Pterocactus

Pterocactus is a genus in the family Cactaceae that includes 9 species of cacti with tuberous roots, native to Southern and Western Argentina. The tribe Pterocacteae owes its name to this genus, and includes only the former. Derived from Greek, its name refers to something winged, indicating, according to some opinions, the particular shape of its seeds. These are often geophytic cacti, which halve their volume during vegetative rest and "hide" underground to protect themselves from unfavorable seasons. They remain small in size, tending rather to cluster, creating spontaneously a characteristic composition of small cylindrical cacti with very varied spines, depending on the species. They usually have fragile, slender stems, bluish or brownish-purple or dark green. They reach a maximum length of 40 centimeters and a maximum diameter of 2 centimeters and so they break off easily (this is essential to the success of their reproductive strategy). Here are some tips for its proper care and cultivation: Likes very bright and rather airy places. It prefers rather mild temperatures, however it still survives even at temperatures close to freezing if the soil is dry. Water moderately from March to October, only when the soil is completely dry, avoiding stagnation of water. Suspend almost completely in winter. A well-draining and porous soil is an optimal solution, even better if further enriched with 50% or more of inert materials such as pumice or lapilli. They do not need frequent fertilization, it is sufficient to dilute the fertilizer with watering once a year.