Fluffy cactus, or, as it is also called, cactus espostoa, has about 16 varieties. All of them have not only traditional spines, but also fluffy soft hairs, thanks to which the plant got its name.
General description
Shaggy cactus grows mainly in Peru and Ecuador on stony mountain slopes at an altitude of no more than one and a half kilometers.
The fluffy cactus got its second name in honor of the famous botanist Esposto Nicolos, who was the first to pay attention to this succulent and began its thorough study.
A hairy cactus looks very unusual
A shaggy cactus looks as if fluff has clung to its needles. It is this fluff that reliably protects the plant from most known pests. An unusual shaggy species distinguishes this succulent among other varieties of cacti.
The plant has erect green cylindrical stems with low vertical ribs. Prickly hiding under the pubescence. Flowering occurs infrequently, with flowers with a diameter of three to five centimeters, the petals of which are painted in white, greenish or pink. The type of flowers is funnel-shaped. They have an unpleasant odor.
Main varieties
Having figured out what a hairy cactus is and what is called, it's time to consider the most common varieties of a flower.
Espoosta woolly
This cactus is known to many gardeners under the unofficial nickname Fluffy. The flower is ideal for growing at home. Under natural conditions, succulent grows up to 5 meters in height, reaching 50-60 centimeters in diameter.
In the wild, hairy cacti grow in gigantic proportions.
In this case, its pubescence is preserved only in the upper part of the plant. On the window sills of Espostoa, the woolly grows no more than 70 centimeters, and then only if she is provided with proper care.
Espostoa Lanata
Espostoa Lanata is the most common succulent species in indoor floriculture. A distinctive feature of this cactus is a stalk in the form of a column on which there can be up to 25 ribs. Shoots begin to appear only in adult plants. The color of the stem is Espoosta Lanata is green, the needles are yellow with reddish tips. All this beauty is as if wrapped in a cloudy veil. In the care, a shaggy cactus is unpretentious, but practically does not bloom as a houseplant.
Cephalocereus
Cephalocereus, or, as it is also called, Senilis, is another popular columnar cactus, whose homeland is Mexico. At home, the plant reaches an average of 35 centimeters in height, while in the wild it can grow up to 15 meters. This white fluffy cactus is quite comfortable both on the windowsills of the apartments (provided that they are located on the sunny side), and in greenhouses.
Important! Growing Senilis on the windowsill, you should be prepared for the fact that succulent will not bloom.
The white hairs covering the cactus make it look a bit like a head covered with gray hair. Therefore, many people answer the question about the shaggy cactus, what exactly is this variety called - The head of an old man. Of course, this name is unofficial.
Compared to other species, Cephalocereus is relatively moody. He does not tolerate waterlogging or excessively dry air; his hair will have to be unraveled periodically. In some subspecies of Senilis, the spines resemble a hook.
Care Rules
Caring for a hairy cactus is not particularly difficult. The plant consumes the minimum amount of nutrients from the soil, does not need regular watering and perfectly tolerates direct sunlight.
Hairy cacti do not need frequent watering
Nevertheless, there are some rules that should be followed so that the flower feels as comfortable as possible.
Temperature
A fluffy cactus loves heat very much, because in the summertime the temperature in the room in which it is grown should not be below +22 degrees. The most comfortable succulent when the temperature remains at around 30 degrees.
In winter, the plant goes into hibernation. In this regard, the temperature regime can be lowered to +16 degrees.
Interesting. Since mid-December, the plant falls into deep hibernation and can survive at a temperature of +10 degrees. The most important thing is not to feed and water it in these conditions.
Humidity
Shaggy cactus is not very sensitive to moisture. The only thing that is highly discouraged to do is spray the plant with water. As a result of this procedure, a calcareous coating appears on the succulent's hairs, and the flower looks extremely untidy.
Watering
Shaggy cactus prefers loose and dry soil, so excessive moisture can be detrimental to it. It is enough to water the plant on average once a week as the soil dries up. In winter, this procedure should be repeated no more than once a month. Succulent reacts very negatively to excess water. Typically, the flower begins to rot in the lower part of the trunk.
Important! It is recommended to use soft, settled water at room temperature for irrigation.
The soil
For growing espostoa, it is recommended to mix sand and garden soil in equal proportions with the addition of vermiculite or expanded clay. If planting is done in a ready-made substrate for cacti, a certain amount of garden soil should also be added to it. This will make the soil more nutritious and moisture-resistant. Particular attention should be paid to the organization of good drainage.
For your information. It is not necessary to deeply deepen the plant during planting. This may cause it to rot.
Top dressing
A hairy cactus requires virtually no fertilizer. Top dressing is introduced with minimal doses in the period from May to September. Pre-water the plant by wetting the roots. Otherwise, the fertilizer is very likely to burn the root system.
As a top dressing, any mineral composition for cacti and organics is optimally suitable.
Cactus bloom
Flowering of a hairy cactus is very rare in practice. For this to happen, it is necessary to create conditions close to natural.
The flowers are usually white or pale pink, have the shape of a funnel. Their diameter is on average about 5 centimeters, height - 5-6 centimeters. The opening of the buds occurs exclusively at night.
Breeding options
Propagating a hairy cactus is quite difficult because its trunk is completely covered with needles. This greatly complicates the process of separating children or cuttings. In addition, the low probability of flowering does not make it possible to regularly collect seeds for cultivation.
Fluffy cacti rarely bloom at home, but beautiful
If the florist wants to get high-quality seedlings of shaggy white cacti, the simplest solution is to purchase what you need in a specialized store.
Another option is to use the air layering method. To do this, you need to clean the side shoot in the place where it connects to the trunk, from needles and cover the resulting open wound with wet moss. Moss should be carefully covered with a film of polyethylene. You can remove it only after the newly formed roots break through the polyethylene. Then it remains only to separate the resulting cuttings from the mother cactus and place them in the ground without removing the moss.
A hairy cactus is an excellent choice for those who want to decorate their apartment with fresh flowers, but have no particular desire to spend a lot of time caring for them. Due to its unusual appearance, this succulent stands out from other representatives of its species. Due to the variety of varieties available for sale, picking up the ideal indoor plant is not difficult.
