Cleistocactus is one of the oldest succulent plants in the Cactus family, whose homeland is Latin America. In our latitudes, they are used as ornamental plants that serve to decorate the interior of various rooms. How to cultivate cleistocactus at home, read below.

What is cleistocactus - a description of the plant

Cleistocactuses include 50 species, not all of which are able to take root at home. The first notes with a botanical description of these plants were made in 1861 by Charles Lehmer. Thanks to the work of breeders, some of the species still managed to be adapted to apartment conditions. In home culture, clematocacti are represented by small plants.

While in the wild, most species have a height of 30 cm to 3 m. The growth form of these plants is shrubby, the stalks are columnar, horizontal or creeping, depending on the species.The stem branches from the very bottom. Shoots have a large number of ribs of small depth. Their number can vary from 15 to 25 pieces. Also on the stems are a large number of areoles covered with bristle spines.

The length, color and structure of the spines vary depending on the species and age of the plants. Young specimens are covered with softer spines, the length of which is 5 mm; in adult plants, the length of the spines reaches 5 cm, and their structure becomes denser.

Did you know? Under natural conditions, cacti can withstand heat up to + 60 ° C under the sun.

The color of the spines is saturated - the most common types of their color:

• white;
• red;
• yellow;
• brown;
• Gray.

In some species, the stem is not even visible under the ribs, there are so many. The growth rate of glue-cactus is very high and is 3-5 cm per year for domestic plants, 10-15 cm for wild plants.

Types of Clematocactus

The following types of adhesive cactuses are suitable for home cultivation:

1. Kleistocactus Strauss - represents a bush 30–50 cm high with columnar shoots. The diameter of each stem varies from 6 to 8 cm. The number of ribs on the stem is from 20 to 25. The areoles are numerous and contain a bunch of soft white bristles, which creates the appearance that the shoots are covered with wool. Flowering later, from mid-July. The flowers are red.
2. Tupisi Cleistocactus - stems of a vertical type, erect, up to 1 m high. A distinctive feature is the reddish-red color of the thorns. Flowering begins in the spring. The flowers are tubular, bright red.
3. Kleistocactus Ritter - the height of the plant is 30–40 cm. The stems are even. Outwardly similar to the first instance, the differences are smaller. The thorns are soft, white. The flowers are tubular, light green at the bottom, coral at the top.
4. Wilpis Kauda - in the wild shoots creeping, at home - hanging. The length of the shoots is 1-2 m. The flowers are curved, two-tone - pink at the base, dark red on top.
5. Emerald - shoots are thin; they can become bent as they grow. Their height reaches 1 m. The color is close to emerald. Spines are stiff, small in number. Raspberry flowers with emerald fringing on the petals.
6. Kleistocactus Bauman - small bushes, stems up to 30 cm long, drooping. Thickly covered with thin yellow or brown spines. The flowers are bright red, large, up to 6 cm in length.
7. Kleistocactus Winter - shoots drooping, very thin, only 2-3 cm in diameter. Their length reaches 80–100 cm. Spines are numerous, soft, yellow-green. The tubular part of the flowers is red, the petals are white and thin.

House growing conditions

Cleistocactuses are not very whimsical to microclimate conditions. Given the southern origin of plants, the main emphasis should be on lighting and thermal conditions.

Location and Lighting

Cleistocactuses perfectly tolerate direct sunlight due to the thick cover of the bristles. In shading, they grow very poorly. An ideal place for these plants would be the south or southeast windowsill. In winter, when there is not enough natural light, it is necessary to use phytolamps. The distance from the shoots to the phytolamp should be 30–40 cm.

Did you know? Spines of cacti ionize indoor air, which favorably affects the quality of sleep and the central nervous system.

Temperature and humidity

The considered type of plants is demanding on heat. During the period of active vegetation, the temperature regime should be maintained within +25 ... + 30 ° С. In winter, a temperature drop of up to + 15 ° C is permissible. Cacti well tolerate proximity to heating appliances and dry air.If in winter the air temperature in the room does not decrease, artificially do not need to do this. Humidity at home can be maintained within the permissible norm for residential premises, that is, about 65%. Additional humidification is not required.

Home Care

In terms of care, clematocacti are unpretentious plants. At home, you need to take care to ensure adequate nutrition of plants using special fertilizing.

Watering and feeding

Moisture should be applied to the soil in moderation from a watering can with a long nose along the edge of the pot. Water is poured until it flows into the pan, after which it is immediately drained. After 15 minutes, excess water is drained from the pan again.

Important! If watering is disturbed and humidity is too high, glue-cactus begin to suffer from various types of rot.

Water for irrigation should be at room temperature, settled, free of chlorine. On average, in summer, watering is carried out once a week, in winter - once a month. Top dressing is applied during the period of active vegetation - starting in March 1 time in 2 weeks, in winter they are completely excluded.

For top dressing, complex fertilizers are used, containing:

• potassium - to maintain immunity and timely ripening of shoots;
• calcium - for laying a strong skeleton, the ripening of buds and the formation of seeds;
• phosphorus - for the development of flowers and the formation of a healthy root system in young plants;
• nitrogen - to ensure normal growth.

Besides these basic elements, additional minerals are also needed:

• boron;
• iron;
• magnesium;
• zinc.

It is important to observe the ratio of trace elements. So, the content of nitrogen compounds should be minimal.

Optimum proportions for cacti:

• 38% potassium;
• 20% calcium;
• 20% phosphorus;
• 6% nitrogen;
• 16% of the remaining trace elements.

Cacti at home fertilize with the following compounds, depending on the phases of vegetation:

• starting from March, until ready to bloom - 0.5 g of calcium sulfate, 0.5 g of magnesium sulfate, 1 g of potassium nitrate, 0.25 g of iron sulfate, 0.25 g of superphosphate are added to 2.5 l of water - the composition is used instead water for irrigation in the evening;
• before flowering - 1 g of water 1 g of potassium phosphate.

Before flowering, you can use the ready-made fertilizer "Master-agro for cacti": dosage - 5 g of the drug in 2 liters of water. Watering with this drug can be carried out until the very end of flowering every 10-15 days.

Important! After transplantation, the first top dressing is introduced no earlier than a month later.

Transfer

Unlike other cacti, the species in question grow rapidly, so the flowerpot and ground will have to be changed at first annually. Adult plants are transplanted every 2-3 years. The size of the new pot should be 2-3 cm larger in diameter. It is better to choose a plastic container with a sufficient number of drainage holes at the bottom.

The transplant should be carried out in March - early April, focusing on the timing of flowering of a particular variety. The soil can be bought in a store or made independently by combining sand and sod-sheet soil in equal proportions. Perlite, about 10%, 20% peat and 6–8% brick chips, is added to this composition.To disinfect and enrich the soil with nutrients, you can use a solution of wood ash. To do this, add 2 tbsp to 2 liters of boiling water. l ash and stir well. The soil is shed with a hot solution, mixed.

Such manipulation is carried out about a day before transplantation so that the soil at this point has a moisture content of 50-60%, that is, it is loose and sufficiently moist, but not sticky to the hands. The plant itself is also desirable to water the day before the transplant.

Procedure progress:

1. The pot is disinfected with boric acid - just wipe the container from the inside and outside with a cotton swab dipped in liquid.
2. A claydite layer in combination with vermiculite and polystyrene crumb is necessarily laid on the bottom of the pot. The height of the drainage layer is 1 cm.
3. Next, lay the prepared earth mixture.
4. In the central part of the pot, a recess of a suitable size is made, focusing on the dimensions of the root.
5. The root system of young plants is not too large, so the earthen lump is replaced almost completely.
6. Kleistocactus is removed from the tank together with all the soil, as in the transshipment method, the excess soil is shaken off.
7. Then conduct inspection of the roots. If all is well, transfer the plant to a new container, gently cover the roots with soil and put for a week in a place where the lighting is scattered.
8. After a week, you can irrigate if necessary, and rearrange the plant in a permanent place.

Did you know? In countries where cacti grow in the wild, they are used in various fields of human activity, depending on their species and botanical features. This raw material for the production of fuel, and building materials, and even a delicious delicacy.

Flowering period

Upon reaching a height of 30–40 cm, the considered plants enter the flowering phase. An unusual form of flowering, called cleistogamy, defined their name. The beginning of flowering occurs in mid-April and lasts until the end of August. The plant throws a large number of buds, which are located mainly on the tops of the stems.First, the buds look like buds, and then they are converted into closed tubes 5–8 cm long. The buds open almost all at the same time. A feature of flowering is that the buds open only in the upper part with small scales, turning into lanceolate petals, and the lower part remains closed.

Flowers can be painted in:

• pink;
• red;
• crimson.

In the wild, clematocactus is pollinated by insects and hummingbirds. Most species are also prone to self-pollination. After pollination, large fruits with a bright color are formed in place of the flowers. The peel of the fruit is glossy, smooth, covered with soft bristles. The fruits remain on the stems for a long time. In a section the fruit is white with numerous black seeds.

Video: Flowering Clematis

The pulp exudes a pleasant aroma. At home, flowering occurs about 3-4 years of plant life. Special care during this period is not required. The only caveat - you need to more closely monitor the soil moisture, you may have to increase the intensity of irrigation. Fertilizers in this period should contain more potassium and phosphorus.

Breeding methods

At home, cleistocactus reproduce in 2 ways:

• seed;
• vegetative.

Seeds

At home, it is quite difficult to get seeds, so it is better to purchase them in a specialized store. Germination of seed material can be done at any time of the year, the main thing is to create complete microclimatic conditions for this.Sowing is carried out in general long containers. The soil for the seed material is made up of equal parts of peat and sand, and disinfected with a solution of wood ash. The sowing rate is 4 seeds per 1 cm². In cramped conditions, small cacti develop faster.

The depth of the tank must be such that it fits:

• 1 cm of drainage;
• 4 cm of soil.

In addition, a distance of 2 cm should remain from the surface of the soil to the cover glass.

Important! Cleistocactus is not required in the first year of life fertilizers.

Landing sequence:

1. Disinfect the container with boric acid.
2. Install drainage and soil.
3. Sow seeds in groups of 4 pcs.
4. Spray the soil with water from the spray gun until the top layer is completely wet.
5. Cover the container with glass and set aside in a warm, well-lit place. The optimum temperature for germination is +25 ... + 28 ° С.

Video: sowing seeds

Every day, planting should be aired by removing the glass for 20 minutes. The main thing is to prevent the soil from drying out, it must be moist all the time. As soon as the shoots appear, the humidity must be reduced, completely stopping spraying, and remove the glass. Lighting needs plentiful. The optimal daylight hours are 12 hours. When the sprouts reach a height of 3 cm, they can be planted in different pots of 1 or 2-3. The height and diameter of the pot is 5 × 5 cm. Next, standard care is recommended.

Vegetative way

On the shoots of cleistocactus, children are formed. They are manually separated from the mother plant in the spring. The baby in the lower part is treated with wood ash and dried for a week in a dry, dark room. A week later, the soil mixture is prepared, as for an adult plant, and the baby is placed in it, slightly deepened.The sprout must be tied to a support so that it is properly rooted. As soon as it becomes noticeable that the plant has grown, the support can be removed. The soil is regularly moistened throughout the entire period of root growth, preventing it from drying out.

Possible growing difficulties

The main difficulties during cultivation arise when non-compliance with the irrigation regime. The most common problem is rot. It can appear on the roots or stems. In such cases, an urgent transplant is carried out with the removal of the affected parts of the plant, as well as the treatment of the rooted parts with wood ash with Fundazole (1: 1).

Of the pests for glue-cactus, the following are dangerous:

Kleistocactus is attractive due to its unpretentiousness and abundant long flowering. Subject to the basic rules of agricultural technology, this plant is rarely sick and affected by pests.