These cacti are easily recognizable by the splendid crown blooms around the apical part of the stem, which can be small or medium in size. These are cacti suitable for expert growers as well as novice growers. Some species, in fact, require a fair amount of experience (among these, Mammillaria luethyi, Mammillaria pectinifera, Mammillaria solisoides, Mammillaria lasiacantha, Mammillaria senilis, Mammillaria herrerae); other species are suitable for anyone (among these, Mammillaria elongata, Mammillaria bombycina, Mammillaria prolifera, Mammillaria polythele, Mammillaria uncinata, Mammillaria bocasana, Mammillaria perbella, Mammillaria mystax). The stems can appear globose, often clustered, very harmonious and in some cases covered with thick hair or very white thorns. (…)

The origin of Mammillaria: where these cacti grow

As regards distribution, Mammillaria are native to the southwestern area of the United States and Mexico, where they grow in many states such as Tamaulipas, Hidalgo, Chiapas, Colima, Puebla, Oaxaca, Baja California, San Luis Potosí, Durango . Some species can also be found in the Caribbean area, in Central America and in some regions in the north of South America (such as Colombia and Venezuela). The range of origin of this genus is therefore very vast and this is also why the Mammillaria have been able to evolve in different ways, giving rise to a large number of species and subspecies.

The main characteristic of the entire genus, regardless of the shape of the specimen, is the presence of tubercles, small “cones” (similar to breasts, hence the name of the genus, from the latin term “mammilla”) which characterize the stem and which can be more or less marked depending on the species. The areoles and spines form at the apex of the tubercles. Some Mammillaria produce a latex that may resemble that contained in Euphorbia. By virtue of this, the distinction between Mammillaria Galactochylus (which contain latex) and Mammillaria Hydrochylus (which does not contain latex) was once in use.

The forms and species of Mammillaria

The thorns can take on many shapes and in some species they are hidden by thick white hair (Mammillaria hahniana). You can have short and pointed spines, long and twisted spines (Mammillaria camptotricha), hooked spines (Mammillaria uncinata, M. bombycina, M. perezdelarosae), as well as “combed” spines (Mammillaria pectinifera) and robust and long spines (Mammillaria compressa, Mammillaria magnimamma). Many species, in particular those traced back to the so-called lasiacantha group, have pure white thorns that completely cover the stem and which can turn gray with age. Among the white-spined species, Mammillaria perbella, M. candida, M. magallanii, M. lasiacantha, M. lenti, M. klissingiana, M. humboldtii, M. albiflora, M. herrerae, M. plumosa deserve mention.

How Mammillaria are grown

As regards cultivation, in general most of the species are also suitable for novice growers, since they are robust cacti and do not require any particular precautions compared to most cacti. Some species, however, can prove particularly challenging, to the point that their cultivation is recommended for those who have some experience with succulents. The particular sensitivity to water stagnation or the presence of taproot, which requires soils that are poor from an organic point of view and rich in aggregates and well-spaced watering.

Exposure and minimum temperatures

Regarding exposure, all Mammillaria want a lot of light for at least 6 hours a day, but only those whose stem is entirely covered with thorns (usually white ones) can stay in direct sun for many hours, as long as they are gradually accustomed to it starting from the end of March.

Mammillaria tolerate the cold well, as long as the soil is dry from the end of September.

Here you will find a PDF sheet entirely dedicated to the Mammillaria genus.

The English association The Mammillaria Society is dedicated to this type of cactus: anyone interested can take a look at their website at this link.

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Photos of some species of Mammillaria

Correlated articles

• How to grow cacti: the handbook
• The section dedicated to soils
• Most frequent questions and doubts
• All cultivation cards in pdf

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L'articolo Mammillaria, a genus of cactus that is essential in any self-respecting succulent collection proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Full sun? But what do you want to know, the window on the landing is enough! Substrate? I buy it ready at the supermarket, it’s perfect. The pots? The smaller the better: never leave more than half a centimeter between the plant and the edge of the pot… And so on, by dint of amenities, false beliefs, hearsay phrases that rapidly becomes dogma because… because it was said by that guy on Facebook and it’s immediately clear that he’s someone who knows about it because his videos has the right lights and Kubrick seems to have done the editing for him. Joking aside, how much nonsense do we still have to hear today about the cultivation of cacti? How many improvised “influencers” ride the crest of social media driven by the Mistral of likes (yes, likes, which in jargon are called “the metrics of vanity”…) and, supported by legions of followers and big thumbs up, they deliver lessons and conferences winking from the monitors, revealing “5 fantastic tricks you don’t know about cacti” or “how to go from seed to flowering plant in 35 seconds”. Or, with an attitude halfway between the conspiratorial and the revealer of esoteric secrets, they promise to teach you everything, absolutely everything about the cultivation of these splendid plants. Then, perhaps, you dig a little and discover that the influencer on duty has been growing cacti for 2 or 3 years – a gift from grandmother -, keeps them next to the PC or television (“you know, they absorb magnetic rays”), he can’t distinguish a Rebutia from a Begonia and has never bothered to leaf through any book on cacti and succulents. There are also influencers for plants, right? No. There are likeable and well-prepared characters, there are pretty faces who know something, but there is also a lot of “fluff” (forgive the old reporter’s term). So much wrong information, so much confusion and so much unpreparedness.

So, without any desire to offer you “The Word” with this article, here is a handbook, a list of ten things you need to know (or you should already know!) if you really want to cultivate your cacti in the best possible way. Without tricks or deceptions: here we are at the fundamentals, come on. But without these you go nowhere. And I am convinced that even those who, scrolling through the 10 points will say “ah yes, I know” ten times, will find in this handbook a useful tool for reviewing, asking themselves a few more questions and pushing themselves to improve. And rest assured, what follows does not come from the web, but from 30 years of experience in the field, of experiments and failures, from discussions with growers and scholars far more expert than me and from reading a few dozen manuals in Italian, English, French, Spanish (and also German, although in that case, I confess, I limited myself to photographs and captions, not knowing the Teutonic language!) (…)

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Unfortunately it is a less rare phenomenon than one might think. The flower itself, the maximum expression of the plant, its instrument for reproducing and safeguarding the species, can transform itself into its executioner. With cacti, plants that require seasonal rest corresponding to the winter months, the flower can sometimes be fatal. It obviously only happens with those species that flower in mid-winter, therefore a small minority compared to all cacti. But it is often precisely from there, from that flower that blooms in November, December or January, that the rot is triggered and which, if neglected or not seen, can lead the specimen to death. This is what happened to two of my Ferocactus latispinus in recent days. Or rather, in the past few weeks, except that the damage has become apparent recently. And now it was too late to intervene and save the plants.

In this article we look into this phenomenon and see what can be done to prevent it or, at least, be able to intervene before the rot passes from the flower to the plant. (…)

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In cacti, as well as in agaves, this is a common phenomenon, and in some species, it never happens, in others it very easily happens, even with young plants. Attention: we are not talking about true seedlings born under the stem of the mother plant from seeds that have fallen from the latter, but about authentic new bodies that are attached to the main stem and sprout from the latter, and then grow steadily in size. The correct term is “suckers”, and anyone who grows cacti or has looked at this plant family in a nursery or botanical garden will have seen one or more suckers. Why do cacti produce suckers or pups, which genera are more likely to suck and are less so? And again, the most frequently asked question: is it true that pups steal energy from the mother plant and reduce flowering? Can the suckers themselves blossom? Another frequently asked question: is it better to leave them attached to the mother plant or remove them? Can they be used as cuttings to obtain new plants identical to the mother plant, and in the event of disease of the latter, can they be detached to save it and reproduce it? In other words, how to propagate cactus pups?

In this article, we take a closer look at the subject and answer all these questions (…).

Some premises to frame the topic

In order to frame the topic, let us start with the definition of “sucker” (or pups) taken from the booklet “Conoscere e Coltivare le Piante Succulente” (Knowing and Growing Succulent Plants) published in 2005 by the Italian Succulent Plant Lovers Association (AIAS). The glossary at the end of the booklet, under the heading “sucker”, reads: “Branch usually originating from an adventitious bud“. Let us supplement the description with the one given by Treccani online encyclopedia to the term “adventitious” so as to get the full picture: “An adventitious organ is said to be formed far from the vegetative apex of the axis and therefore on adult parts; as opposed to normal“.

So, talking about the sphere of cacti, it can be stated that cactus pups or cactus suckers are nothing more than branches originating from the main stem, born from adventitious buds, i.e. not at the plant’s apex. It is not by chance that the suckers are always located at the base of the main stem. Growing around it and contributing to giving the cactus the “tufted” habit that we are accustomed to seeing in, for example, Echinopsis, many Mammillaria, Rebutia and Sulcorebutia, to offer just a few examples. The phenomenon of suckering is also common in Agave: even relatively small specimens soon begin to produce suckers around the base, through which the plant can be easily multiplied.

The shapes of cacti: a specific article.

Therefore suckers are branches, not autonomous plants born from seeds originating from the mother plant, nor deformations of the stem. They are offshoots of the plant, which develops and grows in this way. The suckers (or pups), in fact, are attached to the mother plant. In some cases, the point of contact is extremely thin and delicate, so much so that a slight twisting of the sucker is sufficient to detach it. In other cases, especially after years, the point of contact is strong, and to take off the sucker it is necessary to cut it off.
The fascinating thing is that often the suckers behave as “abnormal” branches, in the sense that they do not simply develop while remaining dependent on the mother plant but produce autonomous roots themselves. This is particularly the case in cacti having a globular habit, which, thanks to the development of suckers, take on a bushy habit over time (e.g. Echinopsis). Proper branches, on the other hand, are generally produced by columnar cacti. This usually happens over a very long period of time and, in some species, exclusively in the wild, as with Carnegiea Gigantea (the so-called Saguaro).

Over the years, I have witnessed, particularly with Echinopsis, a particular phenomenon, the cause of which is not known to me: in long-since suckered specimens, the main stem has begun to wither and then dry up completely. On the contrary, the suckers around the mother plant have always remained in perfect health, so much so that all I had to do was to take them off and re-pot them (over time, they had produced perfect root systems) to save the plant and at the same time multiply it. All the plants to which this phenomenon happened were healthy and not subject to any attack by pests, and the central stem did not show any traces of rot (also because, in that case, it would soon have transmitted it to the suckers). Rather, it seemed to me that the central body, having exhausted its function as a ‘producer’ of branches, had just finished its life cycle, thus deciding to “take off the trouble” and let the descendants grow… In such cases, more for a simple aesthetic factor than anything else, I flared the plant, detached the suckers and re-potted them, throwing away the central stem, now dry and dead.

The function of cactus pups

Suckers or pups, again remaining in the Cactaceae family, are branches, as we have seen, so their function is no other than that which follows the plant’s normal development. Many cacti initially have a globular habit, with a single stem. At a certain point in their development, however, the plant begins to emit one or more branches, which over time grow to the same size (in many cases, not always!) as the main stem. As the years go by, the pups increase not only in volume, but also in number, and give the plant its typical tufted appearance. Here again, the most common example is Echinopsis. Therefore, it is incorrect to say that the suckers serve the plant to multiply since they are attached to the main stem and are only its extension. It is clear, however, that if for some reason (the passage of an animal, a storm, etc.), a sucker detaches itself, moves away from the mother plant and begins to sink its roots into the soil, it can perform the function of “reproducer” of the plant. This is what we can do by manually detaching the suckers and re-potting them in separate containers, with the effect to grow more plants (I will discuss this in more detail later).

Do all cacti produce pups or only some species do?

Absolutely not. Not all genera of cacti are prone to producing suckers. Even within the same genus, there may be species that readily suck and others that retain a single stem even as they age (e.g. the genus Mammillaria). Plants with a solitary stem that almost never suckers are, for example, those belonging to the genera Ferocactus, Astrophytum, Echinocactus, Copiapoa, Epithelantha, Turbinicarpus, Ariocarpus, Ancistrocactus. Beware, these are broad indications, because, in reality, any Cactaceae could emit suckers. If it does not do so because of a genetic issue, it could still do so because of an external factor. Which brings us to another question: can suckers depend on abnormal growth?

Abnormal growth and cactus pups: the differences

Even cacti that would not produce suckers except at a very old age, as some Echinocactus and Copiapoa, can suck as the effect of abnormal development of the main stem. This phenomenon always follows an episode of stress (environmental or “mechanical”). In other words, the plant reacts to unsuitable growing conditions by emitting suckers (probably to give itself a better chance of survival). Similarly, and very frequently, a cactus can begin to sprout pups following a parasite attack (mealybug, spider mite) or after a mechanical trauma such as a blow (moving or re-potting a plant can always happen, and it can get out of hand…). In all these cases, especially if the damage is near the apex, the plant may take on a habit that is not typical for that species and emit suckers. It has happened to me several times with Astrophytum, Copiapoa and Turbinicarpus: plants that, under normal conditions, would not produce suckers except at a very advanced age.

An important question: do suckered plants flower less?

One of the most widespread beliefs among succulent enthusiasts is this: the suckered plants do not flower or flower less than single-stemmed plants. This is a mistaken belief. It is clear that the suckers absorb water and energy together with the mother plant, and therefore both water and energy must be shared between several subjects, but it is equally clear that, since they are branches, everything contributes to the common cause, i.e. to the development of the plant, whether it is a clumped or a solitary plant. It may be the case that in the initial phase when the suckers are still small, the mother plant will flower less profusely, but we take into account that once the suckers have grown, they will begin to bloom, contributing to the overall result.

As far as my own experience is concerned, for about thirty years I have never seen any significant reduction in the flowering of suckered plants. I have several plants of the same genus and species, and when a single specimen flowers, the suckered specimen of the same species also flowers. In all these cases, there is little or no difference in flowering. In short: I have never had single plants with ten flowers and suckered plants (obviously of the same species and obtained from the same sowing) with only one. On the contrary, it happens to me every year that in the rectangular pot full of Echinopsis oxygona that I keep on my balcony at home, the many heads produce 15 to 20 flowers at a time.

One thing, however, can be said with relative certainty: the suckered plant has less vigorous and slower growth than the plant without suckers. In other words, if the specimen is surrounded by suckers, the same genus and species growth will be less noticeable overall, as it is spread over several bodies. If the plant is solitary, it is clear that it will concentrate all its energy on the single stem, with the result that growth will appear more evident and faster.

Is it better to keep suckers or to detach them?

When we talk about cactus pups, one of the most common questions is: is it better to keep them or to detach them? If we think about it, it is a question whose only sense can be found in the aesthetic sphere. Whether a cactus produces suckers because it has suffered damage, or whether it produces them simply because it decides that this is what it must do, does not change the substance: the plant is just following the course of Nature.

The only answer to the question “is it better to leave the suckers or remove them” can only be: it is an aesthetic question. If you prefer the plant with a solitary stem, you can remove the suckers and use them as cuttings to reproduce the plant. If, on the other hand, you like the plant tufted, leave it to nature. Be careful, however: if you want to remove the suckers, only do so if they detach easily from the mother plant. If it is necessary to cut, e.g. because the sucker is very old and the junction point with the main stem is wide, it is necessary to cut exactly as we would do with a cutting, i.e. with a disinfected blade and taking care to sprinkle the wounds with healing powder (even ordinary cinnamon powder is fine), both on the mother plant and on the sucker. Apart from the aesthetic factor, which for me also includes the “philosophical” one (because I prefer to leave it to nature, exactly as would be with the specimen in its habitat), there may be two valid reasons for detaching all (or only some) suckers. If a sucker is rotting, for example, it is obvious that we should remove it as soon as possible to prevent it from transmitting the fungus to the mother plant or the other suckers. Similarly, but in reverse, if the main stem is rotting or withered, it will be better to remove all the suckers and save at least those.

The second reason why it may be a good idea to detach one or more suckers is for the quick reproduction of the plant. In this case, it is enough to wait until the sucker is well-formed and has taken root. At that point, we can detach it and thus have one or more clones of the mother plant.

How to reproduce the plant by suckers and how to propagate cactus pups

Reproduction by suckers is a reproduction by cuttings: a piece of the plant is used to obtain a clone. With suckers, it is easier because (if we are not in a hurry) they are already formed and rooted plants. The procedure is very easy, especially if carried out during re-potting and with the mother plant unplanted. Detach the sucker by rotating it on its axis until the point of connection with the main stem gives way. If the connection with the mother plant is firm, it will be necessary to cut it off cleanly with a cutter. Once the sucker is detached, leave the mother plant in an airy place and avoid watering and misting for at least ten days so that the wound heals. We do the same with the sucker: leave it in a shady, airy place so that the junction with the mother plant dries out completely, just like the roots. After a week or two, re-pot the sucker in common cactus soil and wait a few more days before watering.

The best time for these operations, as the plant is reproducing, is late spring, after the plant has started to vegetate again. In this season, the suckers will be active and take root easily. The operation is to be avoided during the winter unless it is necessary to save the mother plant or the sucker.

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Correlated articles

How much light do cactus need? A summary table
How to repot cacti and succulent plants
Substrates for cacti and succulents
The correct soil: the materials you can use
When and how fertilize cactus and succulent plants

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In this photo gallery we see some of the blooms of these days in my greenhouse. (…)

Different kinds of cactaceae have early blooms, such as many Turbinicarpus, many Ancistrocactus, Stenocactus, some Mammillaria. However, it can be said that most of the species begin to open flowers in the month of April, starting from the second half and throughout the month of May, when the Astrophytum with their golden yellow flowers are added. Most of the blooms, in April, belong to the genus Mammillaria. The species belonging to this genus that bloom in this period are really many. Their blooms are always abundant, very showy: if in fact the single flowers are small, the flowers that open at the same time are very many and form the characteristic “crown” at the apex of these plants. Among the most generous species, certainly M. hahniana, M. senilis, M. lasiacantha, M. chionocephala. Very generous are also the Turbinicarpus, which give their blooms throughout the months ranging from March to late September. Equally generous are the Strombocactus disciformis, re-flowering almost all year round.

Cactus cards, to know everything about the various kinds of cacti.

Below is a rundown with some of my blooms from this period. To make cacti bloom in all their abundance, you can read this specific article. 

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Useful links

How to repot cacti and succulent plants
Substrates for cacti and succulents
The correct soil: the materials you can use

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Let’s see everything in detail in this article and especially in these photographs. (…)

From my point of view, I believe that as regards the blooms, the Gmynocalycium are among the best subjects due to the delicacy of the petals and the shades of white, closely followed by the Echinocereus and the Rebutia. Also very beautiful are the flowers of the Notocactus (Parodia), large and bright in color, and those of Mammillaria and Astrophytum. Here is a selection of some artistic photos from my archive. If you want to learn more about the flowering of cacti and succulents, you can find a specific article at this link.

If you want to to learn more about the cultivation techniques of cacti and succulent plants, you will find some articles at the homepage of my site.

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In this article, we’ll learn how to cultivate the “Christmas Cactus”, for obtaining its abundant blooms without any problems. (…)

Schlumbergera is, in fact, a very popular houseplant during its flowering period, also because it’s very decorative and hardy, and its flowers are persistent: they can last a couple of weeks or more, which for a cactus is quite a long time. On the market, you can find specimens with blooms of almost every shade, from fuchsia to red, to pink, white, yellow or orange: the endless hybridizations for the commercialization of these plants have led to an almost infinite range of colours.

Schlumbergera are native to South America, in particular to Brazil. This implies that these plants are not able to bear too low temperatures. They like minimums of no less than 7/10 degrees.

Here you can find an article about the distribution of cacti and succulents in the world.

Their cultivation is quite simple. When the plant produces new “articles” during the growing season, it’s better to keep Schlumbergera outdoors. It’s better if in a bright place, not exposed to direct sunlight. In fact, in-kind these cacti live in the shelter of leafy plants, so that light reaches them shielded.

The soil must be, as always, well-draining, but lusher than the ideal soil for most cacti. For these plants, 70% of peat or universal soil and 30% of inert material (sand, gravel, pumice) can be enough. When we buy them, these plants are in a soil consisting exclusively of peat, just like most cacti from nurseries that do not specialize in succulents or cacti. However, if for all other cacti it is a good idea to remove the peat and thoroughly clean the root system and then repot in proper soil, for Schlumbergera it can be difficult and often disastrous. The root system of these succulents is, in fact, contained and formed by thin roots, and a careful cleaning could seriously damage it, with the result, moreover, that the various “stems” that make up the plant would not be more stable once placed in the new substrate. For this reason, making an exception to the usual procedure, with this plant I simply remove the old pot, shake out a bit the soil to remove excess peat (without breaking the root block) and repot in larger pots with more draining soil.

Watering must be regular in spring and summer (be careful, however, to stagnate, since it uses a mainly peaty soil) and very spaced in autumn/winter. In summary, we can say that the substrate must be almost always wet, except in winter, when it can be left to dry well between one watering and the other.
During the winter months, you can keep the plants at home, keeping them warm, or, even better, in little heated and luminous rooms.

From the first half of November, at least on the two specimens, I have had for several years, buds begin to form, which open in the first weeks of December. It’s commonly said that Schlumbergera, once they have started to produce buds, should not be moved because they will lose their bloom. From what I’ve been able to verify, the warning is not entirely unfounded, at least during the initial stage of bud formation. In the past, it happened to me to bring a Schlumbergera indoors and see it loose all of its buds within a few weeks. For the past few years, I’ve taken the plants indoors only when the buds are about halfway through their formation: they settle in smoothly and bloom abundantly. For flowering, in any case, the general rules for cacti apply proper cultivation and winter rest, with the difference that Schlumbergera must be overwintered at temperatures not too low and with sporadic watering even in the coldest months.

The multiplication by cuttings of these cacti is quite simple: in spring it is enough to detach a well-formed article and place it on the sand, nebulizing from time to time. After a few weeks, the first roots will sprout, and the new plant will begin to develop. When the roots become sufficiently formed, it can be repotted in suitable potting soil.

You may also be interested in “How to repot cactus“, or “Identify and classify succulent plants“.

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Colourful, flashy, ephemeral. Cactus blooms are sudden bursts of energy. Often the buds develop in a few days to open within few hours, amazing the newcomers to the cultivation of these plants and, above all, those who are not familiar with succulents. In these last few years, I have noticed that there is a lot of misinformation about cacti, in particular about their blooms. Those who do not cultivate these plants can even be surprised that they can bloom, no more or less than the specimens of all the other plant families, forgetting that the flower is the basis of the reproduction of almost all plants. Others are impressed to learn that even cacti can bloom in abundance and several times during the growing season, thinking perhaps that the flowering of a cactus is an exceptional event, almost unique. Nothing could be more wrong: all the cacti regularly bloom, and if there are relatively stingy species, that can produce few flowers for limited periods during the year, there are also really generous species, able to give blooms several times for entire months (for example Echinopsis, Astrophytum, Strombocactus, Gymnocalycium, Trichocereus).

In the following article we see in detail how to make cacti and succulent plants bloom abundantly. (…)

Introduction

If we have to find a flaw related to the flowering of cacti, this is in the fact that their explosions of colour are almost always ephemeral, not lasting. Some species (such as Echinopsis and Discocactus) produce large, flashy flowers that open at night and last only a few hours, so that from the middle of the morning after opening they begin to wither and become withered within 24 hours. Other genera, such as Gymnocalycium, can keep them blooming for two or three days, which is about the maximum that we can expect from a cactus plant. Once ascertained this and accepted the fact that we can not expect from our cacti persistent and long-lasting blooms such as those, for example, of orchids, what can we do to maximize the production of flowers of our cacti?

Plants in the right age to flourish: the primary condition

First of all: when do cactus bloom? Let’s start by saying that every type of cactus can bloom easily. The primary condition for flowering is as banal as it is essential. The plant must be of the age required for that particular species to flourish. For some genera, for instance, Mammillaria, Turbinicarpus, Gymnocalycium, Astrophytum, are enough from two to four years for having the first flowering. Other species require more time, flowering not before the age of eight or ten years (if not more, in some cases), as like Ferocactus, Echinocactus, Ariocarpus, Geohintonia, Aztekium. First, we must therefore know a minimum of the characteristics of the main species, for discerning, according to the age and the size of the plant, if we can trust in the flowering or if we will have to bear patience for a few years.

Here is a gallery with some spring blooms.

The importance of winter rest to make cactus bloom

How to get cactus to bloom? Once established that the plant is in the right condition to make flowers, the first rule in absolute is to ensure our plants a regular annual cycle of growth and stasis. Cacti and succulent plants, for blooming, need a period of whole rest, to recover the energies from the last blooming and to prepare for the next one. For the vast majority of the species, this results in some months of vegetation blockage, months corresponding with our winter and with the prolonged drought season that these plants cross in nature. In summary, we can say that in Europe, from the end of September, the cacti (except some species, in particular, the Chilean ones such as Copiapoa and Eriosyce, then many Escobaria, Sclerocactus and Pediocactus) slow down the vegetation up to enter into stasis. From this period onwards it will be useful to reduce the watering until it is suspended for October (in Southern Italy it is possible to water up to November, considered the mildest climate). In this way the soil will dry completely, they will avoid dangerous stagnations of humidity between the roots, and the plants will begin to deflate in preparation of the winter.

In addition to the stasis induced by the season and the suspension of watering, temperatures are fundamental for flowering. During our winter we must ensure that the plants feel the cold, then keeping them outside the houses, in greenhouses, sheltered terraces, basement, etc. Except for the Cuban species (such as the Melocactus) and of other species growing in subtropical zones (for instance, Epiphyllum, Discocactus), the vast majority of the cacti, if kept in dry loam, can easily stand temperatures just over zero celsius degrees. Many species can go well below zero (Opuntia, Escobaria, Pediocactus, just to name a few), but we can say that the best is to spend the winter with minimum night around 5 or 7 celsius degrees. The cold contributes decisively to the blooming, because, together with the dry, it puts the plants in complete stasis. Under these conditions the cacti block the growth, they rest, they recover the forces for restarting to vegetate in spring and to bloom regularly.

How, when and how much to water cacti and succulent plants?

Light even in winter to make a cactus bloom

It is often heard that during the vegetative stasis the succulents can also stay in little or not luminous places. Many growers, during the winter months, keep them under low light or in garages. Now, if it is true that once the plant has entered in stasis the lack of light does not cause damage (the plant is in fact in a block and does not grow, so it will hardly be able to spin, that is to stretch and deform), it is however indisputable that in nature, even with the change of season, the cacti do not stay for whole months in the dark (or almost). At most, they receive less light due to the shortening of the days and the different incidence of the sun’s rays. It is no coincidence that over the years I have verified that between plants that have overwintered in dimly lit areas and plants that have overwintered in environments exposed to maximum light even in winter (for example those kept in a greenhouse) there is a big difference in terms of flowering. Based on my experience, plants kept in the dark, bloom more hardly or not at all, while those held in bright areas even during the winter bloom abundantly and without any problem.

I have verified it in particular with the genus Notocactus (now called Parodia), according to many of the easiest to cultivate and among the most prone to flowering. For years, when I still didn’t have a greenhouse and in winter I had to repair the plants in a closed terrace exposed to the North, I had failed blooms if not even non-existent, in particular with this genus. Since I had the opportunity to transfer all my plants in my big greenhouse in the country side, all my Notocactus (as well as all other genera I grow) bloom punctually and generously.

How to make a cactus bloom: proper cultivation

Winter rest, cold, light are primary factors for the flowering of cacti. To these is added this factor if we want to take for granted but equally important: a correct cultivation in the year before the vegetative recovery. Plants that during the vegetative season have grown stunted, or have not grown at all or plants that have had problems with pests and fungal diseases will obviously have to think before recovering, rather than flowering. In other words, the cacti that during the previous vegetative season have struggled to survive may require more time to dedicate to the recovery, concentrating the energies, for example, on the reconstitution of the radical apparatus. Stressed, dilapidated plants, blocked by a repotting carried out maybe in an inconvenient moment, in short, could be more about their health than about flowering. Be careful, though: talking about flowering, this is by no means a rule. Let’s say rather a highly probable situation. I have, in fact, happened to see more than once plants in bad condition produce a beautiful bloom. In these cases, the stressed plants have begun to recover appreciably once the flowering has finished, thanks to proper cultivation based on regular watering, few fertilizations and the appropriate exposure to the sun (which should never be directed for plants in distress!).

Fertilizing: an important factor in making cactus bloom

Finally, two words about fertilization, necessary for every cactus to flower. Indeed, fertilization also helps in blooms, but I must say that I am quite thrifty with fertilizations. I do few and low dosages, but I think that if you use poor soils in humus (as I usually have) the fertilizations are useful for the purpose of a rich flowering. With the fertilizer, in fact, is going to adjust the soil, which for cultivation in a pot is available in limited quantities, adding those elements that with time and watering are gradually lost.

For more information on the relationship between fertilization and flowering, you can read my specific post at this link.

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L'articolo How to make cactus and succulent plants bloom: what you need to know and what tricks to use proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

First of all: why should we fertilize our cacti and succulent plants? Let’s say right away that fertilization (or fertilisation, or manuring or mineral nutrition) is necessary for any plant grown in pots, since the amount of soil available is limited and, sooner or later, nutrients will begin to run low. Fertilizer nourishes the plant, enriching the soil of those elements which, through the time, are absorbed by the plant or washed away by the waterings. Succulent plants should be regularly fertilized to ensure that the right quantity of nutrients is always available during the growing season. For cacti and succulents, however, generic fertilizers should not be used. In other words, a fertilizer commonly used for ornamental, leafy or fruit plants is not at all appropriate for a cactus plant. It is necessary to resort to specific fertilizers, specially balanced for the succulents. Otherwise, the risk is to irreparably compromise the growth and the physical appearance of the plant, making it weak and radically different from the specimens of the same species that grow in the wild.

In the following article we will go deeper into the subject, let’s see what elements succulents need, how the suitable fertilizer must be composed and how much to fertilize during the year. (…)

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L'articolo When and how fertilize cactus and succulent plants to have aboundant blooms proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.