Ortegocactus (Cactus)

Its name was chosen in honor of the Ortega family, who helped Tom Macdougall in the discovery of this genus. It is an extremely rare and sought after cactus, consisting of a single species, globular and very small, with slow growth, but still extremely rich in details. A truly unique and ornamental aspect is represented by its robust and clearly visible spines, due to their black or, sometimes, white color, which gracefully fades to black at the tips. At the same time, its rhomboid and spirally arranged tubercles make it unmistakable and give such a tiny plant an extremely symmetrical and truly perfectionary look. Here are some tips for its proper care and cultivation: Ortegocactus likes spaces that allows it to benefit of an exposition under the direct sun. It prefers mild temperatures, about 20 °C, or in any case never lower than 10 °C, therefore it is advisable to properly shelter it in winter. It needs little water, once every 10 days, making sure that the soil is completely dry between a watering and the next one. In winter it is advisable to completely stop watering to allow the plant to enter dormancy. We suggest a very draining substratum as an optimal solution, mixed with a small part of peat, which should preferably be not too rich in minerals. These are plants that do not need frequent fertilizations, it is enough to dilute a specific cacti fertilizer with the watering once a year.