The Cactus Flower, more commonly known as the Ball Cactus, is a general term for spherical cacti belonging to the succulent family. They take on shrub-like forms with numerous variants, largely native to desert regions, favoring high-temperature and arid climates.
The stems are spherical or oval-shaped and green. The flowers, nestled amongst the cactus spines, bloom primarily in the early morning or late evening, lasting from a few hours up to a day. Their colors span white, red, yellow, orange, and green, resembling elongated trumpet-like shapes.
The Cactus Flower is a visually appealing plant, known for its spherical stem, sharp spines, and striking flowers. It’s also referred to as the Grass Ball, Long Prosperity Pill, or Short Hair Pill, and is a perennial herbaceous plant from the Cactaceae family.
General Overview
The Cactus Flower, small in size, ranges from spherical to cylindrical shapes and is often kept as a decorative pot plant. The Silver Cactus Flower and Golden Cactus Flower are the most common types, cloaked in wool-like fluff.
Furry Ball Cacti produce smaller flowers, typically yellow or red, sometimes only one centimeter (0.5 inches) in diameter. Conversely, the non-furry types have larger flowers, reaching up to six centimeters.
Based on their appearances, Ball Cacti can be classified into various categories like velvet, wart, gem, columnar hair, strong spine, sea urchin, and top-flowering types. The cacti’s spines also vary in length, thickness, and density, and may be red, yellow, or golden.
The Cactus Flower, with its peculiar form and vibrant flowers, is easy to cultivate, hence, it has won people’s affection. This plant, also known as Grass Ball or Long Prosperity Pill, is native to South America, predominantly found in hot, dry, and desert areas with little rain.
It prefers dry, drought-tolerant conditions. The primary growing season for the Cactus Flower is summer, which is also its blooming period.
The Cactus Flower, a dicotyledonous plant, belongs to the cacti family. Its definition varies in a narrower and broader sense: narrowly, it refers specifically to the Cactaceae, while in a broader sense, it represents all spherical or nearly spherical cacti.
The Cactus Flower can live for hundreds of years and grow to massive sizes, with some species growing into giant spheres two to three meters in diameter. It is also edible.
Reproduction in Ball Cacti is typically through grafting. Varieties suitable for grafting include Crimson Peony, Emerald Peony, Kerria, Red Sun, Golden Shimmer, Golden Button, White Jade Old Man, and Christmas Orchid.
Water: It’s drought-resistant. During the growing season, it requires moderate watering, whereas during the dormant period, slightly dry conditions are preferable.
Fertilizer: Fertilizer is welcome. During the growing season, liquid fertilizer can be applied every 10-15 days, and should stop during dormancy.
Soil: It thrives in fertile, well-drained, limestone-rich sandy loam.
Temperature: The plant loves warmth. Excessive heat may force it into “dormancy.” It can also withstand low temperatures around 0°C.
Light: It loves sunlight. Shade is required during high summer, but excessive shade may prevent it from blooming.
Reproduction: Propagation of the Cactus Flower is quite easy. During the growing season, you can peel off the pups from the mother cactus and plant them separately.
However, avoid watering, only misting a few times a day. In about 15 days, you can start to water it slightly, and after a month, it will take root.
Morphological Characteristics
The Cactus Flower, originating from the South American grasslands, belongs to the Cactaceae family, specifically the Notocactus genus and the Echinocactus species, including the Ivory Cactus Flower and the Giant Cactus Flower , among its 25 varieties.
Small in size, the plant varies in shape from spherical to elliptical, frequently cultivated as an ornamental potted plant. The Silver Cactus Flower and the Golden Cactus Flower are among the most common varieties, covered in woolly fuzz.
Furry cacti tend to have smaller flowers, usually yellow or red, sometimes as small as 1 centimeter (0.5 inches) in diameter. Conversely, hairless cacti have larger flowers, which can reach up to 6 centimeters.
The Cactus Flower can be categorized by appearance into several types: woolly, warty, gem-like, hairy, strong-spined, sea urchin-like, and top-flowering. Their spines can be long, short, sparse, or dense, with colored hairs ranging from red to yellow and golden.
These plants are beloved for their unique shapes, bright flowers, and ease of cultivation. As a type of dicotyledonous plant within the Cactaceae family, “Cactus Flower” can be used narrowly to refer to this specific family or broadly to describe all spherical or near-spherical cacti.
With their long lifespan and large size, some Cactus Flower varieties can live for over 500 years and grow into massive spheres of two to three meters in diameter. These plants are also edible.
As perennial succulent herbs, they grow to about 15cm tall. The stems are spherical, elliptical, or ovoid, green, fleshy, with 12-14 vertical ridges. Each ridge hosts a cluster of needle-like spines, usually 6-10 per cluster, but sometimes as many as 15, 2-4cm long, rigid, yellow or yellow-brown, and of varying lengths, radiating from the center. They are covered with dense, white, woolly hairs.
Their large flowers, side-borne and situated among the spines, are pink and open at night, trumpet-shaped and 15-20cm long. The outside of the flower tube is covered with scales, each axil bearing long woolly hairs. The fruit is a spineless sphere or ovoid shape. The seeds are small and numerous, flowering from May to June.
The Cactus Flower is a perennial succulent and juicy herbaceous plant and a dicotyledonous plant, belonging to the cactus family in botanical taxonomy. The stems are spherical or elliptical, reaching heights of up to 25cm, and green.
Each ball has several vertical ridges, each densely covered with yellow-green spines of varying lengths, radiating outwards. They flower every three years with vibrant colors. The flowers are silver-white or pink, trumpet-shaped, and up to 20cm long, with scales on the outside and long hairs in the scale axils.
The Cactus Flower typically flowers in the early morning or evening, lasting from several hours to a day. Many smaller balls often grow from the sides of the main ball, making the plant elegant and graceful.
There are many varieties, approximately 40, each with different shapes, from spherical to elliptical. Some have vertical ridges arranged in a radiating pattern, and their spines vary in length and density.
The flowers have various colors, including golden yellow, white, and red. Large, trumpet-shaped flowers bloom from the stem balls in the spring and summer. Smaller balls can grow on the surface of the main ball.
Growth Environment
Ball Cacti, colloquially known as grass balls or long-living balls, are native to South America. They typically grow in hot, dry, and nutrient-rich lands in areas with little rainfall, such as deserts.
They prefer dry conditions and are drought-resistant, possessing a strong vitality that has endeared them to many people. The primary growth and flowering period for Ball Cacti is the summer season.
Distribution
The homeland of the Cactus Flower is South America, originating in hot, dry, and scantily rainy desert zones, which resulted in their love for dry conditions and drought tolerance. Ball Cacti are cold-sensitive and prefer to grow in sandy soils with good drainage. Summer is the growing and flowering period for these cacti.
Classification
- Cactus Flower (also known as grass ball or flowering ball): The stem is spherical, and the older stem is barrel-shaped. The flowers are white and fragrant.
- Short-haired ball: The plant is spherical or tubular. After flowering, the flowers are large and white.
- Long-living ball: The ball is yellowish-green or light green. The flowers are large, light pink, and fragrant.
- Golden ball: The ball is yellowish-green, clustered. The flowers are large and white.
- Prosperous ball: The plant is grayish-green, spherical or tubular. The flowers are large, dark pink or deep red.
- Golden Cactus Flower: The stem is spherical, solitary or clustered. The top of the sphere is densely covered with golden yellow woolly hairs. It has 21-37 prominent ridges.
The types of Ball Cacti that can be grafted include crimson peony, emerald peony, mountain yellows, red sun, golden shine, golden button, white jade elder, and crab claw orchid, among others.
From the perspective of edibility, Ball Cacti can be divided into edible and ornamental varieties. The two have some differences: edible Ball Cacti have 12-14 lobes, with straight and hard spines, while ornamental Ball Cacti are not edible, and their lobes can be many or few, with many different appearances. The spines are soft and pale yellow, whereas the edible
Growth Environment
Ball Cacti, colloquially known as grass balls or long-living balls, are native to South America. They typically grow in hot, dry, and nutrient-rich lands in areas with little rainfall, such as deserts.
They prefer dry conditions and are drought-resistant, possessing a strong vitality that has endeared them to many people. The primary growth and flowering period for Ball Cacti is the summer season.
Distribution
The homeland of the Cactus Flower is South America, originating in hot, dry, and scantily rainy desert zones, which resulted in their love for dry conditions and drought tolerance. Ball Cacti are cold-sensitive and prefer to grow in sandy soils with good drainage. Summer is the growing and flowering period for these cacti.
Classification
- Ball Cactus (also known as grass ball or flowering ball): The stem is spherical, and the older stem is barrel-shaped. The flowers are white and fragrant.
- Short-haired ball: The plant is spherical or tubular. After flowering, the flowers are large and white.
- Long-living ball: The ball is yellowish-green or light green. The flowers are large, light pink, and fragrant.
- Golden ball: The ball is yellowish-green, clustered. The flowers are large and white.
- Prosperous ball: The plant is grayish-green, spherical or tubular. The flowers are large, dark pink or deep red.
- Golden Ball Cactus: The stem is spherical, solitary or clustered. The top of the sphere is densely covered with golden yellow woolly hairs. It has 21-37 prominent ridges.
The types of Ball Cacti that can be grafted include crimson peony, emerald peony, mountain yellows, red sun, golden shine, golden button, white jade elder, and crab claw orchid, among others.
From the perspective of edibility, Ball Cacti can be divided into edible and ornamental varieties. The two have some differences: edible Ball Cacti have 12-14 lobes, with straight and hard spines, while ornamental Ball Cacti are not edible, and their lobes can be many or few, with many different appearances.
The spines are soft and pale yellow, whereas the edible Cactus Flower is dark green. The entire edible Cactus Flower has a strong flavor, while the ornamental Cactus Flower does not.
Primary Value
Ornamental Value
In the world of horticulture, spherical cactus varieties are commonly referred to as Ball Cacti. They are highly valued for their ornamental stems, leaves, and flowers. Traditional Ball Cacti are grown in deserts, while hydroponic ones are cultivated using water-induced mutagenesis techniques.
Not only can you admire their tender root system, but you can also watch the cute little fish swimming among the roots. Indeed, they are pleasing to the eye and considered a masterpiece of hydroponic flowers.
Health Benefits
Cacti are cold in nature and bitter in taste. They contain ingredients like triterpenes, malic acid, succinic acid, and potassium carbonate, which can promote blood circulation, improve stomach health, and detoxify. They can be used to treat the following conditions:
Frostbite: Remove the spikes from the cactus, mash it into a paste, and apply it to the affected area. Wrap with gauze and remove the dressing after 5 days of continuous application. This method is suitable for frostbite grades I-II .
Tendinitis: Choose a cactus slightly larger than the area of tendinitis, remove the hairs and spikes, scrape off the skin on one side, and apply it to the affected area. Fix with medical adhesive tape. Replace with a fresh cactus every other day. Generally, after a few changes, the swelling will disappear.
Mumps: Take an appropriate amount of fresh young cactus stem, remove the surface spines and fuzz, clean and mash it, and evenly apply it to the swollen area under the ear. Fix it with gauze. Change the dressing twice a day.
Burns, insect bites: Scrape off the outer skin of the cactus, mash it, and apply it to the wound, then sterilize and bandage it. Whole plant juice can be applied to snake and insect bites.
Stomach ailments, acute bacillary dysentery: Take 1-2 ounces of cactus root, cook with pork belly, can treat stomach ailments. Take 1-2 ounces of fresh cactus, decoct with water for oral administration, can treat acute bacillary dysentery.
Acute mastitis: Remove the spikes from the cactus, mash it, add 50 ml of 95% alcohol, and mix well. Apply topically twice a day.
Diabetic foot: First, clean the ulcer surface with hydrogen peroxide and saline to remove necrotic tissue and purulent secretions. Then take 30 grams of fresh cactus, remove the skin and spikes and mash into a paste, apply it evenly to the affected area, and wrap it with gauze. Change the dressing 2-3 times a day for 5-7 days.
Ball Cacti – Natural Oxygen Bar
Most plants photosynthesize during the day, absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen, and respire at night, absorbing oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. However, plants in the cactus family do the opposite.
During the day, they close their stomata to prevent water loss, and the oxygen produced by photosynthesis is released only after the stomata open at night. Thus, placing a cactus in your room at night can supplement oxygen, benefiting sleep.
Don’t underestimate the Ball Cactus; it is a master of dust absorption! Having a Cactus Flower indoors, especially a hydroponic one , can help purify the air.
Medical Value
Function and Indications: It is used to treat lung heat cough, blood in phlegm, abscesses, and burns.
Edible Value
The edible cactus is a succulent plant of the Cactaceae family, growing in subtropical regions. It originated in France, Europe, and was introduced to Vietnam at the end of the 18th century, then to the Jing ethnic islands along the Beibu Gulf and the Daxian Mountain area through Meng Street.
After more than a hundred years of evolution, it has now become a unique local green health food – the edible cactus, locally known as “Lè Guǒ” in Enping, Guangdong.
In Enping, Guangdong, this dish is usually available in restaurants. The edible cactus is tender, sweet, non-toxic, and has no side effects, making it a truly new type of medicinal vegetable with a unique flavor. According to the latest information, the edible cactus is a non-polluting green food that integrates eating, medicine, health care, beauty, and viewing.
It has certain preventive and therapeutic effects on human diseases such as cancer, hypertension, coronary heart disease, pulmonary tuberculosis, stomach diseases, diabetes, various inflammatory conditions, and gynecological diseases.
It can also effectively eliminate the toxins of tobacco, alcohol, gas, metal, and pesticide residues left in vegetables in the human body, filling a gap in the history of medicinal vegetables in today’s world. Therefore, it has the reputation of being the “King of Vegetables” and the “King of Medicines”.
Cultivation Techniques
Ball cacti are often propagated by grafting. The varieties that can be grafted include Fire Peony, Jade Peony, Yamabuki, Red Sun, Golden Shine, Golden Button, White Jade Weng, and Crab Claw Orchid, among others.
The propagation of ball cacti varies by variety. Easy-to-propagate varieties such as Grass Ball, Offspring Ball, and Venus can have their pups removed during the growing season, allowed to dry for a few days, and then planted after the wound has dried.
Varieties that do not easily produce pups, like the Big Leader, Dragon King Ball, and Lion King Ball, can be propagated by sowing seeds. Weaker varieties like the White Bird, Snow Light, Exquisite Palace, Colorful Jade Weng, and Black Beauty Ball are often propagated by grafting.
For varieties that do not easily produce pups and cannot collect seeds, the growing point of the robust plant can be destroyed to promote the growth of pups. Once the pups grow to a certain size, they can be taken off for planting or grafting.
Cutting
During the growing season, it’s best to cut between April and May. You can use 1 to 4 segments of the stem or large branches with subdivisions for cutting.
When cutting, the wound should not touch water, and should be left to dry in a place without direct sunlight for two or three days, so the wound can heal and is less likely to rot. After cutting, place it in a cool and shaded place before rooting, water sparingly, and it will root in about 20 days.
Although cacti roots easily, the roots are weak and not resistant to moisture, resulting in poorer growth. Therefore, it is often grafted onto other robust cacti to accelerate growth. Common rootstocks include cactus, leaf cactus, ball cactus, and Lophocereus schottii.
Cuttings or grafted seedlings can usually bloom in two years. Under short-daylight conditions (8-12 hours of daylight per day), it can bloom in 2 to 3 months. If you shade the plant in early July, it will be able to bloom by the end of September.
During the cactus growing period, apply a thin organic liquid fertilizer every 2 to 3 weeks, or a small amount of compound fertilizer. After the flower buds form, the potting soil cannot be too dry or too wet to avoid flower bud drop.
Grafting
Grafting method
The best method is to splice, which prevents the graft from easily drying and falling off. The splicing method is the “top” type grafting method.
Choose a well-growing leaf cactus plant, first cut off the tip, then peel off the skin, the length of the peeling is 1/3 of the height of the ball seedling.
- Cut off the bottom of the ball seedling to expose the core. Drill a hole in the core , the depth is 1/3 of the height of the ball. The advantage of the “top” type grafting method is: large contact area, stable, not easy to fall off, high survival rate. The best time for grafting is from April to May. Control the temperature at 20 to 25°C.
Preparation before grafting
- Choose a robust and sterile ball seedling.
- Choose a well-growing leaf cactus plant as the rootstock. If you are creating artistic shapes, you can choose plants with more branches.
- The tools must be sterilized.
- The operator should operate in a sterile manner.
- The environment should be sanitary or operate in a sterile room.
Aftercare Post Grafting
After grafting small balls and pillars, move them to a place with less light. Control the temperature at 20-25°C to facilitate the healing of the tissue cells , which is usually completed in about 15-20 days. After this, you can gradually move them to a place with better light for care. The cultivation soil needs to be loose and breathable, and the water should be neutral.
Cultivation Points
Cacti are common types of houseplants. With proper care, not only do they grow quickly, but their bodies are bright, and they bloom profusely.
Temperature
Cacti prefer high temperature, dry environments. In winter, the room temperature should be kept above 20°C during the day and not below 5°C at night. Low temperatures can easily cause root rot. In the colder northern regions during winter, you should stop watering and keep the cacti in rooms above 5°C.
Light
Cacti require plenty of sunlight, but they can’t be exposed to intense light in the summer, and they need appropriate shading. For indoor cultivation, they can be illuminated with light to promote robust growth.
Potting Soil
The soil for potted cacti should be well-drained, breathable, and contain calcareous sandy soil (or sandy loam). You can use sandy loam and leaf mold each in 2 parts, coarse sand in 3 parts, plus lime gravel or old lime wall scraps discarded during old building demolition in 1 part mixed.
You can also use loamy soil and coarse sand each in 2 parts, crushed bricks, leaf mold, and old lime wall scraps each in 1 part mixed. When planting, you should put a small amount of broken bricks or tiles at the bottom of the pot to facilitate drainage.
Planting
It’s best to pot the cacti in early spring. The flowerpot should not be too big, just enough to accommodate the ball and leave a little gap. If the flowerpot is too big and can’t absorb enough water after watering, the air inside the pot will not circulate, which can easily lead to root rot.
A few taproot species and certain others, like Opuntia microdasys and Echinocactus grusonii, require a deeper cylinder pot. Mammillaria and Rebutia, which have shallow root systems, can use a shallower standard flower pot.
Repotting Method
For potted cacti, it’s best to use breathable terracotta pots, with a layer of broken bricks at the bottom for drainage. Cacti have small root systems, so the pot should not be too large, and its diameter should be similar to the diameter of the plant body for aesthetic harmony.
When repotting, you should cut off some of the old roots and let it dry for 4-5 days before potting. The plant should not be planted too deep; it is appropriate for the neck of the root ball to be level with the soil surface.
To avoid root rot, don’t water newly potted cacti. Instead, mist them 2-3 times a day. After half a month, you can start watering sparingly, and once new roots emerge after a month, you can gradually increase watering.
Watering
The best time to water in summer is in the early morning, while in winter it should be done in the morning of clear days. In spring and autumn, both morning and evening are suitable.
Generally, do not water from the top, otherwise unsightly spots may appear on the ball over time. Generally, watering should be thorough, which requires regular soil loosening to make the potting soil easily absorb enough water.
Summer is the growing season for cacti. With high temperatures, their water demand is large. You must water thoroughly, preferably when the temperature is low in the morning or evening. Midday heat can cause scorch damage to the plant if watered.
During the high-temperature rainy season, watering should also be appropriately controlled. For cacti with concave tops, be careful not to water into the concave areas to avoid rot, especially when watering in the evening.
During winter dormancy, watering should be controlled to keep the potting soil from being excessively dry. The lower the temperature, the more you should keep the potting soil dry. Adult large balls are more drought-resistant than seedlings.
Winter watering should be done in the morning on sunny days. As the temperature rises, the plant will gradually come out of dormancy, and the frequency and amount of watering can gradually increase.
During the growing season, potted cacti can also be appropriately fertilized, especially those grafted with Sansevieria trifasciata, which should pay more attention to fertilization. Fertilizer can be fully fermented thin liquid fertilizer, applied every 10-15 days.
From autumn, pay attention to controlling the amount of fertilizer, generally once a month, stopping by early October. If the fertilizer is not controlled, allowing the cactus to continue to grow, the tender ball will be easily frost damaged in winter.
When applying fertilizer, be careful not to get it on the ball. If it does get on the ball, spray it off with water immediately.
The base fertilizer should be mixed in appropriate amounts in the culture soil before potting or repotting, such as fully fermented cake, bone meal, chicken and pigeon manure, etc., and let it sit for a while so that the fertilizer and soil are fully integrated.
Additional fertilizers should be applied according to the plant’s growth, such as fully fermented feather, hoof and horn meal or cake fertilizer once every two weeks during the vigorous growth period in spring and autumn.
Note that the root osmotic pressure of palm flowers is very low, so the fertilizer must be diluted and light. Avoid concentrated or raw fertilizer. It can also be alternately applied with a solution of 0.1% urea and 0.2% dipotassium phosphate, with the amount of fertilizer water covering the surface of the potting soil.
If the potting soil has a high organic content, you can apply chemical fertilizer alone to keep the environment clean. Fertilization should be avoided during high heat in summer and low-temperature dormancy in winter.
Precautions
- Home-grown cacti generally use potted plants. For planting soil, use 6 parts of humus soil, add 4 parts of sand, 2 parts of rice husk ash, and if you add a little bone meal, it would be better. Mix them evenly, and you can start planting.
- In the spring and summer season, when the cactus starts to grow, fertilize once every half a month, preferably with a mixed fertilizer of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. In addition, provide appropriate shade and avoid exposure to intense sunlight.
- In winter, move the potted cacti indoors. As long as the room temperature is above 5℃, they can safely overwinter. At this time, the potted cacti at home can be placed in an indoor glass tank for winter warmth, or you can use double-layer plastic bags for insulation. In winter, the cactus is in a dormant period, and the potting soil should be relatively dry, otherwise, it is easy to rot the roots.
- Cacti are not suitable for too much watering, otherwise, the roots will rot. In spring and summer, it is best to water once every one to two months, and in autumn and winter, once every two to three months is sufficient.
- Keep it out of reach of young children at home.
Maintenance techniques
Temperature: Cacti like high temperature and dry environment. The room temperature in winter should be kept above 20℃ during the day and not lower than 10℃ at night. Too low temperature can easily cause root rot, but too high temperature can easily cause shell insect damage.
Light: Cacti require plenty of sunlight, but they should not be exposed to strong sunlight in summer and need appropriate shading. Indoor cultivation can use light to help it grow healthily.
Soil: Cacti prefer to grow in well-drained sandy loam. Indoor cultivation often uses artificial culture soil, usually a mixture of half peat soil and half fine sand; crushed pine needles can also be added to fine sand, and the mixed culture soil is used for planting.
Watering: Cacti require a dry environment and are afraid of water accumulation in the potting soil. Usually, keep the potting soil “dry and wet”. It is best to use water that has been sun-dried for watering. Be sure to water thoroughly.
Fertilization: When cacti are repotted, a small amount of base fertilizer, such as horse hoof chips, soybean cake or sesame residue, should be applied at the bottom of the pot. During the growing period, water with fermented organic liquid fertilizer once every half a month, and be careful not to make the fertilizer too concentrated.
Cacti can be propagated by grafting, usually using the flat grafting method. The rootstock can be selected from a robust plant or a slice of a palm. The specific operation is as follows: First, cut off the top of the rootstock and horizontally cut the base of the scion. Align the two and then tie them together with a rope. After two weeks, remove the rope.
The aging of the cactus starts from the bottom. When yellowing appears, apply undiluted YunDa 120 to the cactus with a brush several times to fade the yellow color and rejuvenate the cactus. This is my experience. YunDa 120 is a plant growth regulator that contains hormones, which is harmless to the cactus even at high concentrations. It has fewer side effects than other plant growth regulators.
Maintenance
Cacti like sunlight and are not afraid of dryness. Therefore, during the spring and summer, water once a month, and in winter, water once every 2-3 months.
Be sure to water thoroughly; the pot should be changed in the spring, and water should not be given immediately after changing the pot, but should be watered a week later. For cacti cultivation, use a flat-bottomed clay pot, and the soil inside is best mixed in a ratio of 1 part sand, 1 part soil, and 1 part bone meal. Apply thin fertilizer twice a year.
Cacti are soft on the inside and tough on the outside, using their whole body of spines to protect their easily hurt hearts. Giving a cactus to someone represents your perseverance in love, not giving up easily, and also represents trust in her/him. Trust that she/he can protect their own heart.
Prevention and control of diseases and pests
In a high-temperature, poorly ventilated environment, diseases and pests are prone to occur. Diseases can be sprayed with polyoxin or carbendazim; pests can be sprayed with leucogen. Regardless of the type of medicine sprayed, it should be done outdoors.
Blooming
Cacti generally grow for 3-4 years and should be able to bloom when the ball diameter reaches 3-4 cm. To make cacti bloom, pay attention to the following points:
- Sunlight: Cacti require plenty of sunlight. If cacti are kept indoors for a long time and lack sunlight, they will not bloom. Cacti require a warmer environment, and if the environment temperature does not reach above 20 degrees, they will not bloom.
- Watering: Do not overwater, do not let the potting soil be too wet, but it should be rather dry than wet. Especially in winter and summer dormant periods, watering should be controlled.
- Fertilization: Although cacti can withstand thin and drought, they will not bloom easily in conditions of both drought and lack of fertilizer. Therefore, appropriate water and fertilizer should be given during cultivation, and a thin and mature cake fertilizer should be applied every 10 days to half a month during the growing season. Over-fertilization should also be avoided, as excess will also prevent flowering.
- Microenvironment: Pay attention to creating a suitable temperature, high-humidity local environment for the cactus, such as making a closed shed on the windowsill with plastic film, and keeping the cactus in it for maintenance, not only grows faster, the color is bright, but it is also easier to bloom.
Peggie was once a high school mathematics teacher, but she set aside her chalkboard and textbooks to follow her lifelong passion for flowers. After years of dedication and learning, she not only established a thriving flower shop but also founded this blog, “Flowers Library”. Here, Peggie shares the art and science of floristry, offers practical tips for nurturing plants, delves into the captivating histories of various species, and provides insights into running a successful flower shop. She hopes that everyone can take a moment now and then to immerse themselves in the world of flowers. If you have any questions or wish to learn more about flowers, feel free to contact Peggie.
