pot, you should choose species that experience the same need for moisture. This will simplify care. Beautiful compositions do not require much trouble, but they create an amazing mood, delighting the hosts even in the absence of flowering. To create such beauty in the house is the power of any housewife.