Gymnocalycium spegazzinii subs. armatum

Water:

April-September: 1 x every 2 weeks*

October-March: 1x per month *

*This is only for a sunny location

Light: sunny

Nutrition: 1x per month (May-September)

The Gymnocalycium spegazzinii subs. armatum is a special cactus species found in nature at high altitudes in Northern Argentina, from southwestern Salta to northeastern Catamarca, northwestern Tucumán, and Córdoba, and also in Bolivia. Here, this cactus grows on relatively rich and water-absorbent sandy, gravelly, and rocky soils among shrubs of Trichocereus terschekii and sometimes Cleistocactus species, mainly on flat, grassless meadows.

The Gymnocalycium spegazzinii subs. armatum is a strikingly flattened, solitary, unbranched cactus. In nature, the plant is partially subterranean. Its body is grey-green, brownish-grey to almost black, and can reach up to 18 cm or more in diameter and 6 cm in height, although cultivated specimens can grow up to 10 cm tall. The apex is depressed and woolly.
What makes this cactus special are its very characteristic spines that point sideways or downwards. This gives the Gymnocalycium spegazzinii subs. armatum a unique and recognizable appearance that distinguishes it from other Gymnocalycium species.

The Gymnocalycium spegazzinii subs. armatum blooms in late spring with funnel-shaped flowers at the top of the plant. The flowers grow up to 70 mm long and 50 mm in diameter. The outer petals are spatulate and whitish or pinkish with a glaucous green midrib. The inner petals are smaller, lanceolate, and white with a pink midrib, colored crimson at the base, giving a red throat. The flowers remain open for up to twelve days.

A: Gymnocalycium B: IT-09-6027 C: AR-2002 D: IT