Features of aporocactus: we care for the plant at home correctly

Description of the plant

Conzatti (Aporocactus conzattii) is a prominent representative of the genus Aporocactus. Mexico is considered to be the birthplace of the flower, where the rays of the scorching sun gave its appearance an extraordinary exotic beauty. In nature, it grows in rocky areas, where it grows and envelops large areas with its stems. In our climatic zone, Conzatti can only be kept at home, in greenhouses.

It differs from other representatives of the Aporocactus genus by the bright green color of its whip-like, sometimes creeping strongly branched stems, the length of which in adult representatives can reach half a meter (meter). The diameter of the stem does not exceed 2.5 cm, and along its surface ribs with small tubercles are clearly visible. Small spines (up to 1 cm long) have a yellow or light brown tint, collected in bunches of 15-20 pieces. Several needles in a bundle are longer than the rest, and can be considered central. Tubular flowers up to 9 cm long have a dark red or brown-red color. After flowering, a fruit is formed - a small berry containing seeds.

Ferocactus species

The Cactus family has always been distinguished by its diversity. Ferocactuses are no exception. There are several varieties of this plant, which are especially popular for growing at home:

1. Ferocactus is wide-spined. The name of this variety appeared due to its external features - its thorns are flat, although rather sharp. This cactus is blooming. Its petals are bright purple.
2. Straight-thorny. The complete opposite of wide-necked. The spines are long, straight and razor sharp. With proper care, they can reach 5-7 centimeters in length. The plant does not bloom.
3. Ferocactus Ford. Quite a specific variety, distinguished by curved, rounded spines. Refers to flowering species, the petals are bright pink. The pistils and stamens are colored contrasting yellow.
4. Emory is one of the rarest and most capricious varieties to care for. These plants are often used in dry florariums. They bloom extremely rarely. The thorns grow in bunches. The central needle is straight, and the lateral ones are bent in an arc towards the trunk of the plant.
5. Latipinus also belongs to the non-flowering subspecies, but it attracts gardeners not with bright petals, but with unusual thorns. Its needles are colored bright scarlet.
6. Histrix is ​​the owner of the smallest thorns in the entire family. At the same time, he has a lot of them, due to which the plant looks "fluffy" from a distance.

Ford

Histrix

Latipinus

Straight-spiked

Broadleaf

Emory

Reproduction

Disocactus, thanks to its long shoots, is easily propagated by cuttings. Long stems can be cut off without fear of stressing the plant. To create the right cuttings, you need a shoot of at least 15 centimeters in length. There should be no flowers or buds on it.

When the new baby is prepared, it is immediately placed in moist soil. Do not leave the Aporocactus stalk in water in order for the roots to appear - this will quickly lead to decay.

After the cutting has formed its own root system, it must be immersed in the ground a little deeper, after which the plant is completely transferred to the usual mode of care. No additional fertilizer is needed anymore.

Aporocactus is the best choice for those who live in a large apartment where there is room for this branchy plant. The long flowering of this variety will delight all households, and its unpretentiousness will be a pleasant plus for the gardener himself. Having created the right microclimate for the plant, you can get an exotic cactus at an affordable price and without much effort and time.

Aporocactus is an exotic, extravagant cactus with large bright flowers, which differs from its "counterparts" in that it has long creeping stems.

This amazing plant is mainly grown ampelno, and here you will learn everything about aporocactus, home care for it, breeding rules and other useful information. For its thin hanging shoots, the cactus is popularly called the "rat's tail", the alternative botanical name for the culture is disocactus.

Diseases and pests

Plexiform aporocactus is ill very rarely, but violation of agricultural technology leads to a number of problems.

• When kept in conditions of low humidity, the plant loses its resistance to spider mites. They fight it by spraying the cactus with an insecticide of biological origin "Fitoverm" and increasing the humidity of the air.
• Rot at the base and drying of the ends of the shoots indicate excessive waterlogging of the soil.
• Insufficient watering results in stunted growth and poor flowering.
• Deformation of the stems begins at low light levels.

Aporocactus belongs to the category of plants that require minimal maintenance. But it looks beautiful and original, which makes it one of the best plants for growing in an apartment.

Aporocactus - rules of care and cultivation (video)

Once aporocactus could only be found in Mexico on rocky slopes or in the middle of a pile of bare rocky stones, on branches of trees and bushes. But thanks to its unusual appearance and unpretentiousness of the plant, you can see it among cactus lovers on window sills and glazed balconies in pots.

It is quite easy to distinguish this species from other representatives of cacti by its fleshy, bright green, almost meter-long stems, which, having reached maturity, hang down like whips. Their surfaces are covered with small thorns.

By the color of the stem, you can determine the age of the plant:

• young - has shades of light green;
• more solid - darker, and over time acquires a bluish bloom.

The plant is decorated with crimson or pink flowers, directed upwards. They bloom in spring or summer. Has aporocactus and its own fruit. It represents a berry wrapped in delicate bristles, red in color and round in shape.

Appearance and features

A beautiful, unusual cactus brought to us from Mexico. The long, hanging stems of an adult plant can be up to a meter in length and one and a half centimeters in diameter. In young plants, the stems are directed upwards, as they grow, they begin to fall and hang under their own weight.

Shiny bright green lashes are densely covered with thorns, which at first have a reddish tint, and then gradually turn brown. Tubular pink or red flowers bloom on two-year strings. As the flowering ends, they are replaced by red berries with bristles. An interesting feature of flowers is that they close at night.

Abundant flowering begins in late spring and lasts about two months. Each individual flower lives only a few days, especially persistent ones - no more than a week. By nature, it is an epiphyte or lithophyte, that is, in natural conditions it clings to trees or spreads along the ground.

Interesting fact! In floriculture, aporocactus is used as an ampelous culture. Some growers prefer to use driftwood, chunks of cork bark with hollowed-out space for planting, or porous stones instead of regular pots.

Care

Taking care of Aporocactus martianus is easy if you follow a few simple rules. It must be remembered that this plant is thermophilic and photophilous, does not tolerate excess moisture. In addition, Aporocactus needs proper care for its long shoots.

Proper lighting is the first thing to take care of before purchasing this exotic plant. He needs a very bright light throughout the year, but at the same time, direct sunlight should not fall on the thin shoots. Aporocactus feels best on the west or east side of the apartment.

Watering the disocactus is not necessary often, but according to the established schedule.In the hot season, Aporocactus needs to be irrigated once every 2 weeks, and in winter - no more than once a month. Water must be at room temperature. You can use both running water and drinking water, as long as it is not carbonated.

Aporocactus is a special plant, but it requires careful preparation of its habitat before purchasing it. This subspecies takes up a lot of space due to the length of its branches-lianas, therefore, for it you need to allocate a separate corner in the apartment, where no one will often walk so that households do not suffer from thorns. In addition, when placing a plant, you need to take into account its love of light.

Soil and pot

Disocactus can be grown in conventional cactus soil mixes sold in specialized stores if they meet the key requirements for growing Aporocactus:

1. The soil must be permeable to water. Excessive soil moisture can lead to rotting of the roots, therefore, after watering, the liquid should not stagnate at the bottom of the pot, but drain into the pan.
2. The soil for cacti should be chosen as loose as possible. If the soil is knocked down, it can be improved with brick chips.
3. It is best to use leafy soil as a base because it contains the optimal amount of nitrogen.

The drainage layer is laid only on the bottom of the pot with a layer of 2-3 centimeters. For these purposes, it is best to use small pebbles or crushed red bricks.

The Aporocactus pot needs to be selected low, but wide, so that the shoots, before starting to hang down, “spread” along the ground for some time. This will balance the plant and prevent the branches from overweight and dropping the cactus over time.

Fertilizer

Aporocactus is accustomed to harsh, difficult growing conditions, so an excessive amount of feeding can lead to rotting of the root system and falling off of the needles. The optimal frequency of fertilizing the soil is once a month from the beginning of spring to the end of autumn. In winter, feeding is not needed.

To speed up growth, some gardeners use special stimulants. They must be mixed into water for irrigation at least once every 2 weeks, but in no case should they be mixed with fertilizers.

Bloom

With proper care, dysocactus blooms almost all year round. The first buds appear at the end of March, and the last ones in mid-September. The average lifespan of one flower is 5-7 days, provided that it is not exposed to direct sunlight.

The flowering of Aporocactus does not take away too much vitality from it, so the plant does not need additional feeding during this period. At the same time, soil moisture in the first month of budding should be increased so that the cactus can finally wake up after hibernation.

Transfer

Aporocactus cacti need regular replanting and land replacement due to their fast-growing root system. For the first 5 years of life, the plant must change its place of residence every year, and after that - at least once every 3 years. Thus, it is possible not only to provide the plant with the necessary space for the development of roots, but also to prevent the depletion of the soil.

Reproduction methods

To propagate a cactus with seeds, you must first soak them in warm water for a day. The soil for the cacti is mixed with a lot of sand. The mixture is disinfected and moistened. Seeds are sown to a depth of 5 mm. The pot is covered with foil and left in a bright room at a temperature of + 23 ... + 28 ° C. Every day the greenhouse is ventilated and the soil is moistened. Seedlings appear within 3-4 weeks. After seed germination, the film is removed. At the age of 2-3 weeks, the seedlings can be transplanted into separate pots.

Cuttings are cut from the lateral shoots of mature plants. The place of the cut is sprinkled with ash or activated carbon and dried in the air for 3-4 days. For planting, a mixture of sand and charcoal is used. The soil is slightly moistened and cuttings are planted. The pot with seedlings is covered with foil or jars.After rooting, the shelter is removed and the plants are planted separately.

Aporocactus transplant

The first years, while the plant is young and intensively developing, it is transplanted annually into a larger pot. When the plant stops growing, the transplant is done less often - once every 2-3 years. During the procedure, minor problems may arise, since it is not easy to transplant the aporocactus without damaging its long shoots. Therefore, the transplant is best done together, so that one person carefully supports them.

At the bottom of the new pot, holes are made for the free outflow of excess liquid after watering. As drainage, a layer of expanded clay 2-3 cm thick is poured. This helps to avoid decay of the roots and provide them with full breathing. After transplanting, the plant is watered abundantly and they try not to disturb it for a while.

Aporocactus - basic information

Aporocactus (Aporocactus) belongs to the rather extensive genus Cactaceae. The plant is native to the territories of southern Mexico, it is also common in the tropical latitudes of South America, Africa and in some other regions with hot climates.

It is an epiphytic plant that loves height and settles on rocky ledges and large trees. Growing up, aporocactus can create whole impenetrable thickets of shoots hanging down in cascades.

Ribbed, slightly branching stems covered with small thorns, have a diameter of 2-3 cm, in length they can grow up to 5 meters. The color of the stems ranges from emerald green to gray. The spines can be brownish or white.

Disocactus blooms profusely. Since spring, elongated bell-shaped large flowers (up to 10 cm in length) with graceful multi-layered thin petals are formed on the stems.

The color of the flowers is bright crimson, lilac, red or orange. The flowers do not live long, but the buds form for a long period, and the cactus is in bloom for many weeks. In place of the dried flower, a small berry with seeds remains.

In nature, there are only about 20 species of aporocactus, and half of them have been cultivated. Consider what types of disocactus can be grown at home.

• A. "Latent" (A. Flagelliformis)
  - the most common domesticated species. The length of the stems can reach 1–1.2 meters. While the cactus is young and the stems are short, they grow upward, later they begin to fall. The halos are very close together; short light spines look like pubescence. Flowers, 7-8 cm long, have a crimson color.
• A. "McDougall" (D. Macdougallii)
  - dysocactus with light green, three or four-sided shoots has almost no thorns. The halos are located at a distance of about 1 cm from each other on the surface of the ribs. The length of the shoots is 60-80 cm. The flowers are large, fuchsia.
• A. "Conzatti" (A. Conzattii)
  - juicy green shoots up to 2 cm in diameter grow up to 1 m in length. The halos are frequent, small spines densely cover the stems along the entire length. The flowers are red-orange, sometimes with a terracotta undertone.
• A. "Amazonian" (D. Amazonicus)
  - This variety is distinguished by flat shoots, devoid of thorns. The average length of growth is 1 m. The cactus blooms with pink or lilac funnel-shaped large flowers.
• A. "Biformis" (Disocactus biformis)
  - this species also has flat shoots with serrated edges, the length of which can reach 80-100 cm. The flowers of the culture are not very large, up to 5 cm long, pink or red.
• A. "Martina" (D. Martianus)
  - light green stems are ribbed at the base, and completely rounded at the tips. Small, yellowish, fluff-like spines located along the entire length of the branching stems. The flowers are scarlet with contrasting white stamens.
• A. "Quezaltecus" (Disocactus quezaltecus)
  - the stems of this species are linear-lanceolate, densely growing, branching. At the edges, the stems may have a purple hue, turning into a dark green. It blooms with orange, sometimes pink or yellow small flowers.
• A. "Philansodius" (D. Phyllanthoides)
  - culture has an alternative name "German Empress". The cactus has dense shoots, ribbed at the base and round along the steel length. The stems have no thorns. The flowers are large, funnel-shaped, fuchsia.
• A. "Beautiful" "(Disocactus speciosus)
  - got its name for the large (10-12 cm in diameter) flowers of bright red color. Shoots are ribbed, serrated, may have a purple tint along the edges of the ribs.

Aporocactus is unpretentious and can grow in very harsh conditions. In our area, this type of cactus is not so common among flower growers. It is not difficult to look after him, the main thing is to create a suspension for him so that the stems can freely fall down.

So, let's look at the basic rules for growing dysocactus indoors.

Location, lighting

The "rat tail" simply adores sunlight and cannot grow without it. But a long stay in direct rays, especially at the very height of summer, is dangerous for him. In nature, it often grows in large trees and rocky ledges, most of the time in partial shade.

Caring care according to certain rules

Florists distinguish five types of this type of cactus, and each is willingly bred at home.

A place

The location of the plant depends on how it will grow, bloom, and, therefore, please its owners. Aporocactus loves a lot of light, but is wary of being in direct sunlight. Professionals advise keeping the plant on the windows located on the east or west part of the room - these are the most favorable zones. If there is no way out, and the cactus is on the south side, you will have to create artificial shade and diffused lighting during the hottest hours.

In cold weather, the plant does not need additional lighting. However, when the formation of buds begins to occur, more light will be required, therefore it is necessary to move the pot closer to the window. Only if the aporocactus receives a lot of sun rays, the budding will be good, and it will bloom profusely.

Important!
Short daylight hours need to be extended with additional artificial lighting. Temperature

The temperature regime for this plant is also very important:

Temperature

The temperature regime for this plant is also very important:

1. In spring and summer, you should adhere to 20 - 25 degrees Celsius, preferably outdoors, but hide from direct sunlight.
2. In late autumn and winter, the plant needs complete rest, and a temperature of 8 to 10 degrees of the body will be fine.

As for the humidity of the room in which the plant is located, this is not so important for it. Dry air and central heating do not scare the plant. In warm weather, aporocactus can be periodically sprayed, but this procedure is not required in winter.

Watering

All plants require watering, and aporocactus is no exception, but there are some features.

1. When the autumn-winter period comes, watering occurs only when the earthen lump becomes completely dry. Some growers believe that, from mid-autumn until the beginning of the growing season, it is not even possible to moisten the soil.
2. Starting in the spring season, you need to ensure that the soil in the pot is always moist. When active growth begins, you should also water it quite often, but be careful not to accumulate too much moisture. The soil should only be wet.
3. Water for irrigation must be defended, it must be soft enough. Many cactus lovers try to accumulate rainwater, considering it the best.
4. Do not water the plant with very cold water.

Soil and soil, top dressing

Aporocactus prefers a certain soil, consisting of turf, leafy soil, peat and sand (preferably river) taken in equal proportions. But there is another option - a ready-made composition, a substrate made specifically for cacti. You can buy it at any flower shop.It is advisable to add a small amount of small pebbles to the finished soil.

In order for the plant to be in comfortable conditions, the soil must be loose, it must be water-permeable, with a drainage layer, and the pH of the soil must be neutral or slightly acidic.

Aporocactus requires periodic feeding, from spring to mid-autumn. In winter, there is no need for it. It is enough to add fertilizers only once a month, and after flowering, this procedure is not recommended.

Reproduction

Aporocactus Conzatti propagates by seed or cuttings.

After flowering, the plant produces fruits containing seed material. Ripening seeds are prone to self-sowing, which ensures the germination of new specimens next year. The seeds can also be purchased from specialized stores and planted under a protective cap. The planting is kept in a warm, bright room at room temperature. Regular watering and airing the senses will allow them to germinate quickly.

For propagation by cuttings, a long, healthy shoot is chosen, which is cut into several pieces about 8 cm long. The prepared cuttings are dried for a week and planted in sandy, moist soil. The cutting should be buried in the soil no more than 2 cm. The planted cuttings are covered with a glass cover and kept in a warm, well-lit room. Periodically, the planting needs to be ventilated and moistened. Within a few weeks, the cutting will begin to form a new root system.

Dysocactus care at home

Lighting for disocactus

"Rat tails" today are considered one of the most light-loving representatives of succulents. But unlike many other cacti, these ampelous beauties with climbing shoots do not tolerate direct sunlight very well. For disocactuses, it is necessary to provide a bright diffused type of lighting. Window sills of east and west orientation or south windows with appropriate shade at noon are considered ideal for them.

Since buds are laid at the plant during the winter, the lighting regime during this period is very important for it. For aporocactus, during the cold season, the lighting is increased by moving the containers to more brightly lit places. If you do not carry out the correction, it will not be possible to achieve abundant flowering.

Bright lighting is also critical during warm wintering.

The vast majority of dizocactuses do not like artificial lighting and need a naturally bright location.

Comfortable temperature

Unfortunately, magnificent dysocactus cannot be counted among those subspecies of the main indoor succulents that can bloom under any conditions. The easiest way to achieve flowering is to take care of wintering in a warm room. To release the flowers, "rat tails" need to be kept cool or carefully monitor the lighting and sharply adjust their care.

During the period of active development, this not the most heat-loving cactus is best kept at a temperature of 20 to 25 degrees. Dizocactus will only tolerate hotter conditions in the open air. But during the dormant period for aporocactus, it is better to provide a cool temperature of 7 to 10 degrees. A warmer wintering will lead to a reduction in the number of buds, if the lighting is not correct, there will be no flowering at all.

Unlike many cacti, disocactus can be taken out into the fresh air, placed on balconies and terraces (and even in the garden), provided it is protected from direct sunlight and precipitation.

Disocactus flagelliformis is better known as Aporocactus flagelliformis. Olgapro

Watering and air humidity

The intensity of watering for this cactus directly depends on the stage of development. Regular treatments will only be needed in spring and summer. At the same time, as for all other representatives of the cactus family, it is necessary to carefully avoid any waterlogging and only keep the substrate slightly moist.Stagnant water in the pan, too abundant and frequent watering can lead to the death of the plant. The following procedure is carried out only after the upper soil crumble is completely dry and the substrate in the middle of the pot is partially dry.

During the dormant stage, dysocactuses generally need much more limited watering. Regardless of the temperature of the content, the following procedure in winter should be carried out only when the substrate is completely dry. If disocactuses are kept in cool conditions, then watering is carried out extremely rarely in accordance with the low rates of soil drying. When wintering in a warm place, a cactus needs almost dry conditions.

In their preferences for air humidity, "rat tails" are somewhat different from their other counterparts. Disocactus does not need at all in conditions of high humidity, but at the same time it loves spraying during the summer, if the air temperature rises above 24-25 degrees Celsius. Spraying is usually carried out with warm water, slightly moistening the plant. Spraying is strictly prohibited during the fall and winter.

Disocactus ackermannii. John C. Disocactus biformis. Universität Göttingen Universität Göttingen

Top dressing for disocactus

Fertilizers for this type of cacti are applied exclusively during the period of active development. Typically, plant fertilizers are added to the water for irrigation from March to mid-summer. The easiest way to navigate is the timing of the termination of fertilizing to complete flowering. As soon as the cactus has shed its last flowers, it is necessary to stop fertilizing in any form. In the active period of development, special mixtures of fertilizers intended for representatives of the Cactus family are used for disocactus. The optimal frequency of procedures is 1 top dressing per month.