| Description: |
Columnar, reaching about three feet (90cm) in height, with numerous vertical ribs and armed with long spines. Flowers are scarlet-red. |
| Environment: |
Suitable for the home or a greenhouse |
| Lighting Needs: |
Does best in full sunlight coming from the South/West |
| Soil Type: |
Never use ordinary potting compost or garden soil, there are general purpose cactus mixes available. If you want to mix your own take:
2 parts barely fibrous garden soil, 1 part coarse sand or perlite, 1 part fine gravel.
Always use a pot with a hole.
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| Watering: |
Drench the soil and let it become barely moist between waterings. Reduce watering during the winter. If you use rainwater, be careful as it could be acidic and water after sunset with warm water. |
| Fertilizer: |
Feed every two weeks during spring and summer with a water soluble, nitrate-free fertilizer. |
| Plant Pests: |
Prone to mealy bugs, spider mites and scale. Always inspect any new plant for pests before introducing it to your home or greenhouse. |
| Propagation: |
Seeds/ tip cuttings (let the cut end dry out first)
in the spring through summer.
Plant seeds evenly about in their normal growing medium, pat it down and cover with a fine layer of sand. Saturate the soil and cover with a piece of cardboard, treat with a fungicide when leaves appear and move it to a sunny location. Offsets and cuttings should be planted in barely moist soil or sand, kept in the shade and misted lightly. Water very little until you're sure they've rooted.
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| Gardening Tips & Care: |
Requires good ventilation and be careful not to over-water. Put a layer of small gravel at the bottom of the pot and also one inch on the top of the soil to prevent stem rot.
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