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Description: Solitary,
slowly growing cactus, densely covered with
incredibly strong twisted spines
Stem: Grey green, compact, globular up to 12 (-15) cm wide 10 cm
tall in cultivation (in nature it is partially underground) with a
slightly concave woolly apex. Will not (usually)
offset.
Spines: Long, stout,
eagle claw-shaped, typically-twisted,
up to 6cm long. Usually whitish or pale brown.
Flowers: Open petaled, funnel-shaped,
about 4(-7) cm in diameter, 3(-5) cm tall and pinkish in colour. They
grow near the apex. The flowers of Gymnocalycium cardenasianum have a
tough time trying to force themselves through the fierce spines, and is
quite rare to see an open flower because the spines prevent the flowers
from opening properly.
Blooming season: They will bloom at an early age and bloom
sparingly in mid-summer.
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Cultivation: Keep this plant almost dry in winter at a minimum
temperature of 0°C. It prefers a
low pH
compost; otherwise
growth will stop altogether. The plant tolerates
extremely bright situations (grow it hard, at a high position in
the greenhouse, to try and develop the spines, which are strong and
twisted)
but it enjoys some shade during the hottest part of the day in summer.
Propagation: Seeds (seldom produces offsets)
Seed
Collecting: Permit
fruit to
ripen.
Fruit must be significantly
overripe before harvesting seed; clean and dry seeds
Photo of
conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of Gymnocalycium
spegazzinii.
(This
Taxon shows a great degree of variation in
stem and spines colouration, and also in size depending on the site of
origin.)
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Cultivation and Mail Sale 
