Turbinicarpus swobodae
Family: Cactaceae
Native to Mexico. Upper visible part flat to hemispherical, up to about 5-6 cm wide, up to about 2-3 cm high, dark grey-green – pale blue-green (brownish when dried in the sun), Lower, not visible part ± short cylindrical, narrowing at the base, densely covered with the old, dried up tubercles.
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 2025