Ladyfinger cactus is a plant that gets its name from its appearance. The stems are long and narrow and grow from the center, upright when they’re small but more spreading and sprawling as they get longer. This makes ladyfinger an excellent choice for a bed or container that needs a low-spreading plant or hanging basket.
Once you have some ladyfingers of your own, there’s only one thing to do: wait for them to bloom. When will they bloom? It depends on the variety. It also depends on various factors such as temperature, water, light levels, and nutrition.
This is not just a guessing game though—there are ways to know where your particular specimen is in the growth cycle and it will help you anticipate the blooming process so you don’t miss it.
Echinocereus pentalophus is a cactus native to Mexico and known in English as ladyfinger cactus. The name comes from the stems that are long and narrow, like fingers. They grow from the center, erect when small, but more spreading and sprawling when longer.
Ultimately, ladyfinger cactus plants will spread to about three feet 1 meter wide with a height of about eight inches 20 cm. The stems are attractive, but they are not all that this cactus has to offer.
Produces some of the most beautiful and spectacular succulent flowers. Ladyfinger cactus flowers are large and bright pink with a white to yellow center and bloom profusely in spring.
This species of cactus has a great decorative effect, ideal for decorating interiors, on sideboards or tables, which are lit by the sun for at least a few hours of the day.
“The Golden Star Cactus or Lady Fingers Cactus is a clump-forming variety with long cylindrical stems that bend over and cascade as they elongate. This is a fairly tame variety in that you can handle it fairly easily without getting stuck by spines. This plant would look great in a hanging basket or in a tall planter where its cascading nature can really show off.”
How Do I Get My Lady Finger Cactus to Bloom?
If your lady finger cactus is not blooming, you might be wondering if there is something wrong with it. After all, it’s a cactus and they’re supposed to flower. But while the plant is called a “lady finger cactus”, it won’t always bloom like one.
The plant, native to Mexico and Central America, typically flowers from mid-winter to late spring. In case the cactus has not bloomed by its growing season, you need to place your plant outdoors throughout the summers as it will start to bloom for some time. The reason why most gardeners don’t see it bloom indoors is that they don’t have the proper environment. If a lady finger cactus goes through its flowering cycle outside, then it’s normal for a gardener to expect that same cycle indoors.
Some tips on how to get your lady finger cactus to bloom:
-Your cactus should be in full sunlight so that it can go through its natural cycles of flowering. If you live in an area where sunlight is scarce during the winter months, you may want to consider moving your plant outdoors during this time period.
How Often Do Lady Finger Cactus Bloom?
The Lady Finger Cactus is an elongated cactus with a cylindrical stem. The stems can reach up to 6 inches in length and average just over an inch in diameter. The areoles are large, measuring around 1/4 of an inch long, and are spaced about an inch apart on the stem. The spines can be quite variable, but most commonly look like two small, straight spines next to each other on the areole. Some Lady Finger Cactus have been known to have four or even five spines on their areoles.
Lady Finger Cactus Appearance.
| Name: | Mammillaria elongata |
| Blooming: | Mid-winter to late spring |
| Light: | Bright light |
| Water: | When the soil is dry |
Here is the step-by-step process of planting a lady’s finger cactus in pots. Verify!
1.
Carefully remove the cactus from the original vase, using gloves and a shovel.
2.
Prepare a pot with a hole and make a drainage layer at the bottom. To do this, you can use expanded clay, crushed stone, or something similar.
A good piece of advice from the gardener is to opt for clay or cement containers, which help the water to evaporate, preventing the roots from rotting. You can also use something like pebbles at the bottom of the container, but if you’re using a pot without holes in its bottom, it’s best not to use anything that could block the flow of water and cause mold problems later on.
3.
Next, place a drainage blanket or any porous fabric, preferably synthetic. Otherwise, it will deteriorate over time.
4.
Accommodate substrate that may be grittier. Just add one part of sand and the same amount of soil.
5.
Then add the cactus and cover its base with more soil.
6.
Water the plant abundantly, spaced out, trying not to leave the soil soaked.
Conclusion
Lady finger cactus bloom in the Springtime, so be sure to plant your cactus in well-draining soil that is well watered and gives the plant some protection from freezing winter temperatures.
Source:
https://www.canr.msu.edu/hrt/uploads/534/97267/Insiders_Guide.pdf