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Origin and Habitat: Brazil (Bahia, Pernambuco)
Habitat: Grows in dry rocky places, under shrubs, which support their weak branches.
Synonyms:
- Arrojadoa х albiflora Buining & Bredero
Description: Arrojadoa albiflora is a s low, basally branching succulent shrub, probably a naturally occuring hybrid hybrid between Arrojadoa dinae and Arrojadoa rhodanthaSN|4847]]SN|4847]] (or perhaps Arrojadoa rhodantha and Arrojadoa multiflora)
Stems: Branching from the base, slender, erect, semierect, or creeping and wooly-white, cylindical, sometimes segmented, green, approximatively 2-3 cm in diameter.
Spines: Bristly numerose.
Cephalia: Apical produced following each season's vegetative growth, producing ring-like clusters of white wool and redish bristles; vegetative growth can resume following flowering.
Flowers: In clusters from the apical cephalia, open during the day, pink, violet or white, tubular 3-3,5 cm long; pericarpels and floral tubes naked;
Fruits: Berrylike, globose to pear-shaped, smooth, naked, juicy, purple, pink, rose or red, with white pulp, to 1,5 cm in diameter.
Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Anderson, Edward F. (2001), "The Cactus Family" Pentland, Oregon: Timber Press, ISBN 978-0-88192-498-5
Cultivation and Propagation: Arrojadoa albiflora is difficult on own roots, this and all its relatives do best when grafted.
Growth rate: It is a relatively rapidly growing and easily flowering species that will make clumps given the best conditions.
Soils: It likes very porous standard cactus mix soil.
Repotting: Use pot with good drainage.
Watering: Water regularly in summer, but do not overwater (Rot prone), keep dry in winter. Water them less than average if in bigger pots, small pots preferred.
Fertilization: Feed with a high potassium fertilizer in summer.
Hardiness: Reputedly sensitive to frost, but less so if kept on the dry side prior to, and during, cold weather. However warmth throughout the year will increase the grower's success (8-12°C during rest season).
Exposition: Outside bright but partially filtered sunlight or afternoon shade, inside it needs bright light, and some direct sun. Subject to sunburn if exposed to direct sun for too long. Strong light encourages flowering and heavy wool and spine production.
Uses: It is an excellent plant for container growing. It always looks good and stays small.
Pests & diseases: It may be attractive to a variety of insects, but plants in good condition should be nearly pest-free, particularly if they are grown in a mineral potting-mix, with good exposure and ventilation. Nonetheless, there are several pests to watch for:
- Red spiders: Red spiders may be effectively rubbed up by watering the plants from above.
- Mealy bugs: Mealy bugs occasionally develop aerial into the new growth among the wool with disfiguring results, but the worst types develop underground on the roots and are invisible except by their effects.
- Scales: Scales are rarely a problem.
- Rot: Rot is only a minor problem with cacti if the plants are watered and “aired” correctly. If they are not, fungicides won't help all that much.
Propagation: Division, direct sow after last frost or (usually) graft. Seeds germinate in 7-14 days at 21-27° C in spring, remove the glass cover gradually as the plants develops and keep ventilated, no full sun for young plants! To make a cutting twist off a branch and permit it to dry out a couple of weeks, lay it on the soil and insert the stem end partially into the soil. Try to keep the cutting upright so that the roots are able to grow downward.
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