Neobuxbaumia
Family: Cactaceae
Habitat: Mexico
Cultivation: To grow well, it must be kept in full sunlight at temperatures above 8 ° C. It has a slow growth and blooms in the summer.
Curiosity: Its name is in honor of Franz Buxbaum, an Austrian botanist who disappeared in 1979
NEOBUXBAUMIA KEY FETURES
The Neobuxbaumia genus consists of columnar cacti that can reach several meters in height. The stem, which can reach up to 10 meters in height in nature, is characterized by a large number of horizontal ribs and maintains a very compact appearance due to the little depth of the grooves along the various ribs. It has a dark green color with yellow or brown thorns. Rarely the stem branches, and the plant tends to keep its typical candelabrum shape.
The flowers grow either on the top of the plant and along the stem and have bright colors ranging from yellow to dark red.
VARIETY AND TYPES
There are currently eight species of different plants belonging to the genus Neobuxbaumia. Below you find the main ones.
- Neobuxbaumia euphorbioides
- N. polylopha
- N. scoparia
- N. tetetzo.
TIPS FOR GROWING
Neobuxbaumia is easy to cultivate, and although it has a slow growth, it can give great satisfaction.
Here are our cultivation tips:
- EXPOSURE: In greenhouse in full light, in a humid environment. Outdoors, place it in very bright areas, possibly in the sun.
- TEMPERATURE: Be careful not to leave the plant below 6 – 8 ° C. In winter it is better to repair the plant, possibly moving it to a closed area.
- WATERING: Water with lots of parsimony and suspend completely in the period from October to March, for a proper vernalization.
- SOIL: The Neobuxbaumia adapt to poor, rocky but very drained soils. A standard fertilizer for cactaceae can be used in pots.
- CONCIMATION: Add monthly, to the watering in spring and in summer, a liquid fertilizer with little nitrogen.
- REPOT: Normally, these cactacees need to be repotted once every 2-3 years.
- REPRODUCTION: Generally by seed, to be stored in spring or summer in a sandy and damp bed. Sometimes stem cuttings can also be made, but they are not easy to root.
