Echinocactus Gruzoni (echinocactus Grusonii): a feature of the Rainbow and Red varieties, what does flowering look like in the photo, what kind of plant care is at home?

Growing succulents at home is a very popular hobby. They are unpretentious in leaving. Pleasing to the eye with perfect shapes and exotic colors.

One of the most prominent representatives of cacti is echinocactus gruzoni. In the photo presented in the article, you can see the flowering of this amazing plant and its most popular varieties.

And the article itself will tell you how to care for this wonderful cactus, whether it can be planted in open ground and how to propagate it, as well as give some useful tips on caring for succulents.

Name and botanical description of the plant

Echinocactus gruson, or Echinocactus gruson (lat. Echinocactus grusonii) - a plant representing the genus Echinocactus, a family of cacti (Cactaceae). This plant is often called hedgehog cactus. As translated from Greek Echinos means hedgehog. The plant really resembles the shape of a hedgehog, covered in frequent and strong thorns. Echinocactus gruzoni is also called the Golden Ball. Due to the frequent bright yellow spines.

Habitat and features of cacti of this species

The cactus is named after Herman Gruzon, who was the owner of the largest collection of succulents in the vastness of Europe.

The habitat of this species is the deserts of America and Mexico, located in a subtropical climate. In the natural habitat, echinocactus reaches a height of 3 m, in girth, the plant grows to 1.5 m. Real desert centenarians, whose age can reach 500 years. Collectors who grow echinocactus gruzoni at home can successfully grow a plant with a diameter of 0.4 m.

The length of the cactus spines is 3 cm. The central spines are up to 5 cm long. The crown of the plant, as usual, is covered with white bristles, it breaks the plant quite thickly. The number of echinocactus ribs 35 -45 pcs.

Description of the appearance of popular varieties and photos with them

Most popular varieties of echinocactus gruzoni - gruzoni red and gruzoni rainbow (about what species generally happens echinocactus, read here).

Gruzoni red:

Gruzoni Rainbow:

Red gruzoni gets an unusual color of thorns as a result of artificial tinting with food coloring or stamp ink. The stalk of the cactus has a natural deep green color, and its spines cover the stalk with a bright red halo.
Sellers of echinocactus gruzoni are not limited to coloring the plant only in red. Natural yellow cactus spines tint in various colors. Pink, purple, orange, saturated yellow. A flock of multicolored babies of Georgia is reminiscent of a mound of monpassier. Over time, growing, cacti are stretched and become oblong.

How to care for a cactus at home?

Care for succulents at home is quite simple.. Consider the basic principles of successful plant growth.

Habitat temperature

Due to the growth in the subtropics, the hedgehog cactus is a very thermophilic plant. It is necessary to ensure that the temperature in the growth room of the succulent does not fall below 8 degrees. A sharp drop in temperature is a real stress for groan. In summer, echinocactus is not averse to moving into the open air.

Watering

In the warmer months cactus must be watered after drying the soil layer 1/3. Saturated watering can lead to rotting of the stem. Inadequate watering will lead to wrinkling of the plant. With the onset of autumn, watering must be reduced. In winter, Georgian people hardly water it.

Lighting

The plant is very photophilous. He will thank the owner for life on the south window of the room.

Important! When switching from winter to spring succulent, you need to shade a bit until the Georgian leaves the winter hibernation.

Priming

As with any houseplant, the echinocactus pot needs to be provided with holes and a layer of drainage. This ensures the correct microclimate of the soil. The soil should be neutral or mineral. The plant grows well in the finished soil for succulents. Independently, the soil for the cactus is prepared by combining sheet and turf soil and sand.

Top dressing

Succulent need to be fed during the active growth phase. From April to September, once every 3 weeks, the cactus gratefully accepts top dressing for succulents.

Pot and transplant

Echinocactus gruzoni needs to be transplanted as the stem grows into a pot of comfortable size. Usually young plants are transplanted once every 2 years. Older plants can be replanted once every 3 to 4 years. Transplantation is carried out according to the following points.

You need to wear tight protective gloves, protecting your hands from strong and long spikes. Stock up on a cloth with which you can gently extract the plant.
Prying off the soil in the pot, carefully remove the cactus from the pot with a lump of earth.
Leave succulent in open form for 2-3 days. Damaged roots dry out, preventing the process of decay.
In a new pot, place drainage with a layer of 3-4 cm.
It is good to distribute the earth around the plant to give it stability.

Learn more about caring for echinocactus here.

Is it possible to plant in open ground?

In some cases, if climatic conditions allow, Echinocactus gruzoni can be planted in open ground for the spring-summer period.

Breeding

Seeds

Before sowing, cactus seeds are briefly soaked in water.
Seeds remaining on the water surface are removed. Sinking to the bottom of the tank with water, the seeds are taken to sowing.
Seeds are laid out on a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
Small pots with a volume of 200 ml are prepared. They are equipped with drainage and mineral or neutral soil for succulents.
Water is poured into the prepared pot. About 100 ml.
Seeds are sown on the surface of the soil.

Kids

The process is carried out in the spring. The lateral processes, the so-called babies, are carefully separated from the mother plant.
A pot with drainage and soil is prepared.
Children land in moist soil at a shallow depth.

Possible propagation of succulents in open ground. In this case, you must carefully monitor the growing conditions. Provide the plant with the necessary temperature, lighting and watering. Echinocactus is planted in the most illuminated part of the landscape.

Important! For plants in open ground, additional drainage must be provided.

Bloom

Echinocactus blooms after reaching 20 years of age. The flowers have a rich yellow-brown color. They reach 7 cm in length and 5 cm in width. They are located on the cap of the plant with a wreath. Flowering period - spring - summer.

If the plant is stubborn and does not give flowers, you need to “educate” it a little. Remember that a cactus is an unpretentious plant. You may have spoiled him. It is necessary to limit excessive care of the plant, bringing the growing conditions closer to natural.

Disease

The most harmful organisms for echinocactus are ticks, scutes and worms. Pest control methods.

If signs of the disease are found, the cactus must be thoroughly and carefully rinsed with warm water.
Make sure that water does not get into the pot with soil.
If this measure is not enough, it is time to use insecticides.
Make spraying the plant with infusion of chamomile or tobacco.
Pour the cactus with 0.15% Actellik solution several times with a break of 2 weeks.
The worm is removed from the plant with a soft swab dipped in warm water.

Five similar plants

For care and reproduction with echinocactus, the groves are similar:

Aporocactus (Rat Tail).
Dizocactus Ackerman.
Aporocactus is wattled.
Corifanta.
Mammillaria.

Using the methodology of caring for the magnificent echinocactus of Georgia, you can grow a friend for many years. It fits perfectly into any interior and landscape. With the right long-term care gratefully pleases with bright exotic flowers.