Rebutia

Rebutia sp.

There are about 60 species in the Rebutia genus. This cactus did not have a species identity when I purchased it, and I have no idea what it is. I think it may be R. minuscule, or Red Crown Cactus, as its flower most closely matches that of the R. minuscule. I have four identified species of Rebutia, and all have similarly shaped flowers but different stems and spines than the one shown here. Therefore, that leaves 56 more species to consider as contenders in the ID game. (Any help with identity is welcomed.)

Rebutia is native to Bolivia and Argentina. Cacti in this genus need strong light, but not direct sunlight, and a well-draining soil. Although recommended for beginning collectors, some find Rebutia hard to grow. I’ve never had any trouble with them. I just water when dry in the summer, and keep them dry in winter. Over watering is the most common reason for Rebutia failure in beginner’s collections. Old habits are hard to break.

Almost all the species in the genus have large, day-blooming flowers that range from a deep red to an orange-yellow color, and the flowers start from the lower part of the cactus stem. There are a few species with white flowers, but they are not easily found in cactus nurseries.

The cacti in the Rebutia genus is generally small in body, so they are most often kept in pots because they would be barely noticeable planted in a garden. In addition, they all require a slightly acidic soil and our desert soil is alkaline, so they wouldn't do well in native soil.

Clumping Dwarf Cactus Doing Its Thing

Rebutia marsoneri 'krainziana'

Members of the Rebutia genus are true dwarfs, with the heads growing no larger than about three inches high and three inches in diameter in most species. Many Rebutia species are even smaller, growing only to one-half inch high and wide. There are about 60 species in the genus, which now includes cacti that had formerly been classified in five other genera.

I like the R. marsoneri 'krainziana' because it freely clumps and forms many heads, as you can see in the photo. The largest head is currently producing three new offsets. This cactus has already outgrown its small pot, so I have a job to do this coming weekend.

There are varying reports as to what color flowers the R. marsoneri ‘krainziana’ normally produces. I purchased this species because the vendor assured me the flowers would be red, but other sources say the flowers are normally yellow. Yet another source says the ‘krainziana’ always has red flowers, but there are cultivars going under that name that have yellow flowers. I guess I won’t know until early next spring when the first blooms are expected.

I have several species of Rebutia, one of which I wrote about previously. The flowers range in color from orange, rose, yellow, and a tiny R. rauschii that has gorgeous magenta flowers. The flowers are sometimes as large as the cactus.

Divine Color

Isn't this the most divine color? The first time I saw a photo of an Echinopsis 'Flying Saucer', I set out to find one. For several years, I checked at cactus shows and sales, cactus nurseries, and even some mail order places. This is not an uncommon Echinopsis hybrid, but there just weren't any available. Last fall, while visiting a nursery I frequent, I found one in the damaged cactus section. It had a sun scorched area, and although it had a two foot stem, it had been sideways for quite a while, so the stem couldn't be straightened if the pot was set upright. Also, it had long since passed the point of needing a bigger pot. This two foot long cactus was in a six-inch pot!
Since I couldn't pick it up myself, I asked the nurseryman to load it in my vehicle. It took two guys to get it in a box--one to pick up the pot, the other to support the stem with a length of plant tape. Once in the box, it could be loaded by holding onto the box and the keeping the stem supported with the tape. Once it was home, unloading it was easy, but I didn't plant it right away. I left it in the box, tilted, and let the stem lean against a wall. This is where it stayed until early spring. When I was ready to plant, the stem had started growing upward at the tip, but I knew most of the stem was just never going to straighten. I didn't mind that, as long as the new growth would continue to grow upright.
Once it was planted, we had several really hot days, and thinking it had acclimated to full sun, I did not put shade cloth on it. Unfortunately, it received more sun scorch, but it didn't appear to be permanently damaged, so I belatedly covered it. In mid-May, it formed two buds, and on Saturday they opened.

Rebutia pulvinosa

I counted 31 flowers that had opened on this cactus, and 11 buds yet to open. The little daisy-like flowers are such an intense shade of true orange that details just don't show up in the photo. The lighter green stems on this Rebutia species are also attractive--not so with the stems on the Rebutia species below. The stems are an olive color that I just don't care for much.

Rebutia spegazziniana

My Sunday post was about the color of these flowers. I should have waited an extra day. Now, there are 20 of the variegated pink flowers to look at!

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Yesterday's flower has closed on this Rebutia spegazziniana, and this morning, another five carmine flowers bloomed. The buds on the right will open tomorrow. This is the usual habit of this cactus--I can expect the show to be over in the course of four or five days. This specimen usually manages only one flowering period each year, but occasionally I'm surprised with a second round in late summer.

The Rebutia genus requires very light shade in the summer in Phoenix, but in order for the flowers to open fully, direct sun is required, so I keep my five Rebutia species on the east end of my covered patio.

Rebutia Debut

This Rebutia of unknown species is hardly noticeable until it blooms. The intense, uniform red of the flowers makes it hard to capture a clear, detailed photo. Although the quality of this photo leaves something to be desired, I chose it to post because I love the way the flower seems to be floating in air.

Since the reclassification of five genera into the Rebutia genus, there are about 60 species. Many have red flowers, but orange, yellow and white flowers are also common. Some collectors avoid this genus because many of the species are finicky and require special care. This is not the case with this cactus. I do not give this particular cactus any special treatment other than occasionally adding a drop of vinegar to its water to increase the acidity levels and help the soil to release minerals.

In The Red

When my daughter saw these red cactus flowers, she didn't think anyone would think they were real if I posted them. They are real, and have not been worked over with photo editing.

Echinopsis sp

Everyone who sees this cactus in bloom wants to get one. The flower is quite unusual because of the fluorescent glow it produces. It's sort of an optical illusion caused by the hot pink margins on the brilliant red petals. I've researched the various sites that sell Echinopsis hybrids, and have never found any like it. If I could find out the hybrid source, I would buy several and give them as gifts. Maybe someday mine will have offsets and I can pass those around.

                                             Rebutia spegazziniana

Without the flowers, this Rebutia wouldn't get a second glance. It is not an attractive species, except for the carmine red flowers.

                                          Echinopsis x Red Paramount

This cactus has bloomed intermittently since early May. I mentioned last week that my cacti were through blooming for the season, but they keep proving me wrong.

Pelargonium peltatum

My Ivy Geranium is suffering from the heat, and won't last much longer. I think this lone flower is its swan song.

A Survivor

Rebutia pulvinosa

The numerous bright orange flowers on this Rebutia pulvinosa came as a surprise this year. This is the first time it has bloomed since I purchased it several years ago. The cactus has had a rocky past couple of years. It is among the several cacti that I've had over the years that came back from bad circumstances and thrived. (See two others that are survivors in Post 1 and Post 2).

During a windstorm in January of 2007, this cactus was blown over and the pot broke. I didn't have any pots of the appropriate size in which to repot it, so I left it in the broken pot, roots partly exposed, and placed the whole thing into another larger pot until I could find the right sized replacement pot. Well, months passed, and I just never got around to shopping. Occasionally I would throw some water on the cactus, not imagining it would survive with so many exposed roots. It went through record cold, extreme heat, no water, and probably inadequate light lying on the bottom of a large pot. Every couple of months I would resolve to find a proper pot for it since it was still growing, but it wasn't a priority.

Finally in late winter this year I purchased several pots, including one just for this cactus. I repotted it in February of 2008 and it just took off, growing new heads and now, all these flowers. Sometimes I think neglect can bring out the best in some plants!

Chameleon

Rebutia spegazziniana

This Rebutia is quite the chameleon! Its flowers change color depending on the time of year it blooms, and this is the third and most prolific round of flowers this year. I must say I think I like this varigated pink the best. As the weather heats up, the flowers normally change from their usual deep red to a paler pink, but they also become smaller and even deformed looking. Never before has the cactus put out so many perfect lighter colored flowers. I wish it would produce this color all the time!

Cactus Flowers

Echinopsis sp.

A very small Echinopsis with a huge flower. I took this late one night last week to catch the flower at its peak. The cactus produces one flower each year, which probably wears it out! As the cactus gets older, it should produce more flowers each season.

Echinopsis sp.

A new Echinopsis in a new blue pot. I bought this Echinopsis hybrid last year for the yellow flowers, and the pot was a 2008 Christmas gift.

Rebutia pulvinosa

I can count on this small Rebutia to produce numerous bright orange flowers each year. It will have round after round of flowers until late July. I think it's making up for lost time and previous close calls.

Ferocactus cylindraceus

The first buds on this Barrel Cactus are really fat, so the flowers should be larger than usual, as well as early. The cactus itself is all plumped out from our recent light rain. Barrels take in any moisture they receive to store for use during drought periods.

Cactus Flower Spectacular

It seems many of my cacti are really enjoying the extra rain we are receiving this Monsoon time. There is always the danger of root rot from too much moisture, but it will be months before I'll know it. In the meantime, there's been a great round of flowers. The flowers are very short-lived this time of year and I have to be extra diligent to catch them at their peak. I've missed a few--being the late riser I am.

Parodia Magnifica

Ball Cactus

Rebutia spegazziniana

Thelocactus setispinus

Strawberry Barrel

Echinopis hybrid

Echinopsis spachiana

Golden Torch Cactus

Befuddled

The heat does peculiar things to some cactus flowers--if they dare to bloom at all in the scorching heat we have been experiencing here. The pale, spindly flower of this Rebutia spegazziniana is completely different from the previous flowers on this cactus, as shown below.

This is a photo of the same cactus taken in April. The brilliant red color and full petals are a real contrast to the pitiful little June 23 flower.

The petals of this Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium hortorum 'Sunrise') curled within an hour of opening. This Geranium has limped along on my patio, and I should get rid of it. However, every time I decide to dump it, a new flower cluster appears, if only to succumb to the heat within a few hours.

The Euphorbia milli 'Dinni' suddenly put out a few flowers this week. They are sparse, but will last for days.

Then there's my old reliable Gymnocalycium baldianum. It blooms from April through September, no matter how hot it gets. The flowers last a few days, and then it takes a rest for a few days. New buds form and another round of flowers appear. This happens repeatedly for six months.

The Rest of the Cactus Flowers

Gymnocalycium baldianum

This is my oldest cactus and the most reliable bloomer. It flowers from April to September. During its flowering season, this cactus has consistently produced over 120 flowers each year.

Rebutia pulvinosa

Once this cactus started producing flowers in May, it has bloomed once a month since. As summer moves on, the flowers become smaller, but stay the intense orange that you see here. Each round of flowers produces at least a dozen at a time.

x Echinopsis 'Rose Quartz'

'Rose Quartz' flowers several times starting in late spring. The flowers get lighter and lighter with each flowering. I think I like the color of this current flower more than the darker rose of earlier months.

The x before the name signifies that this is a hybrid Echinopsis. This cactus is a cross between the Chamaecereus and Lobivia genera, which are now classified as Echinopsis. Or something like that.

Echinopsis x 'Los Angeles'

This cactus not only has beautiful flowers, but I think the cactus itself is an especially attractive one. It always produces several flowers at once. Last month it bloomed in May, June, August and October. This year, it flowered in June and July. We'll see what happens later!

The x after the name Echinopsis signifies that this is an Echinopsis hybrid. No crosses with other genera, just crosses with other Echinopis. Or something like that.

Cat Casualty and Cactus

Cat Casualty

This is not the first time I've seen an injured lizard resting on my garden monk. The lizards seem drawn to it for some reason. Uninjured lizards prefer the large landscape rocks and other places, but once the neighbor cat goes after them and they are lucky enough to survive with just a missing tail, they head for the monk! Maybe it has some mysterious healing power. The tail on this lizard is growing back nicely, so it will be OK. Others who lost too much haven't been so lucky. This cat is the bane of my garden. I find cat hair on my patio swing cushions, bird feathers behind bushes, and dig spots in my rose bed. The neighbor claims it's "not really" his cat so he can't control it, but the cat lives at his house and he feeds it. I haven't yet figured out what my neighbor's definition of ownership is.

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Lots of cactus flowers this week! Here are a few....

Rebutia spegazziniana

Opuntia santa rita

Parodia rutilans

x Echinopsis 'Rose Quartz'

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The Answer is Yellow

Well, the question has been answered as to what color flowers this little clumping cactus would have when it bloomed. The flowers on this Rebutia marsoneri 'Krainziana' are a beautiful golden yellow. They remind me of daisies.

Cactus Flower Finale

Rebutia pulvinosa
x Echinopsis 'Fire Chief'

June is the most brutal month for plants in the low desert of Arizona. It is one of the three hottest months of the year, with the average temperature 101º F. It's also the driest, at 0.1" average rainfall. The average relative humidity is 11 percent, and the average number of days with no cloud cover is 94 percent—the highest of the year. In addition to all this, we have frequent dry winds. I think the bright orange flowers of the R. pulvinosa and the x E. 'Fire Chief' represent the perfect sunny symbol of June weather in Arizona.

During June, because of the above combination of factors, I am very careful with the watering of my potted cacti and succulents. They dry out very quickly, even quicker than in July and August, months that are even hotter. The difference is that the humidity goes up in those months, so the plants don't suffer as much.

This past week we had several days of hot, dry winds, so I gave the plants an extra watering in the evening hours. The next morning several of my potted cacti bloomed profusely, as you can see in the photos. The next couple of weeks will complete most of the cactus flower show, as most of the cactus I've shown in the last six weeks will now start their summer dormancy period.

Several other types of cactus will produce flowers through the summer, but the best is over until fall. This last big June burst of multiple blooms on many of the cacti always reminds me of a fireworks finale.