In every house you want to create coziness and beauty. Landscaping of window sills and wall shelves contributes to the overall interior of the room. Many people prefer not only flowering plants, but also exotic ones such as cacti. Very often in pots you can find these succulents. Many of them belong to the genus Cereus. Plants perfectly take root at home, especially if you create all the necessary conditions for them.
Cereus has a lot of species and subspecies. Many of them are grown as ornamental indoor plants. Its flowers perfectly decorate the interior of the apartment.
Cactus with white flowers
Cactus Cereus Peruvian
Rocky or Peruvian Cereus Cereus is often grown at home. It has an elongated cylindrical stem. On the edges there are notches that extend from the bottom up. The color of the stem is green with a gray tint. In indoor conditions reaches 0.5 m in height. In some cases, grows to 1 m.
It forms white flowers, the petals of which open only at night. From the plant comes a pleasant floral aroma. At the end of flowering, a red berry is formed. It can be eaten.
Important! Cereus Peruvian is the founder of all subspecies and varieties.
Cereus monstrous
It is a subspecies of the Peruvian Cereus. In nature, it reaches 6 m in height, 5 m in diameter. It has an unusual shape, its stem grows in an arbitrary direction, forming various intricate figures. It never blooms, the growth of greens is slow - about 1 m per year.
Monstrous Cereus is also grown at home. Its stem grows very much. The direction, shape and final drawing are very diverse.
Unusual cactus
Cactus chamecereus
Family - Cactus. Origin - Argentina. It is a short, small plant that is great for home decor. It forms low stems, about 15-20 cm, light green in color. They have light needles. Cactus Chamecereus is prone to branching, flowering begins for 3-4 years of the vegetative period.
He gives flowers of bright red or brick color, funnel-shaped. They are large, with a diameter of 7-8 cm. Reproduction occurs by processes or seeds. For flowering, a plant needs a cramped pot.
Cactus Echinocereus
Succulent is found in nature in the southern regions of North America. It is often grown on window sills as an ornamental plant. In height, it reaches no more than 60 cm. The stem is cylindrical, rounded on all sides. It branches strongly, forms many processes. The needles are light, gathered in bunches, form regular rows.
Important! Echinocereus has over 60 species.
Cactus Echinocerus blooms in pink large flowers in the shape of a funnel, consisting of a large number of petals. At the end of flowering, a juicy, palatable, edible fruit is formed.
Cereus species that are most commonly found:
- Echinocereus pectinatus. A short stalk up to 15 cm, with ribs, needles of pink or yellow color are located on them.
- Echinocereus knippel. An elongated stem with ribs, on it are white needles. It blooms with delicate pink flowers, similar to a camomile.
- Echinocereus rubrispinus. A short stalk with white needles. Blooms in spring with pink large flowers.
- Echinocereus subinermis. Does not form spines. Blooms several times a year with yellow flowers.
Cactus with pink flowers
Other
Peruvian cactus has many varieties, which are also often grown at home:
- Cereus azure. They called it that because of the color of the stem. It has a light bluish tint. The stem is straight, cylindrical, with ribs on which there are needles. Blooms in white funnel-shaped flowers.
- Cereus is giant. Reaches a height of 20 m. It has a dense stem and branching from it. It blooms from May to June with flowers of yellow, red, orange and green. After forms edible fruits.
- Cactus Oreocereus. Stem length - 8 cm, branched. Needles of different colors: red, yellow or white. Flowering begins on the 10th year of vegetation. Flowers turn purple, lilac or brick.
- Cactus Cephalocereus. It has a cylindrical stem 10-20 cm long. A distinctive feature is the presence of white hairs. They make the cactus fluffy. At home, it does not bloom.
Cactus Cephalocereus
In order for the succulent to please with its flowering, it needs to create optimal conditions for this, as well as monitor watering, lighting, and top dressing. The following describes Cereus Peruvian home care.
Room temperature and lighting
Like other plants, Cereus flower prefers good sunlight, with direct sunlight. It is advisable that the sun falls on the plant 8 hours a day. In early summer, it is recommended to create a small shade on the windowsill to prevent burns on the cactus. In the evening and at night, the shutter is removed.
In summer, Cereus easily tolerate any temperature, as they come from hot countries. In winter, there comes a period of rest and recovery. At this time, it is better to transfer the succulent to a room with a temperature of + 13-16 ° C.
Important! Poor lighting inhibits flowering.
Soil and fertilizing
Soil for cacti can be used specialized ready-made. It can be purchased at any agricultural store. Usually it is marked "for cacti and succulents."
You can also cook it yourself:
- Leaf humus, sod land, river sand, charcoal are mixed in a container.
- Then pour the mixture onto a baking sheet and calcine in the oven at 100 ° C for 20 minutes.
- Once it has cooled, it can be used.
Before planting or transplanting, it is necessary to measure the number of soil acidity. It should not exceed 6.5. Also, the soil must have air permeability and water permeability.
Cacti can be fed every year in early spring. Optimal fertilizers for them are special mixtures for succulents in which there is no nitrogen. They are brought in from March to July.
Cactus with purple flowers
Watering
Succulents perfectly accumulate moisture, therefore they are able to be without water for a long time. Do not get involved and water the plant daily. They monitor the state of the soil, if it dries up, then the time for irrigation has come. In winter, the amount of water is reduced, since the cactus is in a state of hibernation. Caring for the Cereus is easy, they are unpretentious in care.
Important! You can not pour Cereus. This will cause root rot and death.
Air humidity
Cereuses are accustomed to dry air. Especially this parameter is recommended to be observed in spring and summer, during the period of plant activity. The cactus does not need spraying with water.
Transfer
It is recommended to transplant a cactus every three years. It is worth considering that it is growing slowly, and the nutrient intake from the soil is low. Therefore, you can use the old soil, slightly diluting it with humus and sand. The procedure is best done after flowering, before wintering.
Cactus with red flowers
Breeding
There are two ways to propagate a plant:
- by seeds;
- processes.
Seeds are obtained from the resulting fetus. It is removed, cut, and the bones are removed. Then they are dried. In the spring, they drop it in a container with soil, cover it with a plastic film and take it to a warm place. After germination, wait until the cactus grows to 3 cm, and planted in new pots.
The processes are best rooted in the spring on wet sand. They are carefully removed with tweezers from the mother's cactus. Then transplanted into a new container filled with wet sand. After 7-10 days, they take root.
Important! When working with succulents, you should take care of your hands, since the needles can cause scratches.
Diseases and Pests
The immunity of cacti is very strong. They practically do not get sick, are resistant to all fungal and bacterial infections. The only problem is root decay during waterlogging.
Also on cacti, harmful insects often breed. They are located between the needles. Most often, ticks, scale insects, and worms are affected. They can be noticed by signs: the cactus stalk will begin to change color, and light spots form. So, you need to carry out treatment with an insecticide.
Cacti of the genus Cereus possess extraordinary beauty during their flowering. They perfectly complement the decor of the room. These plants come from southern and arid countries, are unpretentious in care. Keeping them at home is easy. They are rarely watered and fed, the sizes do not interfere with the location of other crops and flowers. Cereus also have a huge species diversity, almost all of them can be grown indoors.
