Description
Cacti are almost always rewarding green companions in the home. Yet the goal of every cactus grower is to get them to flower. Read below how to achieve it.
The great interest in cacti probably comes from the huge variety of growth forms among the many species: small, large, globular, columnar, woolly, with big strong spines, smooth. And, of course, those that look exactly the way most people picture a cactus.
Cactus flowers are a curiosity in themselves. They come in beautiful bright colours, often white, red, yellow or pink. Some cacti have particularly large flowers and make an extraordinary impression. Some flower very easily, while with others it can be a challenge. Some cacti flower for just one night, others for as long as 12 to 24 days. Most cacti flower from June to September. Then, from October to December, it is the turn of the autumn and Christmas cacti. Some species flower in February. The Easter cactus flowers from mid-March, and Aporocactus in April–May.
Care
How much light a cactus needs depends on the species. Desert cacti crave light, while species that come from forests are content with weaker light.
At home you have to find out by trial. If a cactus drops its new shoots, the cause is often incorrect lighting.
The right temperature is the most important factor for flower formation. Most cacti flower in summer and rest in winter. During the rest period they should be kept somewhere cooler. The ideal temperature is about 10°C. If we do not give them this break, in most cases they will not form flowers, because it is during the rest period, when vegetative growth stops, that flower buds are initiated.
During the growing phase a cactus needs enough water and good feeding to flower profusely. For forest cacti, as well as leaf cacti, the rule is that they grow well when their roots are kept constantly moist. Desert cacti, on the other hand, are easily damaged if they stand in wet soil for a long time. They rot easily and topple over.
During the rest period all cacti need very little water. The reserves the plant has stored are enough. After flowering a cactus should be kept almost dry. Water only when the plant starts to shrivel. From the moment the cactus starts forming buds, it must not be allowed to dry out, and it must not be moved.