Weingartia neocumingii
| Light | Bright light; a little shade from the fiercest summer sun |
|---|---|
| Water | Moderately in growth, letting the mix dry between waterings; keep dry in winter |
| Soil | Gritty, fast-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; happiest in USDA zones 9–11, tolerates a cool dry winter rest |
| Propagation | Seed (primary); occasional offsets |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Weingartia neocumingii is the best-known member of the genus Weingartia, a small, spiny, globular cactus from the Bolivian Andes that carries bright yellow flowers around the upper part of its stems each year. Cheerful, fairly forgiving and quick to bloom, it is a favourite among growers of small South American cacti and a good introduction to the genus.
Description
Weingartia neocumingii forms a solitary, more or less spherical to shortly cylindrical stem, typically a few centimetres across but capable of reaching around 10 cm wide and 20 cm tall, sometimes clustering with age. The body is divided into low, spiralling ribs broken up into distinct tubercles, each carrying an areole with a dense cluster of fine, bristly, pale to golden spines that can nearly obscure the green skin.
The flowers are the plant's great appeal. They open from areoles toward the upper part of the stem, often several near the crown and near the tips of the stems — a single areole can produce more than one bloom — and are a clear, glossy yellow. Several blooms can be open at once over a long spring-to-summer season, and mature plants flower readily even while still small. The small, dry fruits that follow contain numerous tiny seeds.
Distribution and habitat
The species is endemic to Bolivia, where it grows on rocky slopes, cliffs and among stones in seasonally dry inter-Andean valleys at moderate to high elevation (roughly 1,400–3,000 m). In habitat it experiences bright sun, sharp drainage and a marked seasonal rhythm — a warmer, wetter growing season followed by a cold, dry winter. This high-altitude origin makes it more tolerant of cool nights than many lowland cacti, provided it is kept dry when cold.
The genus is taxonomically tangled: plants once placed here have been shuffled between Weingartia, Rebutia and Sulcorebutia as botanists have revised the group, which is why this species is still widely sold under those other names.
Cultivation
Weingartia neocumingii is an accommodating plant by cactus standards. Grow it in a gritty, mostly mineral mix in a pot with good drainage, and give it bright light with only a little shade from the most intense midsummer sun. Water moderately through the growing season, always letting the mix dry out before watering again, and keep the plant cool and completely dry through winter — this winter rest both prevents rot and encourages the generous spring flowering.
The species is quicker and less temperamental than many Andean cacti, tolerating a little more moisture in growth, though overwatering and a soggy mix remain the main dangers. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Seed is the usual and most reliable method: sown on a warm, gritty surface and kept humid, the fine seed germinates well, and seedlings reach flowering size relatively quickly. Where plants form clusters, offsets can sometimes be separated and rooted, but seed remains the standard route to new plants. See Propagation — seed and Propagation — offsets for full walkthroughs.
Common problems
- Rot — the usual cause of loss, brought on by overwatering, a slow-draining mix, or moisture during the cold winter rest; the stem softens and discolours from the base.
- Etiolation — too little light makes the body pale and stretch, spoiling its neat globular form and reducing flowering.
- Pests — red spider mites (fine webbing and a bronzed, dull skin) and mealybugs (white fluff tucked among the spines and tubercles) are the most common; see Pests and diseases.
See also
- Weingartia — the genus overview
- Rebutia — a closely related and taxonomically entangled genus
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — seed · Propagation — offsets · Repotting