Growth Habits: Solitary bright green, spherical, later cylindrical, growing up to 70cm (28in) tall and 12cm (5in) wide.
Scientific name: Parodia penicillata
Common names: None that come to mind.
Synonym: Notocactus penicillatus
Etymology: Parodia: named after the Argentinian botanist Dr. Lorenzo Raimundo Parodi The species name "penicillata" Pennicillum is the Latin word for "Little brush" refering to the brush like clumps of spines on the new growth at the apex.
Origin: Northern Argentina
Light: Full sun to light shade.
Compost. A free draining standard cactus mix.
Water: Regular water in spring to autumn, may suffer from root loss if kept too dry for too long.
Flower: The normal flower colour is red but orange\yellow are sometimes found.
Min temp: Hardy to -1°C (30°F), for short periods.
Cultivation: Easy to grow and flowers profusely in mid summer.
Comments: Spines: Glassy, bristly straw-coloured becoming very dense. The radials are very thin, clear, and silky, while the centrals are longer, stiffer and more coloured. There is also a form (called P. penicillata var.nivosa) with dense snow-white spines.
close-up showing the "brush like" spines on the apex.
a young plant reaching flowering age.
close-up showing the prolific number of flowers
