Acanthocalycium thionanthum var. Ferrarii
Habitat:
It is endemic to rocky ground at 2000-3500 m. from the north of Santa Maria, Tucumán (Argentina).
Description:
The Acanthocalycium thionanthum var. Ferrarii, is a cactacea that usually grows solitary and in nature prefers rocky soils.
Its appearance is globose and a little crushed, can reach 10-12 centimeters in diameter, is green or gray-green, with many spines.
The Acanthocalycium thionanthum var. Ferrarii can have up to 18 coasts, the areoles are oval and whitish in color. The radial thorns curved towards the stem, typically are 9 and about 2 cm long, cream-white in color, sometimes with yellow or dark red tips. The central spines: from 1 to 4 are sturdy and straight, up to 1.5 centimeters long, the same color as the radial ones.
Generally it does not branch and produces flowers that can be orange, red or yellow and can reach 5 centimeters in diameter and 5 in height.
Fruits: oval, 10 mm long and 8 mm wide.
Cultivation:
Acanthocalycium thionanthum var. Ferrarii is not tough to grow. First of all, it requires a bright spot, under direct sunlight. Also important is to place it in an aiy environment. It can’t bear temperatures below 6ºC. Watering should be abundant in Summer (every 3-4 days) and less frequent in Winter (once a week). It’s important to make sure that the soil is completely dry before each watering. Also, provide your A. ferrari with well drained soil and proceed with abundant fertilizers at least once a month months from May to October. This plant usually remain small and therefore there is no need for repotting.
Propagation:
The best way to propagate your Acanthocalycium thionanthum var. Ferrari is by seeds.
Curiosities:
The name Acanthocalycium derives from the Greek: ákantha (which means pungent) and cályx (which means goblet) and refers to the thorns on the floral tubes; while the epiteto ferrarii was conferred in honor of the Argentinian agronomist and cactus collector Omar Ferrari.
