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Gymnocalycium baldianum
(Syn: Gymnocalycium venturianum)

CACTUS ART
NURSERY

Cultivation and Mail Sale
of Cacti and Succulents.


Extremely free flowering G. baldianum makes a splendid show.
This is a plant to be suggested to all cactophiles for its very eye-catching flowering even at a very small size. It flowers readily from an early age, and offers no cultivation difficulties.
 

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The scale on the flower tube.

Photo by Jean-Yves Cretin (France)

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Photo by: Vadim Arkdzhovskiy (Moscow - Russia)
This is a plant to be suggested to all cactophiles for its very eye-catching flowering
even at a very small size
. It flowers readily from an early age, and offers no cultivation difficulties.

.


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Family: Cactaceae (Cactus Family)

Scientific Name: Gymnocalycium baldianum (Spegazzini) Spegazzini 1925
Published in: Nuevas Notas Cactologicas.-Anales de la Sociedad Cientifica de Argentina 99:135, 1925

Basionym: Echinocactus baldianus Spegazzini 1905
Published in: Cactacearum Platensium Tentamen.-
Anales del Museo Nacional de Buenos Aires Ser.3, 11(4): 505-506 (1905).

Distribution: Argentina (Catamarca Province)

Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 2.

Synonyms:

  • Echinocactus baldianus
  • Echinocactus sanguiniflorus
  • Gymnocalycium venturi
  • Gymnocalycium venturianum
  • Gymnocalycium platense var. baldianum
  • Gymnocalycium sanguiniflorum

 

Morphology (Identifying Characteristics):
Habit:
Small usually unbranched,
Stem: Flat to globose depressed, up to 13cm in width, greyish-brown to blue-green (rather variable in colour in cultivation, and in some specimens it is almost blue-black). The 9 to 10 broad ribs are divided by deep grooves into tubercles.
Areoles : deep-set
Spines:  5 to 7 thin radial spines that are straight or curved toward the stem, short, curved, pale brown or grey, tinged with red at the base.
Flower: on the crown, measuring 3 to 4 cm in length and the same across, open wide in sunlight, and commonly of a most rich purple-red colour, sometimes pinkish-purple (but also white, pink or orange). The stamens are purple, the anthers and the 6 lobed stigma whitish yellow. This plant blooms in early summer when it is only 2.5 cm.  It is fast growing and can bloom one year after being sown.
FruitThe ripened ovary is green, long and dehisces (splits) down its length.

Notes:
The synonym name Gymnocalycium venturianum is very common in collections, and even at cactus nurseries. It is a very variable species in its general appearance.  There are also many hybrids with a wide range of flower colours.
 

 

 


Cultivation: Very easy to grow, these plants offer no cultivation difficulties. Watering Needs: Moderate to copious in summer, keep dry in winter.
Frost Tolerance: Quite frost resistant if kept dry  -10° C  (
Temperature Zone: USDA 8-10 )
Cultural Practices: Feed with a high potassium fertilizer  in summer.
Sun Exposure: Full sun to light shade

Propagation: Seeds (seldom produces offsets)

 

Photo gallery: Alphabetical listing of Cactus and Succulent pictures published in this site.

Photo gallery Gymnocalicium

"English text kindly corrected by John Chippindale"

Home | E-mail | Plant files | Mail Sale Catalogue | Links | Information | Search

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