Not everyone can appreciate the uniqueness and beauty of succulents, but when people notice cacti with colored needles in the window of a flower shop, people stop in amazement. Perhaps you have seen such a "miracle of nature." But is it nature? We will try to answer this question in this article.
Miracle or deception?
Cactus hue is determined by three factors: the color of the eridermis, pubescence, and thorns. The base of most plants is green and the thorns are dark gray. Experienced collectors claim that cacti with colored needles - red, orange, which today are presented in a huge assortment in specialized stores - initially had natural tones. They observed a green stalk and characteristic dark gray needles. All these painting experiments are related to sellers trying to attract buyers and sell as much of their “unusual” product as possible.
In order for a cactus with colored needles to appear on the counter, it is enough to plant it in a container filled with a mixture of soil for succulents with food coloring in a 1: 3 ratio. At each watering, the plant absorbs part of the pigment, and after three months its spines acquire a color that is not characteristic of these representatives of the exotic.
Colored cacti
Nevertheless, in the natural environment there are plants, which nature has awarded an unusual color. So that such handsome men do not lose their charm, they need to provide competent care. Plants need to get enough light. With its shortage, very soon the unusual coloring of a cactus from a rare one will turn into the most ordinary.
Astrophytum (Astrophytum)
Succulent won the hearts of flower gardeners with its completely non-standard appearance. Under natural conditions, there are two varieties of this plant with interesting names - "star" and "speckled". At home, to grow such a cactus is not easy, since the plant does not tolerate sunlight, it needs a semi-shaded place.
Gimnokalitsium Mikhanovich
The cactus is red in color, which was bred in Japan in 1941. After a long and painstaking work, scientists managed to get plants with pink, white, cream, raspberry, yellow, red-brown and even purple stem colors.
Echinocactus Gruzon
The name of a cactus with colored needles, and natural ones, is known to many lovers of succulents in our country and around the world. Echinocactus Gruzona is a native of faraway Mexico. In vivo there are specimens with a height of more than 100 cm.
The species got its name in honor of the engineer German Gruzon (1891), who collected the largest collection of cacti. Subsequently, it was donated to the city of Magdeburg. This species, combining six common spherical succulents, got its name Echinocactus because of their shape and the presence of sharp long spines. There are thorns of bright yellow, amber or pale golden color, which contrast effectively with the dark green trunk.
Special plant
The name of the plant can be translated from Greek as "sea urchin". The plant really resembles a curled-up animal. As they grow older, by 13-15 years, this ball is slightly elongated vertically. That is why it received the second name - the "golden barrel".
The entire surface of the cactus with colored needles (photo you can see above) is covered with sharp, straight or slightly curved thorns. Those that grow closer to the center reach 5 cm in length, located on the periphery - 3 cm. The needles at the top intersect.
The correct rounded shape of the plant gives numerous ribs (45 pieces). At home, a cactus with colored needles blooms quite rarely. Even under natural conditions, only mature specimens that have reached the age of twenty form buds. Flowering occurs in the spring. Alternately, single buds bloom on the top of the plant. The flowers resemble light brown or pale yellow bells, with a diameter of about 6 cm. Then oblong fruits appear, which are slightly pubescent.
Cactus with colored needles: home care
Succulent owners need to remember that at temperatures exceeding +30 ° C, the growth of a variety like Gruzon slows down, and in some cases even stops. In the period from mid-October to early February, the plant should be kept in a cooler room. The optimum temperature for him at this time is +12 ° C.
Watering
From April to September, colored cacti are watered sparingly and after the soil dries by a third. From a lack of moisture, the plant may wrinkle, and from its excess, the stem can rot. To water the cactus, you need to use only warm water. At the end of summer, the moisture supply should be reduced, and from the middle of autumn practically stopped. Rare watering is aimed only at preventing wrinkling of the plant.
Lighting
For multi-colored species of cacti to develop normally, they need sunlight, and direct. In summer, the plant feels very comfortable in the fresh air. With a lack of lighting, the succulent drops spines. If it constantly stands with one side towards the light, then the part in the shadows shrinks, which affects the appearance of the plant. To prevent this, the pot should be rotated periodically.
The soil
A cactus with colored needles is a ready-made soil mixture for succulents. It can be purchased at every specialty store. Fans of these plants recommend adding brick crumb or fine gravel to it.
Top dressing
Caring for a cactus with colored needles requires regular fertilizer application. For feeding succulents, special nutritional compounds are used. Other fertilizers can harm the plant. For example, any organic complexes are contraindicated for cacti. The plant is fed once a month and only in spring and summer.
Transfer
Growing up, the succulent will need a more spacious tank. The size of the pot is determined simply - add one or two centimeters to the diameter of the cactus. Plant transplantation can be associated with some difficulties associated with the presence of numerous needles. To carefully remove it from the ground and not hurt your hands, use a special wire grip or tight gloves.
When replanting, the roots of this plant are extremely fragile. The extracted cactus must be inspected and, if necessary, dried or decayed roots removed. Water it after a transplant no earlier than three days later.