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Matucana madisoniorum , sometimes found listed as Submatucana, is an
attractive small globular plant with ribs resembling
Lophophora, the ones that lack spines look so much like peyote that
the uninformed may think they actually are.
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Description: Normally solitary globose cactus
that may clump with age.
Stem: Flat globular to elongate with age up to 15 cm tall,10 cm
in diameter. One of most endearing feature of this plant is its unusual
rough textured blue or grey-green epidermis.
Spines: Sometimes individual plants may be almost entirely
spineless, while other specimens are covered with spines or have spines
missing on parts of the plant. Seedlings of this species are all densely
covered with long, curving spines; however, seedlings from plants
growing at lower altitudes will ordinarily lose their spines at
maturity, while those from higher altitudes keep theirs, but it is very
variable in this respect, and spineless plants can grow spiny offsets,
or get just an occasional spine.
Flowers: Zygomorphic tending to lean on one side, bright
orange-red, 3.5 cm in diameter, and slighty longer 5-7 (10) cm long.
Blooming time: Flowers more than once in several flushes
throughout the summer.
Paul Hutchinson of the University of California Botanical Gardens
discovered M. madisoniorum about 1963 or so in an valley in
Peru. It is now alternately called Submatucana madisoniorum or
Borzicactus madisoniorum
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Cultivation: Matucana madisoniorum
grow slowly in their natural habitats, but in greenhouses or grafted
they grow quickly with tissue that is less firm. Not very hard to grow
if protected from freezing temperature they needs care in cultivation to
reach a good size without developing unsightly marks, need a minimum
temperature of 10° C, but may survive a light frost. It benefits from
a good light but not severe sunlight.
Grow in rich, porous soil and let their soil dry out between waterings.
Needs good drainage
Repot in the spring when their roots become cramped. Generally, they
should be repotted every other year in order to provide fresh soil.
However, this doesn't necessarily mean they'll need larger containers.
After repotting, do not water for a week or more.
Propagation: Seeds
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Photo &
© copyright
by Süleyman Demir
Turkey |
A pink/violet flowering specimen. |
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Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and
cultivars of Matucana madisoniorum.
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Cultivation and
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