Notocactus (Notocactus) is a cactus from the cactaceae family (Cactaceae). There are 25 plant forms in the genus. Some botanists still disagree about whether Notocactus belongs to a parody, a separate, larger genus. Some scientists mistake notocactus and parody for the same plant, while others draw a clear line between them.
In its natural environment, the named cactus lives in the mountainous regions of South America. The most extensive distribution area covers the territory of Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
Description of notocactus
The plant has a central thickened stem in the form of a cylinder or a ball. Adult cacti reach a height of up to 1 m. The dark green stem is devoid of lateral processes and children. The ribbed surface is decorated with small fluffy bumps. Spiny bunches protrude in the center of the tubercles. Each bundle contains 1-5 central brown hairs and 40 yellow hairs, which are located along the radius.
The buds open at the top of the stem and form a multi-petal calyx in the form of a bell or funnel. The stalk is thick and short. Another layer of spines and villi is hidden under the dartos. The shade of the buds is predominantly orange or yellow. There are cacti with red flowers. The petals have a contrasting color. There is a reddish stigma in the central part of the calyx. When opened, the bud lasts for seven days, and then fades.
Caring for notocactus at home
Notocactus is a very persistent perennial and does not require complex care at home, which is a great advantage over other cacti from its family.
Location and lighting
Notocactus prefers to grow in a bright place where the sun's rays are maximally available. However, you should not put the flowerpot under the scorching sun. To prevent the flower from overheating, the flowerpot is shaded at noon. It is preferable to choose for placement windows directed to the south-west or south-east. It is usually too hot near window openings overlooking the south side of the building.
To accelerate the ripening of flower buds, it is recommended to supplement cacti in winter with phytolamps. If the total day length is less than 10 hours, the plant will look lethargic and lifeless. An artificial light source is indispensable in the cold season.
Temperature
The optimum summer temperature for notocactus is 22-25 ° C. High temperatures will not harm the perennial if you regularly ventilate the room or keep the flowerpot outside. Provides a cool microclimate during the winter months. Temperature norms are 8-10 ° C.
Watering
In spring and summer, the soil is moistened abundantly, overdrying of the upper soil layers is avoided.By the end of the year, sessions between waterings are increased. However, if you miss the moment and forget to water the plant, the root system may no longer recover. The water is settled in advance to room temperature in order to reduce the hardness.
Moisture indicators
Notocactus is not afraid of low humidity. The stems do not need to be sprayed with a spray bottle.
The soil
Vases are filled with loose soil with a neutral environment and a handful of coarse sand is added. If there is no desire to collect the mixture on your own, they buy a ready-made substrate in the store, which is called that - an earth mixture for cacti and succulents. It is also diluted with river sand.
Florists use several substrate options. The first consists of clay soil and sand (proportion 3: 1), the second - of the same amount of leaf, turf, peat and sand. Some put brick chips in pots.
Top dressing
Fertilize the plant in the first half of the year 2 times a month with special formulations for cactus crops. Potassium is one of the most important elements for full development.
Transfer
Transplanting notocactus is done as needed. For example, when there is not enough room for roots or stems in an old pot. The exact timing between transfers cannot be guessed at. One species is able to grow faster than another.
Reproduction methods of notocactus
Notocactus reproduces with the help of children. The process is simple enough. Gently pinch off the baby from the mother cactus and plant it in a sandy substrate to form roots. It is not necessary to cover the baby with film or glass. Rooting will be successful if you provide good light and keep the plant warm. It is not always possible to apply this method of reproduction in practice, since most subspecies have only one main stem and are not subject to branching. Therefore, it is possible to get babies in rare cases. If there is a desire to grow a culture at home, it is more advisable to purchase a flower in a store or ask around from friends.
In greenhouses, notocactus is bred by seed. The seed is so small that it is difficult to see it right away. In addition, seedlings germinate for a long time. It will take a long time for the plants to get stronger.
Diseases and pests
The terrestrial part of notocactus attracts scale insects, spider mites, or scale insects. Sick specimens are immediately treated with insecticides. Fitoverm and Actellik are effective drugs in the fight against insects.
Mealybug damage is expressed in the form of a fluffy, like cotton wool, plaque that covers the leaves and stems. You can also get rid of the pest with folk remedies, namely, a soap-alcohol solution, garlic or tobacco infusion, pharmacy calendula.
Spider mites cause yellowing and shedding of the stems. Cracks form on the surface, the growth of the culture slows down. At the first foci of the disease, the cactus is washed under the shower. Then, weekly, they put the flowerpot under an ultraviolet lamp for a couple of minutes.
Rot sometimes forms in the root zone. The reason is the wrong temperature regime or waterlogging of the soil.
Types of notocactus with photo
In apartment conditions, various types of notocactus are bred. Most of them are popular with florists and are also unassuming to care for. The modest size allows you to put the pot wherever you want.
Notocactus Otto (Notocactus ottonis)
In a natural line, it is found in the southeast of South America. The diameter of the spherical stem does not exceed 15 cm. Compared to other varieties, this cactus has many basal babies. The plant is attached to the ground with short stolon shoots, the ends of which give life to young plants. Adult cacti contain 8-12 rounded ribs. Long spiny needles stick out on the surface of the ribs. The number of central spines is 3-4, and the number of radial spines is 10-12. The color of the flowers is bright yellow, but varieties with white or red buds have been bred.
Leninghaus Notocactus (Notocactus leninghausii)
The wild-growing form of Lehninghouse Notocactus is found only in southern Brazil. The plant is tall with a slender cylindrical stem. The height reaches up to 1 m. The stem diameter is 12 cm. The structure is ribbed, like all representatives of the genus. The number of ribs is about 30 pcs. Flowering is typical for adult specimens, which have a length of 20 cm.The size of yellow flowers is no more than 5 cm.
Slender Notocactus (Notocactus concinnus)
In addition to the scientific name, slender notocactus is called solar. The distribution area covers the territory of Brazil. The central stem of a spherical shape lengthens to 6 cm. The thickness is from 6 to 10 cm. Faces in the amount of 15-20 pcs, forming the frame of the stem, bear white-yellow bundles with spines. Each bunch has 4 fluffy needles in the center and 10-12 radial needles. The blossoming flowers are yellow. The cups grow up to 7 cm in diameter.
Yubelman's Notocactus (Notocactus uebelmannianus)
The plant prefers the climate of South and Central Brazil. Cacti look flattened. The ribs are broad and round. The height of the perennial ranges from 8-10 cm. The thickness of the stem in the section is 14 cm. The edges are flat at the bottom, and become convex at the crown. Oval areoles with spines are larger than those of the above species. The length of the individual bundle is approximately 10 mm. The areola contains thickened needles. There is only one 4-centimeter thorn in the center, and 4-6 needles sit around the circumference. Their size is 1.5 cm. The needle, which occupies a central position, is displaced to the lower part of the areola. The size of the born cups is 5-7 cm. The color of the flowers is from dark red to yellow. There are varieties with an orange-yellow tint of the cups.
Notocactus platy or flat (Notocactus tabularis)
The described species is a frequent visitor to the south of Brazil and Uruguay. It is inferior in height to the rest of the Notocactus. Rounded and slightly flattened ribs form the main stem 8 cm thick. In total, there are from 16 to 23 low edges. Small areoles are formed from 4 central curved needles up to 1.2 cm long. An additional group of spines is located along the radius. These spines grow about 20 cm long. The cactus blooms with yellow small buds.
Rekh notocactus (Notocactus rechensis)
It grows exclusive in one Brazilian state - Rio Grande do Sul. The species belongs to dwarf crops. The main stem with a diameter of 3.5-5 cm cuts into the ground, like a cylinder. On the sides of the stem, 18 arcuate ribs are evenly dispersed. The tufts are covered with sharp villi. Like other cacti, the villi are divided into radial and central ones. The number of central spines is from 3 to 4 pieces, and the number of radial spines is 4-6 pieces. The needles placed along the radius are several times longer than those that protrude in the center of the areola. The diameter of the yellowish buds does not exceed 3 cm. Notocactus Rekh is characterized by branching in the lower part of the stem. The culture tends to create small clusters.
