Rebutia canigueralii subs. rauschii

Family

Cactacaea

Native

Bolivia

Description

Rebutia rauschii is a local or morphological form of the variable  Rebutia canigueralii. It is a miniature clustering  cactus  (rarely solitary), readily forms clumps of many purple heads with characteristic very short, black spines form of a fishbone.

Sulcorebutia rauschii  f.  violacidermis  has dark violet stems, covered by flat tubercles, up to 4 cm tall and up to 5 cm in diameter. In older Cactus tubercles are arranged in up to 16 spiral line merging in the apex. The areoles are long, narrow, with short white felt. The spines are short, black, completely flattened against the tubercles. The flowers are up to 5 cm long and wide wide, funnel-shaped, yellow-green, with tan colored scales, tepals deep magenta with a clearer throat. The fruit is reddish brown and up to 0.2 inch wide.

Environment

Rebutia rauschii  is a mountainous Cactus with a thick taproots and is susceptible to overwatering, it grows rather slowly and need a very good drainage to avoid rotting. It requires also an appropriate air circulation and is sometime grafted to avoid root problems.It loves a very permeable, coarse mineral soil.

The Cactus grows best in light shade when young, full sun later.Give an occasional high potassium liquid feed during the active growing period.

Landscape Uses

It is a fine plant for a rock garden or container, contrasts well with agaves, yuccas, and low-growing flowering Cactus.