General characteristic features of the plant, recommendations for indoor care, steps for reproduction, the fight against possible diseases and pests that arise during the care process, notes, types. Stenocactus (Stenocactus) can be found in some botanical sources under the name Echinofossulocactus, as this representative of the flora was called earlier. But in any case, this plant is attributed by scientists to the Cactaceae family. This genus has up to ten varieties. The native lands in which this plant is distributed fall on the territory of the central regions of Mexico, which include San Luis Potosi, Coahuila, Hidalgo, as well as Durango, Gaunahuato, Queretaro and Zacatecas. Most often, Stenocactus can be found in mountain valleys and in the same gullies where they grow, preferring heavy soil. Most of all, the state of Hidalgo is famous for such plants.
The current name of this cactus comes from the Greek word "stenos", that is, "close" or "narrow", and of course "cactus", denoting the relationship to the family. The first component thus described the thickness of the ribs covering the stem. The synonymous term Echinofossulocactus, given to him by American botanists studying cacti - Nathaniel Lord Britton and Joseph Rose, is also more suitable for the characteristics of the plant. The name combines the words "echinatus" and "fossula" in Latin, which means "prickly" and "ditch", respectively. If you look at this plant, but with the naked eye, you can see sinuous grooves covering the surface of the stem. They are separated by ribs of thin outlines, which, depending on the variety, are located more or less often. Due to this feature, among florists, there is another name for the cactus - "lamellar".
All varieties of stenocactus, as well as its many hybrids, have spherical outlines of the stem of green color. Its diameter can vary in the range of 8–10 cm, while there is no lateral process. The only exceptions are the Echinophosulocactus species - Soddy (Stenocactus caespitosus), Intermittent ribbed (Coptonogonus), Multi-ribbed (Stenocactus multicostatus), which have lateral shoots at a very mature age. In almost all species, the ribs are high, flat with winding shapes, and are densely arranged. When a cactus is an adult, their number can reach hundreds. Ribbing is best manifested by the age of 3-4 years.
There are large areoles on the ribs, which are not densely located. They are covered with whitish or yellowish tomentose pubescence. Radial and central spines originate from the areoles. The number of the first can reach a maximum of 25 pieces, but on average this value fluctuates in the range of 4-12 units. Their color varies from white to yellowish or light brown. The shape of the radial spines is thin and straight, the length may be in the range of 0.5–1 cm. There may be no central spines or their number reaches 4 units. They have a dark gray or brown tint. Such thorns are tougher to the touch, there is roundness or flattening in the cross section. On the surface of the central spines there are grooves located transversely, most often with an upward bend.
When grown at home, wall cactuses bloom with the arrival of spring days. The flowers have a funnel-shaped corolla. The length and diameter are almost the same, while their values can range from one and a half to 2.5 cm. Flowers are located on the tops of the shoots only when the plant is 5–6 years old. The corolla of the echinophosulocactus flower is whitish with a pinkish or purple tint, and there is a dark stripe along the petals. The flower tube does not differ in length, its surface is covered with scales, and it is devoid of hairs or spines.
When grown at home, the wall cactus is considered a rather light plant, since it is not capricious in its care, and if you do not violate the rules below, it will delight the owner with lush flowering. However, he, like many members of the cactus family, has a low growth rate.
Recommendations for caring for stenocactus at home
- Lighting and selection of a place for a pot. Plants such as Stenocactus tolerate the bright lights found in a southern location (requires shading at noon), and an east or west window sill will also work. But at the same time, it is important to remember that stenocactus can get sunburn quite easily if it is in direct sunlight for a long time. When there is no way out and the location of the cactus is north, the backlight turns on around the clock.
- Content temperature. It is recommended when growing at home throughout the year to maintain room heat indicators (approximately 20-24 degrees).
- Air humidity with indoor growing of wall cactus is not an important factor. The plant copes well with dry indoor air. Spraying is also contraindicated for him. If the heat is too strong, then frequent airing of the room can be carried out.
- Watering. Since the plant is still a "resident" of arid places, the main thing is not to overdo it when moistening the soil. When the season is warm, the wall cactus is watered moderately. With the onset of autumn, the moisture is gradually reduced and in the winter, when the resting phase of the cactus begins, it is not watered at all. Also, watering in the spring-summer period is reduced if the weather is very cold and rainy. It is recommended to use only soft and warm water, so that its temperature is several degrees higher than the air. Distilled or bottled liquid can be used.
- Fertilizers. From the beginning of spring days to mid-autumn, it is necessary to feed the plant using preparations intended for succulents and cacti. Dosages are adhered to those indicated by the manufacturer.
- Transplant and advice on soil selection. Since stenocactus is famous for its low growth rate, it is not recommended to disturb it too often by changing the pot. A young plant can be transplanted every year, but when it becomes an adult, it will need a new capacity when the root system or stem has outgrown the volume offered to it. The transplanting time should go after the cactus has finished flowering. To transplant Stenocactus, small pots are selected, with a diameter of only 7–9 cm. They are filled by a third with fine expanded clay - this will ensure reliable drainage.
When planting, they use ready-made soil mixtures for succulents and cacti, which are presented in abundance in flower shops. If you decide to prepare the substrate yourself, then its acidity should be pH 5-6. Usually, clay soil, peat chips, coarse-grain sand are introduced into its composition, while the ratios of the components are taken to be equal. It is also recommended to add fine expanded clay or crushed charcoal to the soil.
Reproduction of wall cactus when grown at home
This representative of the "prickly" family has the ability to propagate with the help of seed material or the resulting lateral processes.
Seeds are recommended to be sown in a pot filled with light soil or river sand. Before planting, the soil is slightly moistened, but it should not be wet. The seed container is then placed on the sill of the east or west window to provide bright but diffused light. It is recommended to put a piece of glass on top of the pot or wrap the flowerpot with a transparent film - this will create high humidity conditions necessary for successful growth. The germination temperature is maintained in the range of 20-24 degrees. Crop care consists in airing and spraying the soil, if it is dry. When the first shoots appear, the shelter must be removed and young wall cactuses must be accustomed to indoor growing conditions. After the young seedlings grow up, you can transplant into separate pots with selected soil.
Also, at home, you can propagate this type of cactus with the help of offspring. They are carefully separated from the mother stem and planted in a container with coarse sand. Here we will apply the method of organizing a mini-greenhouse, as in growing plants from seeds. After the daughter shoots take root, the transplant is performed.
Fight against possible diseases and pests of stenocactus
The problem when growing a plant at home is a spider mite, mealy and root bugs, scale insects, nematodes, thrips and then, as a result, a sooty mushroom. It is recommended to treat Stenocactus with insecticidal and acaricidal preparations. With frequent floods of the soil, the cactus will suffer from fungal diseases, and viral "sores" also affect it. In this case, specialists perform spraying with fungicidal agents, transplanting into a new sterile pot and disinfected soil.
The problem when growing wall cactus is excessive dryness, too bright sunlight (it is recommended to create shading), waterlogging of the substrate, especially in combination with low growing temperatures.
Notes for a florist about stenokactus, photo
Stenocactus was bred into an independent genus in 1898 by Karl Moritz Schumann (1851-1904), a German botanist. He did not try to describe the newly discovered group of plants, but simply gave the name to the already existing genus Echinofossulocactus, which was first described by J. Lawrence in the mid-90s of the last century.
Types of wall cactus
- Curly stenocactus (Stenocactus crispatus) can be found under the name Stenocarpus crispatus or Stenocarpus rising (Stenocactus arrigens). The maximum height of the stem can be 20 cm, but on average, both in height and in diameter, the stem is measured by 10 cm. Usually the stem grows single and it can have about 60 ribs. The ribs are narrow and folded. The spines growing from the areoles are very diverse, their color, length and quantity can vary. So the length of the central ones is 5 cm, and the shape varies from thin (like needles) to widely flattened. The color can also vary from almost white to black and red. During flowering, the top is crowned with bell-shaped flowers. Corolla length and diameter is 2–3 cm. The flowering process takes a rather long period - the buds open from February to June. Flower petals take on beige, pinkish and even purple hues. This variety has combined a large number of different forms, many of which were previously taken out as independent species.
- Stenocactus multicostatus (Stenocactus multicostatus) also bears the synonymous name Stenocactus zacatecasensis. The stem usually grows alone, with a height of about 6 cm, the diameter is equal to 10 cm. On the surface of the stem, the number of ribs reaches 120 units, their outlines are very narrowed. There are two pairs of radial spines. There are only three central ones, they are also thin, but very flexible, with a length not exceeding 3 cm. During flowering, flowers form, the corolla of which reaches 2.5 cm. The color of the petals is snow-white, but there is a purple stripe in the center.
- Stenocactus bustamantei often referred to as Stenocactus ochoterenanus. The stem, like in other species, grows solitary, not exceeding 8 cm in height, while its diameter is measured by 10 cm. Ribs, up to 30 units are formed on the surface of the stem. There may be more than 20 radial spines in the areoles. The centerpieces only grow two pairs. Their color is yellow, the lower of these spines can reach 6 cm in length and about 2 cm in width. In the process of flowering, buds bloom, the petals of which have a pinkish or white tint with a strip of purple tint in the central part.
- Sulphurous yellow stenocactus (Stenocactus sulphureus). The outlines of the stems of this variety are spherical. There are up to 40 ribs on the surface, they have a wavy shape. The number of radial spines is 8 pieces, and the length does not exceed 2 cm. It is thanks to the shade of the petals in the flowers that the cactus received the specific name - they are sulfur-yellow in color, the corolla length is no more than 2.5 cm.
- Stenocactus pentacanthus can sometimes be found under the name Stenocactus obvallatus. The shoot of this plant, as a rule, is the only one with the shape of a ball. The number of ribs on a stem can vary from 30 to 50 pieces. Their contours are narrow, but the areoles have an extension. There can be 6 such areoles on each of the ribs. The central spines are 5 cm long and about 6 mm wide. There are two pairs of them. Flowering is long and at the same time bell-shaped flowers open, with snow-white petals, which are decorated with a strip of red color.
- Stenocactus intercostal (Stenocactus coptonogonus). The outlines of the stems in this species are flat-spherical. Their height does not exceed 10 cm, while the diameter is 11 cm. The ribs formed on the stem are straight and wide, their number on the stem reaches 15. There are 7 thorns. They are powerful, with flattened contours, measuring 3.5 cm in length. Flowering takes up to five months, while buds with snow-white petals bloom, the central part of which is decorated with a purple stripe. The maximum opening diameter is 4 cm.
- Whitish stenocactus (Stenocactus albatus) can be referred to in the literature as Stenocactus vaupelianus. The color of the stems of this variety is greenish-blue. Over time, the outline of the stem begins to lengthen. Whitish pubescence is present at the apex. Up to 35 ribs are formed on the stem. Their shape is pointed, but at the same time wavy. Radial spines to the touch are rather soft and translucent in appearance, their number varies from 10 to 12 pieces. The color of such spines is whitish-cream, and the length does not exceed 1.5 cm. Two pairs of central spines can form, they are thicker and longer. The color is dark yellow or yellowish brown. The length of the top is 5 cm, it is straight, while all the others are flat, with a bend. The buds that form at the tops of the stems have a pale yellow petal color. The length of the flower corolla reaches 2 cm.
- Stenocactus phyllacanthus. The only stem of this variety takes on a spherical or cylindrical shape. The number of ribs on the surface is calculated in 60 units, wavy outlines, 1-2 areoles are formed on each rib. There are seven radial spines that do not differ in length. Central spines can form 1–3, but their length is 8 cm. Flowering is quite long, the top of the stem is decorated with buds with yellowish-white petals, the throat of the funnel-shaped corolla has a red color. The length of the flower does not exceed 2 cm.
The flowering process of wall cactus:
