Lobivia maximiliana
| Light | Bright light with some direct sun; acclimate to avoid scorching |
|---|---|
| Water | Moderate in the growing season; keep dry and cool in winter |
| Soil | Gritty, fast-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Cold-tolerant when dry; happiest kept above freezing |
| Propagation | Seed and offsets; division of clumps |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Lobivia maximiliana is a clumping, high-altitude cactus from the Andes of Peru and Bolivia, prized for its vivid, often two-toned flowers. Its short cylindrical stems offset freely to build up cushion-like mounds over time, and in season each head can throw funnel-shaped blooms that are commonly red with a yellow or orange throat, though flower colour is notably variable. It belongs to the genus Lobivia, a group of small Andean cacti celebrated for outsized, brilliantly coloured flowers, and is also widely catalogued under the name Echinopsis maximiliana.
Description
Lobivia maximiliana forms low clusters of globular to short-cylindrical stems, each typically only a few centimetres across, that multiply from the base into dense clumps. The ribs are low and often notched into tubercles, carrying evenly spaced areoles from which grow modest radial spines; spination varies considerably across the species' wide range, and many forms are only lightly armed.
The flowers are the plant's great attraction. Borne laterally near the tops of the stems, they are funnel-shaped on a short tube and radially symmetrical, typically a few centimetres long and about as wide across the mouth. Colour is variable across the species' range: the common form is red with an orange-yellow throat, giving a warm bicoloured effect, but yellow, pink and purple-flowered forms also occur. Blooms appear through the warmer months and open over one or more days.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to the high Andes of southern Peru and Bolivia, where it grows at considerable elevation — often in exposed grassland, rocky slopes and mountain turf. Plants there endure intense sunlight, wide swings between daytime warmth and freezing nights, and a strongly seasonal climate with a distinct dry period. The clumping, low-growing habit and the tendency to sit tight against gritty, well-drained ground are adaptations to these cold, bright, windswept conditions. Because it ranges so widely, L. maximiliana is quite variable, and numerous local forms and older segregate names have been folded into it.
Cultivation
Lobivia maximiliana is an accommodating, free-flowering plant for the collector who can give it a bright spot and a cold, dry winter. Grow it in a gritty, mostly mineral mix in a pot with good drainage. It appreciates more water than a desert cactus during active growth in spring and summer — water thoroughly, then let the mix approach dryness before watering again (see Watering).
The key to flowering is a cool, completely dry winter rest; kept bright and dry, the species tolerates considerable cold, reflecting its montane origins, though it is safest protected from hard frost in cultivation. Give as much light as you can, with a little acclimatisation to prevent scorching pale spring growth. As clumps fill their container, move them on in spring (see Repotting).
Propagation
Being a clumping species, L. maximiliana is easily increased by removing rooted offsets from around the base and potting them up once any cut surface has callused; established clumps can also be divided. See Propagation — offsets for technique. It is equally straightforward from seed, which germinates readily on a warm, gritty surface kept humid — the usual route to raising the many colour and spine forms (see Propagation — seed).
Common problems
- Rot — the commonest killer, brought on by a heavy, slow-draining mix or by watering during the cold winter rest.
- Shy flowering — usually a sign of too little light or of a warm, moist winter; a cool dry rest and strong sun set the plant up to bloom.
- Etiolation — insufficient light makes the stems soft, pale and elongated instead of squat and firm.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff in the areoles and among the offsets) and red spider mites are the ones to watch for; see Pests and diseases.
See also
- Lobivia — the genus overview
- Watering · Soil and potting mix · Repotting
- Propagation — offsets · Propagation — seed