Turbinicarpus zaragozae
| Light | Bright light with some protection from the fiercest afternoon sun |
|---|---|
| Water | Sparingly; allow to dry fully between waterings, kept dry in winter |
| Soil | Very free-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; a cool, dry winter rest is beneficial |
| Propagation | Seed |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Turbinicarpus zaragozae is a small, slow-growing cactus from the state of Nuevo León in northeastern Mexico. It is normally solitary, forming a club-shaped green to blue-green stem clothed in glassy-white radial spines set off by darker central spines, and produces pale yellow to violet flowers at the crown. Like others in the genus, it is a miniature treasure prized by collectors and was long grown under the older name Gymnocactus zaragozae; it has more recently been placed in the segregate genus Rapicactus (as Rapicactus zaragosae).
Description
Turbinicarpus zaragozae is a diminutive plant that is usually solitary rather than clustering. The body is club-shaped — globular when young and becoming shortly cylindrical with age — and can eventually reach roughly 15 cm tall and 5 cm wide, though cultivated plants generally stay much smaller. It is greenish to blue-green, with a woolly growing point, and typically sits on a thickened taproot. The body is divided into low tubercles, each tipped with an areole bearing numerous glassy-white radial spines about 3–6 mm long, often with brownish tips, together with one to a few darker, brownish-black central spines that stand out against the paler radials, and occasional longer bristle-like spines.
Flowers appear from the woolly growing point, opening pale yellow to violet — usually with a darker midvein — and measuring around 2 cm across. As with most Turbinicarpus, the blooms are large in proportion to the small plant and appear from spring into summer when the plant is in active growth.
Distribution and habitat
The species is endemic to Nuevo León in northeastern Mexico, where it grows on arid gypsum hills in the vicinity of Zaragoza and, further south, Aramberri, at roughly 1200–1700 m. Plants grow among rock and gritty substrate in arid scrub, sometimes partly sheltered by low vegetation or wedged into crevices where a little extra moisture and root-run protection are available. Its natural range is very restricted. Turbinicarpus is listed on CITES Appendix I — a stricter listing than the Appendix II coverage that applies to cacti generally — so international trade in wild-collected plants is tightly controlled, and the IUCN assesses the species as Vulnerable. Nursery-propagated plants are widely available and are the only responsible source; collecting from habitat is neither necessary nor legal.
Cultivation
Turbinicarpus zaragozae is an undemanding little cactus provided its roots are never left wet. Grow it in a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix in a small pot, in bright light with a little shade from the harshest summer sun. Water thoroughly only when the mix has dried right through, and then allow it to dry again before the next watering.
The single most important point is a cool, completely dry winter rest: this hardens the plant, encourages spring flowering, and prevents the rot that easily claims overwatered specimens. Because the species is slow and small, it is happy in a modest container and needs only occasional repotting. See Watering for general technique.
Propagation
Seed is the standard method and produces the most natural, well-formed plants; the fine seed germinates readily on a warm, mineral surface kept humid. See Propagation — seed for a full walkthrough. Because the plant is normally solitary and only rarely produces offsets, division is seldom an option, and choice or difficult clones are more often increased by grafting than grown on their own roots.
Common problems
- Rot — by far the commonest cause of loss, almost always from overwatering, a slow-draining mix, or water left sitting on the plant through cool weather; the base softens and browns.
- Etiolation — too little light makes the body pale and stretch upward, losing its neat, compact form.
- Pests — red spider mites and mealybugs (white fluff among the spines and roots) are the usual offenders; check the areoles and root-neck regularly.
See also
- Turbinicarpus — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — seed · Propagation — offsets · Repotting · Pests and diseases