Distinctive features of the plant and the etymology of the name, growing hamatocactus at home, recommendations for reproduction, diseases and pests, notes for flower growers, species. Hamatocactus (Hamatocactus) in the literature can be found under the name Gamatocactus. Scientists have assigned this representative of the flora to the Cactaceae family. In nature, this plant is distributed in the lands of the United States and Mexico. There, cacti prefer to "settle" in dense thickets of bushes. There is controversy regarding the number of varieties that are included in a given genus, some researchers cite the number three, while others are inclined that the number of Hamatocactus in the genus reaches five units.
The scientific name of this plant was due to the fusion of two words in Latin "hamatus", which translates as "hooked", "bent" or "possessing a hook" and "cactus" understandably denoting the relation of a sample of the green world to a certain family.
The stems of the hamatocactus have spherical outlines and a dark green color, but over time their elongation is observed and the contours become cylindrical. In height, the length can vary in the range of 10–25 cm. If we take into account such height parameters, then the plant can be called dwarf, since in natural conditions there were no specimens higher than sixty centimeters. On the surface of the stem, there are ribs with a narrow and tuberous shape, cutting through the shoot.
Ribs often number up to thirteen units. The tops of the tubercles on the ribs are crowned with areoles. They grow light-colored thorns with needle-shaped outlines, which are located radially. There are 8–15 such thorns, while their length varies from 5 mm to 4 cm. Also in the areas central thorns originate, their number can fall into the range from one to four. Such spines are painted in a reddish or brown color scheme. There is a strongly curved hook at the apex of the central spines. In length, they vary in the range of 5–10 cm. It is with such a curved hooked apex that all varieties of the genus are characterized. All spines in cross-section can be either flat or faceted.
It is curious that while the hamatocactus is still young, the thorns beautifully set off the green surface of the epidermis of the stem with a yellow-red color, but over time, as it grows old, the plant becomes the owner of grayish thorns. This is worth paying attention to when choosing a cactus at a flower shop. All Hamatocactus are distinguished by the fact that in the upper part of the areoles there is a piece of iron, which, during the vegetative activity of the cactus, begins to secrete sweetish nectar.
During flowering, large buds are formed, which open to reveal a funnel-shaped corolla. Its length is 5–8 cm. The petals of the flower are yellowish at the base with a red color. It usually blooms during the summer months.
After the flowers are pollinated, fruits are formed that have a green or bright red hue. They can vary in shape from elongated to spherical. The length of the fruit is also ambiguous, it can fluctuate in the range of 1-3 cm. Inside the fruit there are black seeds, rounded outlines. Their germination is good, they are stored for a long time, which allows seed reproduction.
Cactus lovers can be pleased that this representative of the "prickly" family is very unpretentious in care and if you do not violate the rules of cultivation, then it will invariably delight the owner with its lush flowering.
How to grow hamatocactus at home?
- Lighting and selection of a place for a pot. It is recommended to place the pot with the plant on the window sill, where it will be possible to provide bright, but diffused light. Such a level of illumination for a hamatocactus can be obtained on the windowsill of an east or west window, but a cactus pot is also placed on the south (if there is no choice). Only when summer comes, it is recommended to build a shade using light curtains or gauze curtains. A pot with a plant in the southern room is placed at a distance of 2-3 meters from the window, where there will be enough light, but there will be no harm. When the plant is young, its stem can be easily burned under direct streams of ultraviolet radiation. The color of the stem surface takes on a reddish tint. If Hamatocactus is transferred to the shade, then over time the epidermis will recover and return to its green color. If your cactus is located on the window of the northern location, then it is possible to maintain it with constant illumination, and the duration of daylight hours should be at least 12 in the daytime and also at night. Lamps of about 150 W are used for an area of 25x25 cm. In this case, the temperature at the top of the cactus should be 30 degrees. Then the plant is fed and the soil is not allowed to dry out. But, according to many experts who cultivate cacti, only seeds and seedlings are germinated under artificial lighting, and when the plant reaches one year of age, it is strongly recommended to move it to a well-lit place.
- Content temperature. Despite the fact that this plant is a "resident" of dry and hot places, high temperatures will be harmful for it. This is due to the fact that in nature there is always a movement of air masses and then the bright sun and heat are not terrible for Hamatocactus. But when grown at home, it is recommended to maintain the temperature in the range of 20-22 degrees in the spring-summer period, and with the arrival of autumn it is gradually reduced to a range of 12-14 units. All this is needed for lush flowering.
- Air humidity. The plant does not even need moderate moisture and tolerates dry growing conditions. Only if there is a strong heat on summer days, then it is possible to conduct airing or irrigate the air next to the hamatocactus from a spray bottle.
- Watering. Moisten the soil moderately, focusing on how the substrate dries up in the pot. With the arrival of winter, watering is reduced and brought to once every 14 days. If the soil does not dry out for a long time, then they are further reduced. When the weather is rainy and cool in the spring and summer, the soil in the pot should also not be often moistened. Water is used only well-separated and warm. Moreover, its temperature should be higher than the thermometer in the room by 2 units. Florists recommend using distilled water or bottled water, then there will be confidence in its purity.
- Fertilizers for hamatocactus. When caring for such plants at home, it should be remembered that in nature they grow on rather poor soils, so you should not overfeed with Hamatocactus preparations. Special fertilizers are used for succulents and cacti, available in flower shops. The regularity of feeding is once a month.
- Transplant and advice on soil selection. Hamatokactus, like similar representatives of the "prickly" family, differs in that the change of the pot and soil in it is rarely carried out due to the low growth rate. This operation is needed when the container becomes cramped for the plant, but about once every 5 years. Florists recommend simply replacing about a third of the top layer of the soil with a new one, so that it will be enriched with minerals.
The substrate can be taken purchased, intended for succulents and cacti, but add a little river sand to it for looseness. Hamatocactus will also respond well to small amounts of hydrated lime in the soil.
Recommendations for breeding hamatocactus
To get a new plant with an unusually beautiful flowering, you can plant seed or root the lateral shoots (babies).
Hamatocactus does not present any problems either with care or breeding. Seeds collected after ripening of the fruits are sown in a moistened (but not wet) substrate, poured into pots, such soil can be river sand, peat-sand mixture or purchased soil for cacti. Then the container with crops is placed in conditions of high humidity. To do this, a piece of glass is placed on top of the pot or wrapped in a plastic bag. The pot itself is placed in a warm place with diffused lighting.
Seedlings appear amicably and quickly if the rules of care are not violated. For this, daily airing of crops is carried out, and if the soil is dry, then it is sprayed from a spray bottle. When the seedlings appear, the shelter is removed and young hamatocactus are accustomed to home conditions. After the plants grow a little more, then transplantation is performed in separate pots with a selected substrate.
There is also a vegetative way of reproduction. When the maternal specimen is already quite adult, the stem processes begin to fall from it. They are carefully collected and placed in a container filled with wet river sand. It is necessary to put the "kids" in such a way that the base always touches the ground. After rooting, transplantation is carried out into a more suitable substrate.
Diseases and pests of hamatocactus in home cultivation
Although the plant naturally grows in arid and hot climates, but with home care, if the humidity levels are low, then the cactus becomes a target for spider mites (it is especially terrible for the species Hamatocactus setispinus) or mealybugs. The first pest manifests itself in the form of a whitish cobweb that braids the stem of the hamatocactus, and the second is clearly visible due to the formation of whitish cotton-like lumps covering the stem. It is recommended to use insecticidal and acaricidal preparations, such as, for example, Actellik, Aktara or Fitoverm.
With constant flooding of the soil in the pot, the hamatocactus begins to be affected by root rot. If the symptoms are noticed on time, then you can still save the plant by transplanting it into sterile soil and using a disinfected pot. Before planting, all affected roots are cut off, and the entire cactus with the root system is treated with a fungicide. After watering, do not carry out until signs of normal growth appear. Then you should adjust the watering.
With the arrival of spring, when the sun begins to shine brighter, and the plant lacks moisture, the stem can burn in direct rays. If the surface of the cactus has acquired a reddish color, then this is a sign of sunburn. Then you should remove the hamatocactus in partial shade or hang curtains on the window.
Notes about hamatocactus for flower growers, photo
Since the plant has the property of accumulating moisture in its parts and has many thorns on the stem, the hamatocactus is an excellent gift for people born under the sign of Scorpio. This is because this constellation is controlled not only by the water element, but also by the thorny Mars. It is curious that such plants (and some others that are suitable for Scorpio people) can be useful to others. Those who believe that nature has endowed them with a telepathic gift see prophetic dreams and wish to develop further in these directions.
Also, thorny representatives of flora can help understand the hidden processes of space, as well as be aware of the invisible factors that affect human existence.
Types of hamatocactus
Hamatocactus setispinus (Hamatocactus setispinus) has a bright green stem, which is distinguished by spherical outlines. Shoot height varies in the range of 10-15 cm, with a diameter of about 8-10 cm. The ribs located on the stem are rather high, created by tubercles, narrow and sinuous. Areas are the basis for the formation of spines, divided into radial and central ones. The first two pairs can grow, they are needle-shaped, in length they usually vary from five to twenty millimeters, their color is whitish-brown. There is one central spines, sometimes three. At the top they have a hook, the color is dark brown. The length of such spines can be up to four centimeters.
When blooming, buds open, differing in light yellow petals, and the throat of the corolla is painted in a red color. The surface of the petals is silky. The diameter in full disclosure varies within 5–7 cm. The cactus begins to bloom at an early age, while the buds are located at the top of the stem. During the summer period, the buds begin to bloom one after another, starting in spring and throughout all summer days. The aroma of flowers resembles citrus with a bitter note, and it is so strong that you can hear it even from a distance if the plant is in a closed room (when, for example, a flowerpot with a cactus is placed in a closed loggia).
After pollination, fruits ripen with a red surface, they resemble spherical berries, with round and black seeds inside. The length of the fruit reaches one and a half centimeters. Their outlines are very reminiscent of rose hips.
Hamatocactus hamatacanthus (Hamatocactus hamatacanthus). When the plant is still young, its stem has a spherical shape and dark green color, but with age, its contours begin to lengthen and take the form of a short cylinder. The maximum height of the stem can approach 60 cm, although its average indicators are about 20 cm. The ribs are high, their number reaches 12 units, they consist of elongated tubercles.
Areoles are rarely located on the ribs and have yellowish tomentose pubescence; 8–12 radial spines originate in them. The color of the thorns is red at first, but then it changes to a grayish tone. These spines can be flattened or rounded, vary in length within the range of 1–7 cm. The number of central spines is in the range of 1–4 units, among which three located in the upper part are straight, and the remainder stretches forward and has a hook on apex, its length does not exceed 12 cm.
During flowering, which stretches over the summer period, very beautiful buds open, silky petals, cast in a light yellow color, and at the base they are of a deep red hue. The length of the corolla is seven centimeters with a diameter of about 8 cm. The difference between this variety is that it begins to bloom when it reaches adulthood.
Hamatocactus sinuatus is rather an intermediate form between the two species described above. There is an opinion, which is held by some experts in the study of cacti, that this species is a form of the Hamatocactus hooked-needle. But this plant differs from it in the small size of the stem and ribs, which are taller and have greater tortuosity. The tubercles on them protrude very high on the ribs, especially in the places where the areoles are located.
The spines of this cactus are also different. They are light in color, can be either straight or with a slight bend. Often, the central spines have a hook at the apex. When the thorns have just formed and have not aged, they have a pink color, which subsequently brightens.
The flowering process of this cactus resembles the appearance of the Chamatocactus bristle-thorny, since the buds bloom when the cactus is still quite young. The diameter of the flowers varies in the range of 6-7 cm and the length of the corolla has the same characteristics. The petals are silky to the touch, their shade is whitish-yellow, and the center of the corolla is blood-red.
