Obregonia

Family. Cactaceae.

Origin. Mexico.

Description. Obregonia is an amazing cactus that looks a bit like an agave. The stem is spherical, slightly flattened on top, up to 15 cm high, green or grayish. The tubercles are clearly defined, pointed, up to 1.5 cm high, arranged in a spiral around the stem and look like underdeveloped leaves. The spines are light, from 0.5 to 1.5 cm long. The flowers appear in the upper part of the stem from the areoles, funnel-shaped, white, sometimes with a pink, greenish or yellow tint and yellow stamens, up to 3 cm in diameter, short-lived.

Height. Up to 15 cm, obregonia grows very slowly.

Care at home

Temperature conditions

In spring and summer, keep at room temperature; during the winter dormant period, it is advisable to lower the temperature to 12 - 15 ° C. 

Lighting

It is advisable to place the obregonia in such a way that it receives direct sunlight in the morning and evening for 3 to 4 hours a day. During the day it is necessary to provide shading.

Care

Obregonias are not the easiest cacti to keep, but they are rarely found on sale and are prized by collectors. It is better to purchase a grafted specimen. 

Substrate

Requires very well-drained soil for cacti and succulents based on mineral additives with a small amount of organic matter in the form of peat and leaf humus.

Feeding

During the growing season, obregonia is fed monthly with specialized liquid fertilizers for cacti, diluting them to half the recommended dose.

Flowering time

The buds form in the summer months, the first flowering occurs at the age of 7-8 years.

Air humidity

It does not need spraying; in autumn and winter, if water gets on the cactus, it can rot. It is better to keep the plant in a frequently ventilated area with constant air movement.

Soil moisture

Watering should be moderate; when waterlogged, the plant stem stretches upward and loses its attractiveness. The soil should dry out by almost half between waterings during the period of active growth; in autumn and winter, this cactus is kept almost dry if the temperature is reduced to 12 ° C.

Transplant

Obregonia does not need frequent replanting, as it grows slowly and does not require large amounts of nutrients in the soil. Adult plants are replanted approximately every 3 years. 

Reproduction

Most often they are propagated by seeds, but it is very, very difficult to grow young plants and bring them to adulthood. Often, specimens grafted onto less demanding rootstocks are cultivated.

Pests and diseases

With excessive watering and insufficient lighting, cacti stretch out, the root system can rot.

Red mites, mealybugs, thrips and aphids sometimes appear. 

Note

With proper care, these cacti live for a long time in indoor culture and become more and more beautiful with age.