Scientific Name
Matucana aurantiaca (Vaupel) Buxb.
Common Names
Orange Matucana
Synonyms
Echinocactus aurantiacus (basionym), Arequipa aurantiaca, Borzicactus aurantiacus, Borzicactus calvescens, Matucana calvescens, Submatucana aurantiaca, Submatucana calvescens
Scientific Classification
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Trichocereeae
Genus: Matucana
Description
Matucana aurantiaca is a cactus that grows in clusters of ribbed, spiny spheres or cylinders reaching up to 6 inches (15 cm). The center spines are red-brown and up to 1.8 inches (4.5 cm) long. The radials are shorter. It bears orange, up to 3.6 inches (9 cm) long, funnel-shaped flowers in summer.
Photo via pinterest.com
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zone 9b to 11b: from 25 °F (−3.9 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
All species are sensitive to moisture. Watering should therefore be limited to the growing season and should be made only when the substrate is completely dry. It must be suspended during the winter. Since they tend to lose their roots in cold and wet, these plants must be kept warm even in winter. A temperature not under 50°F (10°C) is suitable. Some species, for natural adaptation, can resist at temperatures below 32°F (0°C).
If the plants are in the vegetative stage and optimal environmental conditions (a low moisture content with substantial temperature swing between day and night is appreciated), the growth is quite fast and you can get blooms already after 2-3 years after birth.
Matucana must be grown in a very porous and draining soil. It can be composed largely by sand, lapilli and gravel. To encourage the development of a dense network of spine, the quality of the nutrients in the substrate is very important. The soil must be rich in potassium, poor in nitrogen. Since the roots are very delicate and subject to rot, the soil should be kept as dry as possible: do not forget that in their natural environment these plants grow in steep and inaccessible places… – See more at: How to Grow and Care for Matucana
Origin
Matucana aurantiaca is native to Peru (Cajamarca and La Libertad).
Subspecies, Varieties, Forms, Cultivars and Hybrids
Links
- Back to genus Matucana
- Succulentopedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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