Puna

It takes its name from its place of origin, the mountainous region, located between Bolivia and Argentina. It is particularly appreciated for its characteristic shape of small spheres massed together, however, sometimes they can also have slender cylindrical stems with coral-like ramifications, certainly these cacti do not go unnoticed for their disordered arrangement, that makes each specimen different from the others. Sometimes compared to the genus Opuntia, however, they do not maintain their shape of blades, distributed in a well defined way and they bloom very rarely, but this does not make them less sought after: the symmetry of their stems contrasts so much with the asymmetry of their arrangement, that make this genus truly unusual and with a unique charm! Here are some tips for its cultivation: It requires an exposure to full sun, but shade it during the hottest hours. It is preferable to keep it at mild temperatures, never below 5 °C. It is recommended to shelter it during the winter period. Water moderately, only when the soil is completely dry. It is enough once a week in spring and summer, once a month in autumn and to suspend watering completely in winter. A well-draining 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.