Cactus is perhaps the most famous plant. It can be found at home, in offices, in schools. The green thorn is not only successful among gardeners, it has become a popular hero of the famous computer game "Cactus McCoy."
There are legends about this plant. According to one of them, a cactus and a rose made gifts to each other. The cactus presented the rose with a thorn so that she was not so defenseless, and she gave him a charming flower. And now the rose always wears spikes, and a beautiful flower blooms among the thorns among the spines. So what is a cactus? How did he win the love of experienced and novice gardeners?
Cactus care
It is not difficult to care for a prickly flower , but you should not forget about its existence for a long time. It must be remembered that a cactus will not forgive such an attitude to itself and completely refuse to bloom or become ill.
These flowers love the sun, but from direct sunlight they can get burns, so sunlight must be scattered. It is often necessary to ventilate the room in which cacti grow, and if possible, then in the summer and on warm spring and autumn days it is better to take them outside.
They are transplanted in the spring, like most plants. There must be drainage at the bottom of the pot, and small pebbles can be poured onto the topsoil.
For irrigation use soft water. Watered as necessary with warm water when the soil dries. From overflow of water, the roots of the plant can begin to rot. In winter, watering is stopped and the pot is transferred to a cool place.
Bloom
During flowering, you can not rearrange the pot and rotate it. He does not like to be disturbed, and can throw open flowers and buds. He does not like drafts. From direct sunlight during flowering, it is necessary to protect it with paper.
Cacti bloom very briefly: from several hours to several days. With each subsequent flowering, the number of buds increases, and they become larger than last time. During this period, it is possible to determine with precision what species the plant belongs to.
Variety of cactus species
More than 3,000 names of indoor cacti are known. They differ in shape, size, colors, but they are united by common signs: the presence of areoles - thorns or hairs grow from them, as well as the ability to store and accumulate moisture in the stem cells.
The leaves of most cacti were transformed into thorns, but in the subfamily of peresvyh they were completely preserved. This species is a shrub in which flat leaves grow on a round stem.
After flowering, many cacti form edible fruits. Other parts of cacti are also consumed. Therefore, some species are grown specifically for these purposes.
Beginning flower growers most often grow unpretentious desert cacti, reviews of which can be found on numerous forums and sites on floriculture. There you can learn in more detail about all the secrets and subtleties of caring for each species.
Mammillaria
Mammillaria is an abundantly flowering small cactus with fancy thorns, varieties of which are often found in collections of flower growers. Unpretentious and easily blooms at a young age. Flowers appear at the top in the form of a wreath. After flowering, beautiful fruits remain that decorate the flower with bright berries for a long time. The stem of Mammillaria is covered with papillae located in a spiral, and at the top of the areola a bunch of thorns and hairs comes out. Propagated by seeds and shoots.
Echinopsis
Echinopsis is a cactus that changes shape depending on the amount of sunlight: when the sun is not enough, it stretches out, and when too much - it becomes like a ball. Only young plants bloom . The flowers may be pink, yellow, red or white. Unfortunately, the flower lasts only one night, so you should not miss this bewitching sight. Echinopsis reproduce by children, as well as by seeds. Children need to be taken from the plant that has bloomed at least once.
Rebucius
Rebucia is a small beautifully flowering cactus. Numerous bright flowers are located at the base of the stem and, at times, cover it with themselves. It blooms in the second year of life. Flowering lasts about three days. This type of cactus in a pot very quickly does not have free space due to the many children who fill up all the free space. Therefore, for landing, you need to choose a shallow but wide tank.
Prickly pear
Prickly pear - a large cactus with a flat stem, the branches of which grow in different directions and give it a bizarre shape. It is protected by very sharp dangerous spikes of two types: thick, which are clearly distinguishable, and thin, almost imperceptible - they stick into the skin and deliver a very unpleasant sensation. Prickly pear practically does not bloom at home. But if you plant it in a large pot and take it outside in the summer, it will delight you with its flowering.
Her flowers can be admired in greenhouses. After flowering, fruits remain in the form of pears, which contain many useful substances. Prickly pears are used as food, used in medicine and added to animal feed.
The store usually sells whole sets of different cacti, from which you can create beautiful compositions. But in order to provide them all with the necessary care, you need to know their names and properly care for each of them individually, and for a beginner it will be difficult. Therefore, it is better to gradually acquire those plants about which you can easily find information. Knowing what a cactus is and how to properly care for it, you can constantly replenish your flower collection with new interesting specimens of such cute thorns.