Rebutia

Cactus family. Homeland Argentina and Bolivia. More precisely, from Northern Bolivia south to Northern Argentina, and east of the Chilean border - mainly mountainous terrain. Just over 20 species have official status.

• The rebucia is tiny (minuscule) Rebutia minuscula - with a spherical light green stem flattened on top, about 5 cm in diameter. Ribs 16-20, with small but well-defined tubercles. Each areola has up to 30 whitish thin spines, 2-3 mm long. There is no central spine. The flower is bright red, about 4 cm in diameter and 4 cm long tube. Flowers appear closer to the base of the stem.
• Variations of Rebutia tiny (minuscule) Rebutia minuscula - represented by the diversity of the former Rebutia senile (senilis) Rebutia senilis - now it is not a separate species, but a type of miniscule. Moreover, within the species, the variations are very different, for example: var. schieliana has up to 15 whitish spines, with brown tips and orange-red flowers; var. sieperdaiana has pink-yellow flowers about 3.5 cm in diameter.
• Rebucia is a tiny variation of Wessner's Rebutia minuscula var. wessneriana - differs by a longer cylindrical stem, its diameter is about 8 cm, height up to 7 cm and color is more saturated green. Whitish (or gray) radial spines up to 20, up to 15-20 mm long. The central spines are not expressed. The flowers are red about 5 cm in diameter corolla.
• Rebutia marsoneri - about 4 cm high, 4 cm in diameter, has a light green stem, on which large areoles (much more noticeable than other rebutia). Radial spines are whitish, there are about 8-12 of them, but short, only 1-2 mm. There are no central spines. The flower tube is about 3 cm long, the corolla is blood red, about 4 cm in diameter. The synonym is Rebutia krainziana.
• Rebutia solar Rebutia heliosa is a completely unusual rebutia in shape and beauty, characterized by the fact that its stems branch strongly, form incredible outgrowths similar to corals. Each cactus stem is globose, about 2.5-3 cm in diameter. Many ribs - about 35-40, small oval halos up to 1 mm. Radial spines 24-26, they are silver, no more than 1 mm, almost completely hide the stem itself. There are no central spines. It blooms with bright orange or orange-red flowers about 4 cm in diameter and 5 cm long.
• Rebutia pulvinosa - This small rebutia has good bushiness. The stem is cylindrical about 5 cm long and 3 cm wide. Covered with white thin spines, like hairs - total radial spines from 5 to 22, quite flexible, 3-5 mm long. There are also central spines in the amount of 6 pieces - these are more genuine, up to 1 cm and pale brown. The flowers are orange-yellow 2-3 cm in diameter. There is a shape with white flowers. Synonym - White-flowered Rebutia albiflora.

Many types of rebutia are currently attributed to other genera. So, Lobivia Lobivia pygmaea is the former Rebutia pygmaea ssp. violascens; Lobivia pygmaea - Rebutia pygmaea; Lobivia einsteinii - Rebutia einsteinii и т. д.

Aftercare

A native of Bolivia, rebucia grows in semi-arid areas at an altitude of about 2500 m above sea level, on sedimentary rocks. The climate here is characterized by dry winters, with an average temperature of about + 10 ° C, and rather rainy summers. Therefore, at home, growing cacti should strive for the ideal - fresh air and cold winters. Although rebucia is considered one of the simplest species, it is generally undemanding in care, easily blooms and forms berries with numerous seeds.

Temperature

Moderate all year round, does not like the rebusion of the scorching sun, when the heat on the southern windows is above 40 ° C and there is no air movement, in greenhouse conditions the cactus will suffocate. Therefore, do not keep plants on a stuffy closed balcony, open windows or vents. Winter minimum at an average temperature of + 10 ° С (minimum + 5 ° С), with absolutely dry content, it is advisable to withstand at least 2-3 months.

Lighting

Bright intense lighting, with direct sunlight. After winter, teach to the bright sun gradually, in species with short spines burns are possible. Rebucies love a lot of light in winter and summer.

Watering

Moderate in spring and summer, after the soil dries, keep the cacti dry for several days. The most dangerous period - the rainy season in central Russia since mid-August - is more careful, the soil dries longer, reduce watering, and stop completely by the time of cold wintering. In winter, they practically do not water, and if the temperature is warmer, within 18-14 ° C, watering is quite rare and stingy, literally with a teaspoon.

Fertilizer

If necessary, from late spring to mid-summer, they are fed with special fertilizer for cacti, diluted according to the instructions. With fertilizers, the usual rule, if you doubt the need, do not feed.

Air humidity

Rebucia are resistant to dry air, like all other cacti, but respond well to spraying air around them in spring and summer from a very small spray bottle, in the morning.

Flight connections

Rebucia are transplanted annually or out of necessity, when the roots grow too much, or a colony of cacti (together with children) begins to fall out of the pot, but at least once every two years. Soil for rebuctures: 1 part of the sod earth, 1 part of the sheet earth and 1 part of the granite crumb, several grains of charcoal per pot (1/8 part of the total soil volume). Since most rebucia branches well, the pot for them should be wide, but not deep, and at the bottom there are large holes for water runoff. Young plants are transplanted annually, old in a year.

Flowering rebucia

Rebucia is appreciated for the beauty of the spines and for its huge responsiveness and grateful flowering, if caring for it meets the needs of the cactus. And there are few conditions:

• sun in the warm period: south window without shading from the street with trees or houses
• cold wintering from November to February: natural deterioration of illumination when the temperature drops to 5-10 ° C is not significant
• watering in the warm season with visible growth is frequent, when planting in small pots in the right drained soil - abundant, until the soil is completely wetted
• watering in cold time is very rare, the soil is dry almost all the time
• top dressing has practically no significance for flowering

Personal observations, Natalie:

While the temperature is not higher than 10 ° C, already at 12 ° C in cloudy weather, petty vegetation begins, the stems of the cactus tend to light, at temperatures above 15 ° C - a noticeable extension of the crown.

Rebutia heliosa v. condorensis was sown in September 2013, grown in a mixture of leaf earth and zeolite granules (in equal parts) with upper drainage. They were grown on the southern balcony in the summer, from September on the northern balcony (glazed, not insulated) until the end of October. The first two winters are illuminated in winter from October to February - they love a lot of light.

In the third year, she divided all cactus into two parties. When the temperature on the balcony approached + 4 ° C, I left one batch of three-year-old seedlings in the room (plastic window), fenced off from the edge of the windowsill with glass, but this was not enough, the temperature was kept at about 18 ° C and a good rest period did not work. The second batch was put on the windowsill of the window on the landing, until March. The temperature just corresponded (wooden frames, muzzle, but the pots were in a plastic container) from + 8 to 12 ° C, not higher. Watering about once a month with a moderate amount of water (only the top layer of soil was wetted to the middle of the pots).

The first batch was slowly drawn out. The second batch of rebucia was brought in as soon as the temperature on the southern balcony in the spring was not lower than + 4 ° С. In mid-spring, shaggy pimples appeared between the spines, grew slowly, first saw the beginnings of peduncles at the end of April, they became similar to buds at the end of May, blossomed in early June.

There were not a single bud on non-winter rebuctures, from 5 to 8 bud on wintering, opening in turn. Seedlings were fed only in the first two years three times: in the spring, in the middle and end of summer).

Reproduction

Seeds and cuttings (offspring). Sow the seeds in wide plates, in rows at a distance of at least 2 cm from each other, in a mixture of sand and peat land. Germination and development at a temperature of 24-26 ° C. Careful with watering, seedlings are sensitive to waterlogging. Young plants begin to bloom in the second or third year of life.

There are great difficulties in collecting rebuctures. The fact is that due to the ease of reproduction and undemanding in cultivation, many hybrid forms have appeared among rebucia, and it is sometimes very difficult to determine what kind of appearance this rebucia belongs to. Therefore, for those who want to collect real rebukes, and not their little-like hybrids, it is better to purchase seeds in specialized stores or write down the catalog.

Read more about the features of various maintenance modes, transplantation and reproduction in the section Cacti.

Growing problems

The main problem of rebucia cultivation is mite damage. This frequent pest can disfigure and destroy unpretentious cacti in a short time. As a preventive measure, regularly inspect the plants, if suspected, wipe the puffs with a brush moistened with medical alcohol, and at the first sign of a pest - with a silver film or plaque on the stem, treat with acaricides.

The second problem is excessive watering. Rebucia are very susceptible to root rot, so the soil for them must necessarily contain gravel or granite chips - these components do not allow the soil to compact and retain water for a long time. Never bury the root neck in the substrate - only the upper drainage of pebbles should fix the cactus body.

In spring, in the bright sun, out of habit, the stems of the cactus can turn red - you just need to shade with a mosquito net in the first sunny week, in general, the puffs are very photophilous.