Blooming cactus - Sulcorebutia frankiana

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This is my newest purchase from January or February this year. From that wonderful time when we could all still freely go out. I saw this one little dark cactus in a shop and I new I had to have it! Already then it started to show signs of buds. There was absolutely no guarantee that they will bloom though. They could have blasted due to change of scenery (nursery, trucks, shop, home and who knows what else in between). But they didn't. They started to slowly grow and as they were getting bigger I knew it will be a dark flower. But I did not expect that!

Sulcorebutia frankiana



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Just look at that flower! It has the most amazing, deep, intensive colour! Out of all my cacti it is the only one with such dark cherry/purple (I don't know even how to call it), colour. And that is not all!

The petals are not just plain flat. I am not sure if this flower was somehow deformed, or this is how they are. But they are slightly flipped and have this lovely, lightly ruffled edge and they didn't open completely. They stayed in this cup shape. I will have to wait for more flowers to open to see if they are the same. There is more buds, but they are much smaller.

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Now a little info - it is native to Bolivia region and it grown on 2700-3400 metres above sea level. Growing on mountain slops it like very porous soil and since it has a tap root (like a carrot) it is very prone to root rot. The substrate it is planted in must be very fast draining.
It will enjoy full sun (hell yea I can give her full sun!) and can withstand temperature below zero degrees for short periods of time in winter. It needs the cool and dry winter rest like most cacti in order to bloom in spring.

I got mine with multiple little heads around and I managed to split one while repoting. It was just growing so low, that I would almost cover it with sand. I hope it starts to grow roots soon and I will have another little plant :)
And if you take a closer look, you'll see that the spines on it are coppery-brown, which makes the plant looking really cool, even when not in bloom.

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Yes, I know it is a lot of photos for one little flower, but it is just so freaking gorgeous!

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My other blooming cacti:

Click on the image to view full post.


Chamaecereus hybrid

Sulcorebutia Canigueralii

Mammillaria camptotricha

Mammillaria Glassii

Gymnocalycium baldianum
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Mediolobivia mudanensis

Lobivia Arachnacantha

Rebutia hybrid

Mammillaria Bombycina

Mammillaria Gracilis Snowcap

Mammillaria haageana

Mammillaria backebergiana

Chamaecereus silvestrii

Mammillaria prolifera

Rebutia Fabrisii var. Aureiflora

Lobivia Wrightiana

Aylostera Flavistyla FR756

Parodia concinna

Mammillaria Copper King

Gymnocalycium Brushii

Mammillaria backebergiana

Gymnocalycium damsii

Echinopsis subdenudata
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Rhipsalis pilocarpa
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Mammillaria Prolifera
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Lobivia arachnacantha v. vallegrandensis
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Mediolobivia atrovirens
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Mammillaria magnimamma
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Sulcorebutia langerii

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Shot with Nikon D5500 + Sigma 105mm lens
All photos and text are my own.

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15 comments
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pixresteemer_incognito_angel_mini.png
Bang, even on HIVE I did it again... I just rehived your post!
Sorry, no beers or deranged or trdo yet... waiting on steem-engine to make the move to HIVE...
Week 4 of my contest just started...you can now check the winners of the previous week!

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I have a friend who grows and sells cactus. I’m now interesting in starting my own little cactus farm.

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Ohhh I need a friend like that!

.... or maybe better not..

Do you have some photos from his/her place?

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You really take some good photos!

The way you light it really make it shine.

Have a great day.

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Thank you very much! They have such pretty petals on their own. The sun only makes the pop :)

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Piękne są te Twoje kaktusy! Gratuluję hodowli i pięknych zdjęć, z radoscia zagladam codziennie do Twoich wpisów.
Pozdrawiam :)

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Dziękuję ślicznie! Takiego małego hopla mam :)

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I just love that flower - it is such a very pretty one :)

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It is indeed. I love it too :D

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I think I have the same cactus in my office, but I cannot remember that it was ever blooming. On the other hand I coluld ask who or what would ever bloom in my office ;) lol

I think blooming cacti are more beautiful than most flowers - beautiful photos, @ewkaw 😊

Take care and stay safe :)


!BEER

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Lucky office!
To excuse the cactus - most (or almost all) cacti that are kept indoors in regular homes/offices don't bloom. The conditions are almost constant all year round and they need temperature change to bloom.

Thank you :)

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Cool, I have just learned something new 🙂
You are right, it is always on the same place and the temperatures are also about the same all the time. So maybe if I put it on the outside windowsill for a while the cactus might bloom? Would be cool and I think I'll give it a try.

Thank you for the information, @ewkaw, have a nice evening 🙂

!invest_vote

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(Edited)

Normally in the wild they have hot summers and relatively cold winters. If you can provide the temperature in winter, for about 2-3 months of around 8-10 degrees C (can be less at night, but not freezing and max 12 at day), it has a big chance to bloom.
Also when it is so cold they have to be completely dry otherwise they will rot. They do not grow or drink in winter. They go dormant for that time and then wake up when it gets warmer and usually bloom :)

But if it is a healthy one and is growing that is already good and I am sure he is happy there :)

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It is healthy and quite a few years old, but I think it is not the same. Anyway, I will try to keep that in mind and hope I'll remember that when it gets colder I take it out of the office and put it on a colder place. If it blooms next year you will see it here on the Hive 😀


!BEER

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