Turbinicarpus beguinii
| Light | Bright light; a little shade from the fiercest summer sun |
|---|---|
| Water | Sparingly; let the soil dry fully between waterings, kept dry in winter |
| Soil | Gritty, fast-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; roughly USDA zones 9b–11 |
| Propagation | Seed (primary); occasionally offsets or grafting |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Turbinicarpus beguinii is a small, slow-growing cactus from the arid highlands of north-central and northeastern Mexico, easily recognised by its globose to shortly cylindrical body clothed in dense, chalky-white radial spines with dark tips and topped in season by delicate pinkish flowers. Long shuffled between genera, it was formerly placed in Gymnocactus and has also been treated under Neolloydia and Pelecyphora, but is today generally accepted within Turbinicarpus. It is one of the more widespread and variable members of the genus.
Description
Turbinicarpus beguinii typically forms a solitary, globose to shortly cylindrical body, though older plants may cluster with age. The stem is built from small, spirally arranged tubercles, each carrying an areole that produces a dense crown of fine radial spines. These spines are the plant's signature feature: numerous, thin and appressed, chalky white to greyish and often conspicuously dark- or brown-tipped, so that the whole body appears wrapped in a pale, bristly coat that partly obscures the grey-green skin beneath.
Flowers appear from near the growing tip, usually in the cooler part of the growing season. They are modest in size, funnel-shaped, and range from pale pinkish-white to a soft magenta, often with a darker midstripe on the outer petals. At roughly 7–10 cm tall when mature, it is among the larger and more robust members of a genus whose species often tend toward the tiny and globular.
Distribution and habitat
The species is comparatively widespread across the arid highlands of north-central and northeastern Mexico, particularly in the states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas and Tamaulipas. It grows on limestone hills, rocky slopes and gravelly flats, often tucked among rocks or low vegetation that offer a little shelter and root run in mineral, sharply drained ground.
Like all members of its genus, T. beguinii is listed on CITES Appendix I — the strictest level of protection, reserved among cacti for a handful of heavily collected genera — because of pressure from illegal collecting. (All cacti are covered at minimum by Appendix II.) Nursery-propagated, seed-grown plants are widely and legally available; wild collection is neither necessary nor permitted.
Cultivation
Turbinicarpus beguinii is one of the more forgiving members of its genus, but it still rewards restraint. Grow it in a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix in a pot that drains freely, and give it bright light with only light shading from the most intense summer sun — good light keeps the spination dense and the body compact.
Water thoroughly once the soil has dried out completely during the growing season, then allow it to dry again before the next drink. Through winter, keep the plant cool and completely dry; this winter rest hardens the plant, encourages flowering and, most importantly, guards against rot, which is by far the commonest cause of loss. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Seed is the usual and most reliable method, sown on a warm, gritty surface kept humid until germination. Plants raised from seed are the backbone of the hobby and keep wild populations undisturbed. Where clustering plants offer them, offsets can occasionally be removed and rooted (see Propagation — offsets), and slow or difficult seedlings are sometimes grafted onto a vigorous rootstock to speed them along before being grown on their own roots. See Propagation — seed for a full walkthrough.
Common problems
- Rot — nearly always the result of overwatering, a heavy mix, or moisture during the winter rest; the plant softens and discolours from the base.
- Etiolation — too little light causes the body to elongate abnormally and the dense white spination to thin, spoiling the plant's tight habit.
- Pests — red spider mites (fine webbing and bronzing of the skin) and mealybugs (white fluff among the spines and roots) are the pests to watch for; see Pests and diseases.
See also
- Turbinicarpus — the genus overview
- Grafting · Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — seed · Propagation — offsets