Parodia rigidispina grow and care – cactus of the genus Parodia also known as Ball cactus, Parodia rigidispina perennial plant and used as ornamental drought tolerant plant, can grow in desert, mediterranean, subtropics or temperate climate and growing in hardiness zone 10-12 possible to grow with the right overwinter care in hardiness zone 10a (especially for seedling)
Stem color green the shape is oval, the spines cover the entire stem angles white or yellow color.
How to grow Parodia rigidispina – growing and care:
More than -5C (23F), dry soil
What is the best way to start growing?
Plant / Seed (explanation bellow) / Vegetative reproduction – by cutting or daughter plants, cutting – better to take all the cactus and cut it for pieces, cut with sterile knife after this let the cut part to stay on the shade to heal it’s might take few weeks and even months, put it on the soil with support (stick or something that won’t fall) cover lightly and lightly from the side and water it small amount of water. Daughter plants mostly need to take care when pull it from the ground you take all the roots, take a plastic spatula or something harder depend the soil and uncover the roots, dig around the plant and better to use air blower machine or wash it with stream (but let it dry after)
Is it necessary to graft or use vegetative reproduction? No, but easier start to grow from daughter plants, it’s faster and the ratio of success is high
Difficulties or problems when growing: Doesn’t like too much water, might be problem in the rainy season
Planting season: Spring to summer in hardiness zone 10, spring to autumn in hardiness zone 11, all year in hardiness zone 12
Pests and diseases: Snails, slugs, fungus colletotrichum
Pruning season: All year
How to prune:
Usually there is nothing to prune, mostly for pruning is old stems that can’t hold
Size of the plant: 5-20 cm, 2-8 inches
Growth speed in optimal condition: Slow growing
Water requirement: Small amount of water, better let it dry between watering
Light conditions in optimal condition for growing: Full Sun
Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant? No
Growing is also possible in a planter /flowerpot / containers: Yes
Growing is also possible in a planter /flowerpot / containers: Yes, container or clay pot that will be bigger than the root ball 20-50% (not need deep because the root shallow) for good drainage that important use in the bottom of the container with little rocks like: gravel, lava rocks or pebbles, soil should be cactus potting mix, make holes in the container for good drainage, after few years when the roots fill the container or the soil lose viability, need to switch the soil
Blooming information
Bloom season: Spring to summer
General information about the flower Yellow, orange, white or red flowers, the flower bloom on top of cactus in bowl shape
