Reproduction
In most cases, Cereus propagates using seeds. However, some species, such as the rocky forms of Cereus, reproduce only by cuttings:
- In the process of propagation by cuttings, shoots are cut, which must be dried in the fresh air for two days;
- Then they are planted in a low pot, pre-filled with soil. And watered in moderation;
- The cuttings take root within two to four weeks, after which everything is seated in separate pots.
Seed propagation is required during mid-April to the end of May. After the sowing process, you need to carefully monitor the soil. The soil should be slightly damp, but not wet. Sprouted seeds, you need to put a bright place with a temperature of 18-20 degrees. Read the detailed article on how to grow a succulent plant from seeds
Rooting shoots
Diseases and pests
Cereus can be susceptible to attack by insect pests such as:
- Shield. The presence of bugs feeding on plant sap can be noticed immediately after their appearance;
- Spider mite. The appearance of a pest is evidenced by the appearance of white and fluffy spots on the plant;
- Mealybug. The invasion of this pest is indicated by the appearance of small red dots and cobwebs on the plant. After a while, yellow dead spots appear.
Cereus are prone to rot. Rot is a fungal disease that can be recognized by the appearance of soft, brown spots on the shoots. If the rot is located on the surface, it is recommended to carefully cut it off with a knife. After cutting, disinfect the lesion and hide the watering until complete recovery.
Popular types
Prickly pear (Opuntia Microdasys)
Adult plants usually grow up to 50 cm. The shape of the cactus is traditional, and the stems themselves have a slightly dark green color. Against this background, golden thorns look very good. The flowers are usually medium in size and have a bright yellow color.
Opuntia Small-haired / Flowering
Opuntia Garden (Opuntia)
This species got its name due to the fact that it can be safely planted in the open field, without fear of winter frosts. The cactus is able to withstand temperatures down to minus 30-35 degrees, but under a good layer of snow. If in your region the winters are not snowy, but frosty, then it is advisable to cover the plant with a film.
Opuntia Garden / Flowering
Indian Opuntia (Opuntia Ficus-indica) Fig
Also, this species is known under the name - Fig prickly pear. The plant grows quite tall. The shape of the stems is typical for Opuntia. The plant blooms profusely, after which it leaves a lot of tasty and juicy fruits, a little with a pear and strawberry flavor.
Indian Opuntia / Blossom
Berger's prickly pear (Opuntia Bergeriana)
It is also a fairly popular species that has a slightly different shape. Stems are more elongated, light green with long spines. It blooms quite strongly. The flowers themselves are medium-sized, red.
Berger's Opuntia / Blossom
White-haired prickly pear (Opuntia Leucotricha)
The most notable feature of this species is its long white hairs (spines). The plant is quite densely dotted with them from here and the name went - white-haired. The cactus blooms with small, bright yellow flowers that exude a very pleasant smell, and after flowering, you can enjoy delicious fruits.
Opuntia White-haired / Flowering
Opuntia vulgaris (Opuntia Vulgaris)
This type is often called classic and it is believed that it was from him that all the others went. Plants grow up to 4-5 meters in height, but this is in their natural habitat. It is difficult to achieve such results at home.Stems are green, of a standard shape, with a few thorns. The cactus blooms with large yellow flowers.
Opuntia vulgaris / Flowering
Opuntia Subulata (Opuntia Subulata)
This species has the most atypical shape among the cacti presented here. The stem is long, slightly thick, growing upwards. In the future, the cactus grows quite strongly. The flowers of the subulate are small, pale pink in color, and there are quite a few of them during the flowering period.
Opuntia Subulata / Flowering
Opuntia Main or Main (Opuntia Basilaris)
Another species that grows strongly, forming whole bushes. Unlike subulate, the shape of the cactus is traditional for Opuntia. The stems are quite often covered with thorns and are light green in color. During the flowering period, the plant produces quite a few medium-sized flowers that can be of different colors - from bright pink to red.
Opuntia Home / Flowering
Opuntia Gosseliniana (Opuntia Gosseliniana)
Gosselina also grows and forms bushes. It blooms with bright yellow flowers, large in size, which smell very nice. Depending on the variety, the stems come in two colors - green and bluish. In fact, there are no blue cacti, it's all about the plaque that forms on the surface. It has a characteristic color that only gives a more exotic look to the cactus.
Opuntia Gosselina / Blossom
Reproduction
If suddenly you want to propagate Opuntia, then you can do this in two ways:
- Seeds;
- Cuttings.
Seeds
This method is not very popular because it is rather problematic. Not all seeds germinate, and it even happens that none at all. We have previously written about how to grow cacti from seeds, and so, the principle here is exactly the same, but there is one difference. Opuntia seeds have a rather dense shell, so first they should be rubbed on a file or sandpaper, and then soaked in potassium permanganate.
And then everything is as usual. Earth is poured into the greenhouse, holes are made there and seeds are planted. After that, it is necessary to wait for shoots. The first transplant is performed in 3 months. More details are written in our separate article.
Cuttings
The most preferred method, which is much more effective than the previous one. There is nothing difficult in grafting. First of all, take a well-sharpened knife and select any healthy scion on the stem. Then, it should be cut off, and then placed in an upright position in a place where it could dry out a little. Usually it is 3-4 days until a film appears at the cut site.
Further, the dried cutting should be planted in a container with wet sand, to a depth of 5-6 cm. The container itself must be covered with cling film and periodically allowed to air, and also occasionally watered. As soon as the seedling has roots, a transplant should be performed. You can read how to do this above.
Cactus Cleistocactus: species of the genus cactus
Among the fifty species of plants known to floriculture in landscape design, the most popular are:
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Strauss's Cleistocactus (Cleistocactus strausii) is the brightest representative of the genus, characterized by vertically growing long stems (can reach three meters in height), densely decorated with gray-yellow needles. During the flowering period, the shoots of the flower are abundantly dotted with bright red buds.
When closed, they form cones about 6 cm long. The flowering period begins in late August and lasts about four weeks. The color appears only in specimens whose height has reached 45 cm and more. Home care for Strauss Cleistocactus is classic, as for other species of this genus.
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Winter's Cleistocactus (Cleistocactus winteri) - also called "the tail of the golden rat." Differs in hanging shoots, the length of which in an adult specimen can reach a meter.
The thorns have a golden hue, from which the flower got its second name.It blooms with bright orange or salmon pink flowers, the diameter of which can reach 5 cm. It blooms in the spring and summer, and the flowering period can last a couple of days.
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Ritter's cleistocactus (Cleistocactus ritteri) is a vertically growing specimen, the height of the shoots of which reaches two meters. It blooms with yellow flowers.
Flowering period: March-November. Specimens bloom up to 40 cm in height.
Of course, one cannot fail to mention the Emerald-flowered cactus (Cleistocactus smaragdiflorus), which is a horizontally growing representative.
Cleistocactus emerald-flowered
The shoots are dark green in color, strongly branching at the base. Shoots can be up to a meter long. Gives you pink-red, non-opening buds. The top of the bud is greenish. Specimens bloom, the shoots of which have reached 30 cm in length.
Diseases and pests
Like any other cactus, Opuntia is also susceptible to various diseases and pest attacks. But before starting the story about diseases and pests, it is worth noting that most diseases appear with the help of the owners themselves.
This is all due to improper care, too frequent or, on the contrary, insufficient watering, lack of feeding or transplantation, and much more. A cactus, although an unpretentious plant, still needs to be looked after properly.
Let's consider how you can deal with them and how to detect them.
Nematodes
Basically, nematodes attack the roots, so they can only be noticed when transplanting a plant, and even then not always. The roots should be carefully and thoroughly examined, and if you notice any seals or something like a build-up on them, these are nematodes. It is easy to deal with them, for this damaged roots are cut off slightly above the growths, and after that, the root system should be placed in hot water (50-55 degrees) for 10-15 minutes.
Further, the roots should be dried and planted in new soil.
Mealybug
Mealybug is easy to find - it is white and leaves behind a white coating. To get rid of it, remove all traces of it with alcohol and treat the pest itself
It is important that not a trace of plaque remains.
Then, spray the cactus with soapy water and leave it there for 10 minutes, and then rinse everything off with warm water. If there are too many insects, then use a special preparation.
Spider mites and aphids
These pests should also be dealt with immediately. For this, the plant should be sprayed with a special preparation, in two stages. The break between the stages should be from 7 to 10 days, no more.
If we talk about diseases, then Opuntia is subject to diseases with various fungi and rot.
Basically, the appearance of fungi is associated with frequent watering and improperly selected fertilizers, namely, with an increased nitrogen content. If suddenly, you notice the appearance of brown or brown spots, lethargy of the stems, their curvature or rotting small areas - this is all due to the appearance of rot and oversaturation with nitrogen.
To combat these diseases, as a rule, damaged areas of the stems are cut off, covered with ash, and then treated with a special preparation. Also, for greater efficiency, especially if the plant is oversaturated with moisture, the cactus is transplanted into a new pot with new soil, and the first watering is carried out no earlier than 3-4 days later.
But there is one disease from which the plant cannot be saved - this is dry rot. It so happened that the first symptoms of the disease appear too late, when the plant is already beginning to dry out slowly. The only thing that can be done is to propagate the cactus using cuttings so as not to lose it at all.
Echinocereus
A large genus from the Cactus family, there are more than 60 species in nature. His homeland is North America, the southern regions of the continent.A lot of species are cultivated by amateurs, some have gained great popularity: Reichenbach and its subspecies - Armatus, Baile, Albispinus, Alberti, Trekhkolyuchkovy, Hardest, Beskolyuchkovy. They gained popularity even among other cacti due to their absolute unpretentiousness. But still, in order for the plant to look good and fully bloom, it is necessary to provide good lighting all year round. In summer, Echinocereus is best carried out on a balcony or terrace.
The optimal temperature range in summer is from 25 to 30 degrees. In winter, to ensure a dormant period, it is necessary to provide the plant with a temperature of about 10 degrees. As for watering, during the growing season they water it moderately, waiting for the soil clod to dry completely. Excessive watering can cause cacti to rot. During the dormant period, the plants are almost not watered. If the plant is well rested, then it will definitely bloom. Flowers are common for cacti: single, tubular, multi-petal.
Also read our article: 15 Rare Succulent Species!
