Matucana intertexta
| Light | Bright light with some protection from the harshest afternoon sun |
|---|---|
| Water | Regular in the growing season, letting the mix dry between waterings; dry winter rest |
| Soil | Fast-draining, gritty mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; roughly USDA zones 9b–11 |
| Propagation | Seed (primary); occasionally offsets |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Matucana intertexta is a globular to shortly cylindrical cactus from the dry inter-Andean valleys of northern Peru, prized by collectors for its tidy geometry and its pale orange to red, only slightly oblique flowers. The species belongs to the small Andean genus Matucana, and takes its name from the way its spines cross and interlace over the body, forming a loose, netted covering. It was for a time placed in the genus Borzicactus (and also in Submatucana), names still seen on older labels.
Description
Matucana intertexta forms a solitary, depressed-globular body that lengthens into a short cylinder with age, green, and reaching up to about 30 cm tall and some 18 cm across. It is divided into roughly 15–25 low ribs bearing evenly spaced areoles. From these emerge stiff, straight to slightly curved spines whose radials interlace across neighbouring areoles — the trait that gives the species both its neat appearance and its name. Spine colour ranges from whitish through brown to dark brown, the spines darkening with age.
Flowers appear from near the crown in spring and early summer. As in the genus they are borne on a slender floral tube, though in this species they are only weakly oblique — closer to radially symmetrical than the strongly two-sided blooms of some relatives — opening in warm shades of pale orange to red or scarlet, sometimes with yellow tones. The bloom is a strong draw for growers, and in cultivation well-grown plants can flower freely once mature.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to northern Peru, in particular the Cajamarca region, where it grows on rocky slopes and in gritty soils of the seasonally dry inter-Andean valleys. Like other Matucana, it experiences a distinct wet and dry cycle: moisture during the growing season followed by a cool, largely dry period. Plants root among rock and mineral debris with sharp drainage, exposed to strong light at altitude.
Cultivation
Matucana intertexta is a rewarding and relatively forgiving cactus by the standards of the genus, provided its roots are never left standing wet. Grow it in a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix in a pot that suits its modest root system, and give it bright light — enough sun keeps the body compact and encourages the interlacing spines and flowering, though a little shade from the fiercest afternoon sun is wise under glass.
Water thoroughly during the growing season once the mix has dried, then hold back as autumn approaches; keep the plant cool and essentially dry through winter, which both prevents rot and helps set the following season's flowers. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Seed is the usual and most reliable method. Fresh seed germinates well on a warm, gritty surface kept humid until the seedlings establish; see Propagation — seed for a full walkthrough. Plants may occasionally produce offsets that can be removed and rooted once calloused (see Propagation — offsets), but the species is largely grown as solitary specimens from seed.
Common problems
- Rot — the main cause of loss, almost always from overwatering, a slow-draining mix, or moisture during the cold winter rest; the body softens and discolours from the base or crown.
- Etiolation — too little light makes the body pale and elongate, spoiling the compact geometry and loosening the spine pattern.
- Pests — red spider mites (fine webbing and bronzed skin) and mealybugs (white fluff in the areoles and among the roots) are the usual offenders. See Pests and diseases.
See also
- Matucana — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting · Propagation — seed · Propagation — offsets