Scientific Name
Cochemiea macdougallii (Alexander) P.B.Breslin & Majure
Synonym(s)
Escobaria macdougallii, Neobesseya macdougallii, Ortegocactus macdougallii
Scientific Classification
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Cacteae
Genus: Cochemiea
Etymology
The specific epithet "macdougallii (mak-doo-GALL-ee-eye)" honors Thomas Baillie MacDougall (1895-1973), a Scottish horticulturist, botanist, and anthropologist with a passion for nature. He found Cochemiea macdougallii in the winter of 1951/52.
Origin
Cochemiea macdougallii is native to Mexico (Oaxaca).
Description
Cochemiea macdougallii, formerly known as Ortegocactus macdougallii, is a small, clump-forming cactus with greenish-gray, globular stems with rhomboid tubercles topped with a cluster of spines. The stems slowly grow and can reach a diameter of 1.6 inches (4 cm). The spines are black or whitish with a black tip, measuring 0.4 inches (1 cm) in length. Each areole bears one central spine and 7 to 8 radial spines.
The flowers are yellow, funnel-shaped, and appear in spring. They can reach a length of 1.2 inches (3 cm) and a diameter of 2 inches (5 cm). The fruits are reddish, spherical, and slightly elongated, growing up to 0.2 inches (0.5 cm) in diameter.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zone 9a to 11b: from 20°F (-6.7°C) to 50°F (10°C).
How to Grow and Care
Like many other small species of Mexican cacti, Ortegocactus is highly prized by collectors. Ortegocactus macdougallii likes light shade to full sun. It is often grafted since it is challenging to grow on its own roots. Water moderately in summer and very carefully, if at all, in winter. It shows a distinct intolerance to overwatering, either by rotting off or bursting the epidermis. Grow Ortegocactus in a fast-draining mineral mix. You should limit the fertilizer to prevent the plant from growing out of proportion, becoming unattractive and unnatural.
Many authors recommend grafting, first on Pereskiopsis and soon on Myrtillocactus geometrizans. If it does not reject the stock, it can be cultivated without problems.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Ortegocactus.
Links
- Back to genus Cochemiea
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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