All the fun of large cacti and their care

The peculiarity of long and high cacti is their endurance and special decorativeness.

Often they are used as a scion for unsuitable and capricious succulents. The result is spectacular and rare compositions in the home collection of cacti.

In the article, we will clearly consider cacti in the photo, and also study their description and find out how to properly care for them so that they delight you with their beauty for a long time.

Photo and description of species

Below you can see photos of home tall, thin cacti and their names with a detailed description.

Giant Cereus (Cereus giganteus)The largest desert cactus of the genus Cereus, the cactus family. The natural habitat is southeast California, Arizona, the Mexican desert of Sonoran. Due to the huge size of the cactus - the giant got into the Guinness Book of Records, is a symbol of Arizona. Succulents - long-liver grows in height to 10 - 20 m.The main stem begins to branch by the age of 70, acquiring the shape of a candelabrum. A distinctive feature is the slow growth of the stem. For 10 years after seed germination, the cactus grows by only 2 cm. And only after 30 years does its active growth phase begin. The thickness of the adult stem grows to 60 - 70 cm. The trunk is ribbed, has up to 20-24 blunt ribs. The surface of the trunk is covered with brown nipple circles.Spines are large, dense, up to 5 - 7 cm in length. Leaves - small scales, inconspicuous, present only in young specimens.A cactus blooms in early summer, flowering is long - 3 to 4 weeks. Single flowers, can be:white;bright red;yellow coloring.The flower is tubular, straight in shape.Fruits - Edible Berrieslocated on top of the trunk. Seeds are dark red with a black tint.Features of leaving - the succulent does not need additional watering, for 90% consists of water. It tolerates dry air and sudden changes in temperature.Important: in natural conditions can withstand temperatures below 0 ° C.In autumn and winter, a cool content is required, up to 10 ° C.The soil should be light, drained, with the addition of sand and gravel.Cleistocactus (Cleistocactus)Colon-shaped succulents of the cactus family. It grows in nature in Latin America. It was first discovered in the late 19th century. near the Andes. There are more than 50 varieties of glue cactus.The stems are elastic, dense, branching at the base. They can be lodging, upright, branched.The root system is powerful, well branched.In indoor conditions, the stems grow large, up to 30-40 cm long. In greenhouses, they can grow up to 4 m. Stems are cylindrical in shape, ribs are longitudinal, slightly pronounced, up to 20 pcs. The surface of the ribs is covered with spikes arranged in a chaotic order. Spines are small, bristly, can be:whiteyellowish;gray;and red shades.Near the areola, spines are thin, straight, up to 1 - 1, 5 cm in length. The spines of the central stem are larger, up to 4 - 5 cm in length.A distinctive feature of the plant is a relatively long and thin stem, with a diameter of 3 - 9 cm.Adult clectocacti form many buds. Flowers appear at the same time. Long flowering, begins in late spring. Flower buds - bright growths appear on the lateral surface of the stem. Then they turn into sedentary tubular flowers of bright colors. The flowers are not fully revealed. Petals are narrow, oblong.The fruits are large, glossy, covered with bristles. Seeds are small, black.The peculiarity of care is a sufficient amount of bright light, a long daylight is required all year round.Important: from a lack of light, decorative stems are deformed, bent. Pots should be rotated periodically so that light hits evenly.In the heat, to prevent spider mites, the plant should be sprayed, you can bathe in a warm shower, but not more than 1 time per week.The plant is not afraid of drafts and nighttime temperature drops, in spring it can be exposed to the open air.EspostoaA densely pubescent succulent cactus family. The genus was first described at the beginning of the 20th century.Natural Habitat - Ecuador, Peru, South Africa. Grows on the gentle slopes of the mountains, rocky areas.The genus is not numerous, includes up to 15 species.At home, it is cultivated, mainly, that of wool.The stems have the ability to cluster or branch, depending on the variety. The stems are massive, in nature they have the shape of a candelabrum.A distinctive feature is the dense pubescence, for which the species received the funny nickname "old Peruvian" or "fluffy".In the natural environment, esposte grows to 5-6 m in height. The diameter of the stem is 10 - 15 cm. The ribs are stupid, low, up to 25 - 30 pcs.Thin, straight thorns grow from areoles up to 1 cm long. The number of thorns is 35 - 40 pcs. Spines can be:bluish;white with a yellowish tinge.The central spines are dark, rigid in structure, grow to 2 - 3 cm. Areolae are covered with dense short hairs.Important: the plant blooms mainly in the wild.The flowers are bell-shaped, medium in size, white, may be pale pink.Edible fruits, with juicy pulp. Seeds are black, pubescent.Features of care - Espoosta requires bright lighting all year round, dense pubescence protects the trunk from burns. Watering, even in the summer heat, is necessary in small doses, carefully so as not to wet the fluffy stem.It is not recommended to spray the plant, clean the hairs from dust with a soft dry brush.CephalocereusRepresentative of the cactus family. In nature, there are up to 100 species. It grows in the warm and humid climate of Mexico and Brazil.In the literal translation, the name succulent means "head" and "wax candle."The structural features of the stem are pronounced cephaly, resembling a head covered with long hair, up to 30 cm in length. For this feature, cephalocereus was nicknamed the "old age candlestick," "Mexican old," and "old man's head."The shape of the stem is cylindrical, columnar. In nature, grows up to 10 - 15 m in height. At home, hybrids are significantly smaller, up to 40 - 50 cm. The stem is grayish-green, completely covered with long spines - yellowish hairs.Ribs are low, straight, the number is up to 30 pcs. Areoles densely planted.The flowers are funnel-shaped, up to 10 cm long, cream-colored. Flowering occurs only in natural conditions. Buds are formed at the top of the stem.Important: This centenarian develops well both in greenhouses and at home.Features of care - adult plants gradually lose hairs in the lower part of the stem. Timely pruning and transplanting is importantso that the plant does not lose its decorative effect.It does not tolerate shady places. The plant needs bright lighting all year round. From a lack of light loses its attractiveness, withers. The plant does not tolerate dry air. In the summer heat, it is recommended to spray the stem with warm water from a fine spray.Myrtillocactus geometric (Myrtillocactus geometrizans)The genus of myrtillocactus belongs to the cactus family, has only 4 varieties.The most popular indoor species. - geometric myrtle cactus. In nature, the species is common in Mexico, Guatemala. Habitat - mountainous areas, alluvial fertile soils. At home, the plant is called "our father."The stem is columnar, tree-like, green with a blue wax coating. In nature, grows up to 4 m. The stems of an adult plant branch. At home, the stem grows to 30 cm in length and 10 cm in diameter.Ribs are clearly defined, quantity - 8 pcs. Areoles are large, located on the ribs, spines grow from them.The surface of the stem is ribbed, covered with small spines with age. Spines grow in groups of 6.Blooms in the summer. The flowers are small, funnel-shaped, up to 2 - 3 cm in diameter, white, with a greenish or yellow tinge. Petals are narrow, blunt. Fruits - blue berries.A distinctive feature - young plants do not have thorns.The peculiarity of the care is that direct sunlight is contraindicated for the smooth surface of the stem. Better kept on the east and west side.Special pruning is not required for the plant, the flower is rarely transplanted, only as the root system grows, if the pot has become small.To prevent root decay the surface of the soil should be mulched with fine gravel.

Care Features

Despite the peculiarities of leaving each type of succulents, you need to know what to do with long cacti according to the general rules and how to grow them large:

1. Moderate watering. Summer and spring watering is required. Cacti are watered only with clean water. Between watering, the soil must necessarily dry. Stagnation of water provokes the appearance of rot and other viral infections.
2. Neat dressing. Succulents in nature grow on stony, infertile, sandy soils. Special mineral complex fertilizers are applied only in the spring and summer, the dosage must be strictly observed, in winter the plants are not fed.
3. Winter is important for all representatives. In autumn, plants are transferred to a cool room. Watering is gradually reduced; in winter, in general, cacti are better not to water.

   Important: cephalocereus needs a colder wintering, air temperature up to 5 - 6 ° С, other representatives winter normally at 10 - 12 ° С.

4. Air. In the spring, for better development and hardening, plants should be taken out to fresh air.
5. Good light is a prerequisite for all cacti. In winter, use additional lamps, 3-4 hours a day. From a lack of light, plants become sick, lose their appearance.

Large columnar cacti are completely capricious and do not cause much trouble - they easily reproduce even at home, quickly take root, and with proper care they live for decades.

Watch the video: Growing Cactus Indoors (December 2024).