Ancistrocactus brevihamatus (Sclerocactus brevihamatus)

Family: Cactaceae

Common names: Short-spined Fishhook Cactus, Shorthook Fishhook Cactus, Snipe Cactus, Tobusch Cactus.

Native to Texas. It is a succulent perennial usually with solitary stems that are 3 to 15 cm tall and 1 to 15 cm in diameter. The low dome-shaped stems have 8 to 12, poorly defined, vertical ridges that are divided into spine-tipped, cone-shaped projections. Each projection has spines arising from each tip. Spines turn from yellow to gray as they age, and are covered with microscopic hairs.

Sowing instructions: Fill a pot with a moist, gritty, loam-based compost, or cacti compost. Gently firm down and level the surface. Scatter your mixed cactus seeds over the surface, taking care not to sow them too thickly. Gently sprinkle a thin layer of vermiculite or fine grit over the seeds, covering the whole surface of the compost. Leave the pot in a greenhouse or on a warm windowsill, covered with a clear plastic bag to preserve soil moisture. Seedlings will develop within a few weeks. Remove the plastic bag and water when the compost becomes dry, but spray the surface with water regularly, to keep it moist.

Locality: Ex Hort. Harvest: August 2024