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Ubelmannia meninensi f. rubra cristata.
This sticking beautiful crest in full sun will take a dark frost brown or purple colour.

Description: U. meninensis is a short columnar usually solitary cactus.
Stem: Globular when young, later becoming elongated and cylindrical, greyish-green or reddish-green (f. rubra), 10 cm wide, 45-50 cm tall (In cultivation the colour of the plants depends on sun exposure, the plants grown in shadow are greener , wile the ones in full sun take a dark frost brown or purple color)
Ribs: When fully mature it has up to 40 prominent markedly tuberculate , but initially it has considerably fewer.
Tubercles: The tubercles protrude about 8 mm, are separated by transverse grooves and have apical areoles.
Areoles: Close set.
Central spines:: 2 or 3, 2 cm long, pointing downward except for the upper one, which is shorter.
Radial spines: Absent.
Flowers: Diurnal yellow. They are up to 2-4 cm long , 2-4 cm in diameter.
Blooming season: Flowers come sporadically from Early Summer to Late Summer
Fruit: Inconspicuous , dark red and globular

Propagation: Seeds, but plants are often grafted making them easier to grow, particularly through the winter.  If possible using a rootstock that is more hardy than the Uebelmannia is the ideal.

Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of Uebelmannia gummifera.
 

• Uebelmannia gummifera
• Uebelmannia meninensis rubra cristata (U. gummifera meninensis)

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Scientific name:  Uebelmannia meninensis var. rubra (Buin.) Buining & Brederoo, Kakteen, 55-56: 106. c., 1973
 f. cristata

Tribe:  Cacteae -- Subtribe: Echinocactinae

Origin: Garden origin (Nursery produced cultivar) This plant was originally found in Brazil (mountain of Minas Gerais) where it often grows at very high altitudes.

Habitat: In nature it grows in cracks between rocks or on the rocks themselves, usually where there is a very high degree of atmospheric moisture, which compensates for the fact the soil is perfectly drained. In its natural habitat the plant frequently grows among lichens, which may even cover it.

Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 1.

Etymology: Named after Werner Uebelmann, the Swiss nurseryman who imported them into Europe. The species meninensis was found in 1973 by the Dutch botanist Albert Buining growing among quartz rocks near a place named Padre Menina, hence the name.

• Uebelmannia meninensis Buining,
  In: Kakteen Sukk. 19: 151, fig. 1968
• Uebelmannia meninensis v. rubra P.J.Braun et E.Esteves, 2000
• Uebelmannia gummifera (Backeberg & Voll) A.F.H. Buining.
  in: Succulenta (Netherlands) 46: 161, 1967
• Uebelmannia gummifera ssp. meninensis (A.F.H. Buining) P.J. Braun & E. Esteves Pereira
  In: Succulenta, 74 (5): 226: 1995
• Uebelmannia gummifera v. rubra (A.F.H. Buining & A.J. Brederoo) P.J. Braun & E. Esteves Pereira,
  In: Succulenta, 74 (5): 226: 1995
• Parodia gummifera Backeb. & Voll

Cultivation: This tropical genus, which is hardly ever cultivated except in very specialized collections,  prefers loves warm moist, humid conditions and mist spraying is a must in summer. Water regularly during the growing season and use a very draining mineral potting substrate. At the onset of winter, do not water. Uebelmannias need heat all year round and extra winter heat, minimum 10C is best. Avoid any frost. Keep cool in summer. This plant prove to be root prone if kept too cold in winter. To help stop this a good deep collar of pumice or lava grit is an excellent idea. It prefers a full sun position and possibly afternoon shade in summer. If you can place it so that this occurs the plant will be much happier.


 

All the information and photos in cactus art files are now available also in the new the Enciclopedia of Cacti. We hope you find this new site informative and useful.