Matucana paucicostata
| Light | Bright light with some direct sun; a little shade from the fiercest afternoon summer sun |
|---|---|
| Water | Regularly in the growing season once the mix has dried; keep dry and cool over winter |
| Soil | Gritty, fast-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; roughly USDA zones 9b–11, best kept frost-free |
| Propagation | Seed; offsets from clustering plants |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Matucana paucicostata is a small, few-ribbed, clustering cactus from the Andes of Peru, prized by hobbyists for its sparse spination and vivid carmine-red flowers. As the specific name suggests (pauci- "few", costata "ribbed"), the body carries notably fewer ribs than most of its relatives, and the plant is one of the easier and most free-flowering members of the genus Matucana in cultivation.
Description
Matucana paucicostata forms a low, roughly globular to shortly cylindrical body a few centimetres across, usually deep green and often flushed grey. Where many of its relatives carry twenty or more ribs, this species has only about seven to eleven broad, straight ribs — hence the name — giving it a distinctly ribbed, faceted look. The areoles bear a modest number of thin, curved spines that are far less dense than in many Andean cacti, so the body itself remains clearly visible. With age plants readily offset from the base and lower flanks to build up small clusters.
The flowers are the highlight: slender, tubular and slightly zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetric rather than star-shaped), opening purplish-pink to carmine red from near the crown. This tubular, one-sided flower form is characteristic of Matucana and reflects pollination by hummingbirds in habitat. Free-flowering plants can produce a striking succession of blooms through the warmer months.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to Peru, where it grows in the river valleys of the Ancash region of the northern Andes on rocky slopes at moderate elevation, roughly 1,800–2,800 m. Like others in the genus it is adapted to sharply drained, stony ground, strong light and a pronounced seasonal rhythm of summer rains and a cooler, drier resting period. These montane origins make it more tolerant of cool nights than many lowland cacti, provided it is kept dry when cold; it is nonetheless frost-tender.
Cultivation
Matucana paucicostata is one of the more forgiving members of its genus and a good choice for a keen beginner. Grow it in a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix in a pot that drains freely, in bright light with a little shade from the most intense summer afternoon sun. During the growing season water thoroughly once the mix has dried, then allow it to dry again; as with most cacti, standing wet is the main cause of loss.
Give the plant a cool, dry winter rest to firm up the body and encourage the following season's flowers. Good air movement and the seasonal dry period help prevent rot at the base, which is where clustering plants are most vulnerable. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Seed is the standard and most reliable method: sow on a warm, mineral surface kept humid until germination, then grow the seedlings on hard and bright. Because the species clusters, established plants also offer an easy vegetative route — offsets can be removed, the cut surface allowed to callus, and then rooted in a gritty mix. See Propagation — seed and Propagation — offsets for full walkthroughs.
Common problems
- Rot — usually from overwatering, a slow-draining mix, or moisture sitting in the crowded base of a cluster; affected tissue softens and browns.
- Etiolation — too little light makes the body stretch and pale, blurring the neat few-ribbed outline.
- Pests — red spider mites (fine webbing and bronzed skin) and mealybugs (white fluff in the areoles and among the offsets) are the common culprits; see Pests and diseases.
See also
- Matucana — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting
- Propagation — seed · Propagation — offsets
- Pests and diseases