Matucana polzii
| Light | Bright light; full sun to light afternoon shade |
|---|---|
| Water | Moderate in growth, allow to dry between waterings; keep dry and cool in winter |
| Soil | Fast-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; a cool, dry winter rest suits it |
| Propagation | Seed; readily from offsets (clusters freely) |
| Toxicity | Not known to be toxic to cats or dogs |
Matucana polzii is a globular, freely offsetting Peruvian cactus, described in 1986 (by Diers, Donald & Zecher), grown mainly for its clumping, cushion-forming habit and its funnel-shaped, carmine-red to orange flowers. Like others in the genus Matucana, it is a compact, mountain-dwelling plant with slightly zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetric) blooms of the kind associated with hummingbird pollination in the genus. It is often treated as a subspecies of Matucana aurantiaca (as M. aurantiaca subsp. polzii), though other authors keep it as a distinct species.
Description
Matucana polzii forms a squat, flattened-globular stem only a few centimetres tall but up to roughly 8–10 cm across, grass-green and divided into about 9–16 low, rounded ribs broken into gentle tubercles by transverse grooves. It offsets strongly and, in time, builds broad clustered cushions of many heads. The areoles carry tiny, flexible, comb-like (pectinate) spines that are widely spaced and mostly pale — whitish to brownish-yellow, often darker at the tips — with only one to three slightly longer centrals.
Flowering is infrequent, as the plant tends to put its energy into offsets, and blooms appear only on well-grown heads. The flowers are funnel-shaped and slightly curved, mildly zygomorphic (bilaterally rather than radially symmetric) — a form typical of the genus — and dark carmine-red to orange, roughly 5–7 cm long. They are borne near the crown.
Distribution and habitat
The genus Matucana is endemic to Peru, where the species grow on rocky slopes and in gritty, well-drained ground in the Andean valleys and foothills. M. polzii is known from the upper Río Marañón drainage, in montane, mineral-rich habitat that drains quickly after rain and dries hard between wet spells. It has a restricted known range and has not been formally assessed for conservation status; as with any narrowly distributed cactus, cultivated, seed- or offset-raised plants are the responsible source.
Cultivation
Matucana polzii is straightforward for anyone used to Andean globular cacti. Grow it in a very free-draining, largely mineral mix and give it bright light — full sun in cooler climates, with a little shade from the fiercest afternoon sun where summers are intense. Water moderately through the growing season, letting the mix dry out between waterings, and keep the plant dry and cool over winter. That cool, dry rest both hardens the plant against rot and helps encourage what flowering it will give the following season.
Overwatering, especially in cold or dull conditions, is the usual cause of trouble. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Seed gives the best-formed, most free-flowering plants, and Matucana seed generally germinates readily on a warm, moist mineral surface. Because M. polzii offsets so freely, rooted offsets are also an easy and reliable way to increase it. See Propagation — seed for a full walkthrough.
Common problems
- Rot — almost always from overwatering or a slow-draining mix, particularly during the cold months; the body softens and discolours from the base.
- Etiolation — too little light causes weak, elongated growth and even sparser flowering.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff in the areoles and among the roots) and red spider mites (fine webbing, bronzed skin) are the usual offenders; see Pests and diseases.
See also
- Matucana — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — seed · Propagation — offsets · Repotting