Eriosyce malleolata (Eriosyce odieri subs. krausii)

Eriosyce malleolata 

Family: Cactaceae

Native to Chile. It is a small geophytic plant that in habitat grows almost completely buried with only the top of the stem barely visible at ground level. The stem is small, solitary or branching from beneath the ground, 2 to 4 cm in diameter, spherical somewhat flattened at the apex, red-brown to gray-green.

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: January 2024