Toumeya papyracantha FH080 (Sclerocactus papyracanthus)

Toumeya papyracantha FH080 (Sclerocactus papyracanthus)

Common names: Paper-spined Cactus, Grama Grass Cactus, Toumeya, Paperspine Fishhook Cactus, Paperspine cactus, Paper-spine plains cactus.

Native to USA and Mexico. It is a tiny solitary cactus, rarely branched from the base in old age, with very characteristic flattened centrals spines resembling dried grass leaves or wood shavings. The main central spine, the longest and widest, is the lower central. The main central is flat, thin, flexible, curved, and often twisted.

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