Scientific Name
Melocactus bahiensis (Britton & Rose) Luetzelb.
Synonym(s)
Melocactus bahiensis subsp. bahiensis, Melocactus bahiensis f. bahiensis, Melocactus griseoloviridis
Scientific Classification
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Cereeae
Genus: Melocactus
Origin
This species is native to eastern Brazil (Bahia).
Description
Melocactus bahiensis is a small cactus with a green globular stem with 8 to 14 ribs lined with clusters of spines and a woolly and densely bristled cephalium at the top of the stem. The stem is up to 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter. The cephalium is mostly longer than the width, with white wool and brown bristles, up to 2 inches (5 cm) tall and 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter. Spines are short, curved, and off-white, except in the center where the new ones are yellow, reddish-brown, dark brown to black, often bent or even hooked in juvenile specimens. Each areole bears 5 to 8 spines. They are up 1.6 inches (4 cm) long. Flowers are magenta, up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) long, and up to 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) in diameter, and appear in summer. Fruits are red to magenta, white or pale pink at the base, up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) long, and 0.4 inches (1 cm) in diameter.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 10a to 11b: from 30 °F (−1.1 °C) to 30 °F (−1.1 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Melocactus are somewhat finicky cacti with unusual requirements. They shouldn't be allowed to dry out completely, even in winter, and they can suffer from soil composition, drainage, water level, sun, and more factors that are difficult to control. Therefore, these plants are best for growers who have already had some success cultivating cacti. Establish a balance with good aeration matched by ample water and good soil matched by good drainage, and these plants should continue to grow. If they are grown successfully, their unusual tops make them among the more beautiful desert cacti.
Notably, Melocactus like to be fairly packed in, so keep them in a fairly small container that slightly constricts their roots. Repotting them at the beginning of the growing season is a good idea until they form the cephalium and the body stops growing, and they should be repotted like other cacti.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Melocactus.
Links
- Back to genus Melocactus
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
Photo Gallery
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