Synonyms:

Blossfeldia cryptocarpa

Habitat:

Yavia cryptocarpa grows in small area between Argentina and Bolivia, at 3700 m. above sea level.

Description:

Yavia cryptocarpa is formed by a single cylindrical stem or rarely, two or more stems, tightly packed, growing close together, and they are very small: in the natural habitat reaches 25 millimeters! The upper part of these stems is flattened with a small depression in the center. The stems are usually covered with brown-grayish hairs in their upper part, which serves to minimize water loss through evaporation. The upper part of the plant, in its natural environment, is the only one visible: Yavia grows in cracks between the rocks, and barely ticks out up on the surface. This is always to protect itself from the extreme climatic conditions of its habitat.
In late Spring, on the upper part of the stem, a beautiful pink flower sprouts, with numerous petals distinct from each other, which then turns into a fruit that contains up to 7 seeds.

Cultivation:

Yavia grow little and very slowly: they are perfect to be grown in pots with a well draining substrate. This plant needs a lot of light and a low degree of humidity in the air.
They can also be grown outside: they can withstand temperatures as low as -10ºC.
In summer, you need to water them about once a week, always waiting for the soil to dry completely before each watering

Propagation:

Propagation is mainly done through seeds or grafting. Growing seeded plants can be a bit more difficult: they need to be repotted more frequently and are sensitive to excessive exposure to sunlight. Grafted plants, on the other hand, are easier to manage, but show a more pronounced growth in height, which makes them different from Yavia growing in their natural habitat.

Curiosity:

The recently discovered yavia genus has only one plant: Yavia cryptocarpa is rare and highly coveted by collectors.

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www.giromagi.com

Italian Blog:
www.giromagicactus.com

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