Parodia
Parodia is a genus of small to medium-sized globular and short-columnar cacti from South America, prized among hobbyists for their free-flowering nature and their bright, often glossy blooms in shades of yellow, orange and red. As currently understood the genus is a broad one, having absorbed several formerly separate genera — most significantly Notocactus, along with Eriocactus, Wigginsia and Brasilicactus — so a plant you bought years ago as a Notocactus is very likely a Parodia today.
Description
Most Parodia are ribbed or tuberculate globes that broaden into a short column with age, ranging from thimble-sized to well over a foot tall in the larger species. The ribs are lined with woolly areoles carrying spines that vary enormously across the genus — from soft, comb-like radials to stiff, hooked centrals, and in colours from white through gold to reddish-brown. Many species have a distinctly woolly crown, and a few of the former Eriocactus species (such as Parodia leninghausii) are draped in soft golden bristles.
The flowers are the genus's great appeal. They open from the crown, are typically funnel- to cup-shaped, and are often large relative to the plant. Yellow is the commonest colour, but oranges, coppery tones and vivid reds all occur, and many species bloom generously and repeatedly through the warmer months even on relatively young plants.
Distribution
The genus is spread widely across South America, from the Andean highlands of Bolivia, Peru and northern Argentina — the heartland of the plants long known as Parodia in the strict sense — down into the grasslands and rocky outcrops of Uruguay, southern Brazil and Paraguay, where most of the former Notocactus species originate. Plants generally grow in gritty, well-drained ground among grasses and rocks, often with some seasonal moisture, which is reflected in their relatively forgiving cultivation.
Notable species
- Parodia magnifica — the "balloon cactus" (formerly Notocactus magnificus), a blue-green, sharply ribbed clustering species with pale yellow flowers; a hobbyist favourite.
- Parodia leninghausii — the "golden ball" or "lemon ball" cactus (formerly Eriocactus leninghausii), a soft golden-spined columnar species.
- Parodia haselbergii — the "scarlet ball cactus" (formerly Brasilicactus haselbergii), notable among the genus for its orange-red flowers.
- Parodia ottonis — a widespread, variable, easy-flowering species with yellow blooms.
- Parodia scopa — the "silver ball", densely clothed in fine white and reddish spines.
- Parodia warasii — a robust golden-spined species, formerly placed in Eriocactus.
- Parodia mammulosa — a compact, reliably free-flowering former Notocactus.
Cultivation
As a group, Parodia are among the more beginner-friendly cacti, which is a large part of their popularity. They ask for a bright position — good light brings out compact growth and free flowering — with a little shading from the fiercest summer sun to prevent scorch on the greener-bodied species. Grow them in a free-draining but not purely mineral mix; many of the former Notocactus species come from grassland and appreciate slightly more organic matter and water than desert cacti.
Water generously through the growing season once the mix has dried, then reduce sharply and keep the plants cool and dry over winter. A dry, cool winter rest is the key to good flowering the following year. Most species are hardy to around USDA zone 9 if kept dry in winter, though a few tolerate a touch more cold. See Watering and Repotting for general technique, and Pests and diseases for the usual pests — mealybugs and root mealybugs in particular.
Propagation
Parodia are readily raised from seed, which germinates freely and is the standard way to produce most species. Clustering species — and many form clumps with age — can also be increased by removing rooted offsets. Offsets or severed heads root once a cut surface has callused; see Propagation — cuttings.
Hobby and cultivar notes
The great practical point for collectors is the naming shuffle: the merger of Notocactus, Eriocactus, Wigginsia and Brasilicactus into Parodia means many plants circulate under two names, and older labels and catalogues still use the segregate genera. When searching for or trading a plant it is worth checking both the current Parodia name and its old synonym. Beyond straight species, growers prize particularly free-flowering or heavily spined forms, and variegated and crested specimens of species like Parodia leninghausii appear occasionally in collections.
See also
- Cactaceae — the cactus family
- Parodia magnifica · Parodia leninghausii · Parodia ottonis
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting · Propagation — seed · Propagation — offsets · Pests and diseases