For months, Selenicereus grandiflorus looks more like an ugly duckling, until one night the plant turns into a swan and unfolds its full beauty. The name Queen of the Night is derived from the short, nocturnal flowering period. The cactus then enchants with large, creamy-white flowers that smell of vanilla. Cactus lovers hold festivals and many a botanical…
Unfortunately, there is no common translated name for the Gymnocalycium cacti. The direct translation from the botanical name means “naked calyx”. As a rule, these are low-growing plants, usually solitary or in small clusters, with a spherical to short-cylindrical stem. Characteristic are the 4 to 15 ribs, which are usually broadly rounded and rarely warty. Most of these cacti…
Living stones look a bit bizarre. They look confusingly similar to stones, but if you take a closer look, you can see the plant. When she’s wearing flowers, it looks even weirder. Their strange appearance is probably due to the fact that the plants had to protect themselves from predators. They simply took on the appearance of rocks in…
Carrion flowers are not for sensitive noses. The plants, also known as disgusting flowers, exude a carrion-like smell. It is designed to attract certain insects to pollinate flowers. The Stapelia gigantea is one of these plants. Its flowers can grow up to 40 cm in diameter. If you are still not averse to cultivating this plant, you can find out…
Prickly, decorative and with a touch of exotic flair – Mammillaria cacti, which with their 400 species represent the largest family of cacti, inspire every hobby gardener. The easy-to-care-for green plant, which hardly grows larger than 10cm, forms either a squat spherical or a columnar body and presents numerous warts with thorns on the surface. The plant…
The botanical name is Beaucarnea recurvata, but we affectionately call it bottle tree, elephant tree or even elephant’s foot. Originally it comes from the dry regions in Mexico. There, the trunk of the succulent tree can actually be reminiscent of the foot of an elephant. Since the trunk tapers towards the top, Beaucarnea recurvata was quickly compared to…
There are about 2,000 species in the cacti plant family. Most are from North and South America. Everywhere they grow outside of America, they have been naturalized. Cacti live in a variety of habitats, from humid rainforest to arid desert areas, from altitudes just above sea level to the highest mountainous regions. Very few species actually grow in dry…
The mighty agaves with their fleshy, thorn-armed leaves can also often be found in German gardens, but have to be cultivated in pots due to the lack of winter hardiness. However, a few species defy cold and frost, which is why they can stay outside even in the cold season under certain conditions. The following article reveals…
The prickly pear is a species of plant that belongs to the cactus family. Within this family it belongs to the genus Opuntia. In everyday language, this plant is also referred to as prickly pear. The prickly pear reaches heights of between 1 m and 6 m, adopting a shrubby or tree-like form. There is usually a trunk about…
Rhipsalis cacti are rare succulents, the shoots of which are mostly hanging. This is why amateur gardeners like cacti to cultivate them as an ampelous plant. About 40 species are known that, with proper care, not only develop the leaves or braid-like interwoven shoots, which are unusual for cacti, but also bloom splendidly in spring. Berry-like, smooth fruits…