What are the smallest cacti species of all?

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jp29
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Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2014 5:47 pm
Location: Tucson, Arizona

Re: What are the smallest cacti species of all?

Post by jp29 »

My two favorite miniature cacti are Discocactus horstii and Frailea castanea which I grow to maturity, and maintain, in 2¾" (7cm) square plastic pots.

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The top row of four plants In this picture are Discocactus horstii that are just starting to produce cephaliums, while the three depicted vertically on the top right are fully mature plants of this species. The second row of four plants are mature Frailea castanea. The remaining plants in the flat are seedlings of the above species in varying stages of growth.
Last edited by jp29 on Fri Jan 12, 2018 1:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
James
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jp29
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Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2014 5:47 pm
Location: Tucson, Arizona

Re: What are the smallest cacti species of all?

Post by jp29 »

I forgot Discocactus buenekeri (sensu lato) which is my third favorite miniature cactus species. I have grown, and maintained, plants of this species to maturity in small containers for many years, although it will grow to fill out four inch pots (I don’t think such plants look as nice as those grown and maintained in smaller containers however).

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Discocactus buenekeri growing in 2" (5cm) square plastic pots

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Discocactus buenekeri flowering in 7cm (2 3/4”) plastic pots.

One great virtue of this species is that they produce basal offsets in great profusion which come with their own root bundles - thus this species is very easy to propagate. In late spring (here in Tucson) and summer this species produces an abundance of typical Discocactus nocturnal flowers that, to me, are the most fragrant of this genus.
James
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keithp2012
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Re: What are the smallest cacti species of all?

Post by keithp2012 »

DaveW wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2018 6:25 pm Blossfeldia's are not hard to grow on their own roots once a reasonable size. They are however tricky from seed the first few years through the seedlings being so small and slow growing, which is why like Aztekium ritteri they are usually grafted to propagate them. The problem is trying to root them down from grafts later as they then seem reluctant or impossible to root.

I had this one as a small plant on it's own roots from Tom Jenkins, a nurseryman in the UK, who grew it from seed. I grew it for many years with no problem until I lost it in a bad winter. It was about 10 years old in the picture and the coin is 1 inch = 2.5cm diameter.

Blossfeldia-lilliputana3.jpg

I did read once that they grow in cracks on banks or cliffs close to water, but how true that is I do not know. Here is one in habitat.

blossfeldia.jpg

Afraid if you want one on it's own roots you are going to have to grow it from seed yourself and patiently wait for it to gain size, since growing from seed for plants on their own roots is not a commercial proposition for nurserymen with such choice but slow growing cacti. Also these plants are small in habitat, you don't get the oversized and way out of character plants you sometimes see in shows in nature which some seem to desire.
Thank you for that information Dave! I’ll try my best to keep mine alive!
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