Cacti, How to sow
You Want Something Different? Meet Blossfeldia liliputana
Feb
Blossfeldia liliputana earned its name by the novel Gulliver’s Travels and the tiny people of Lilliput. As you can imagine, B. liliputana is the smallest cactus in the world. This unique cactus grows in Andes mountains and it maxes at 1.3 centimeters (or half an inch). Blossfeldia is a summer blooming cactus with beautiful white flowers. It grows very slow, from the indent at the center of the plant.
If you want something extraordinary in your garden, these small wonders are perfect for you. Heres everything you need to know about growing them.
Conditions
Blossfeldia loves shady places with good airflow. During winter rest it needs to be kept in some cool place. When it comes to temperature range it can tolerate, Blossfeldia can take low temperatures pretty well, as long as the plant is well dried. If it gets frosty, don’t worry. It can tolerate frost up to -10°C. However, it’s not recommended to expose it to temperatures lower than 5°C for a long time, due it could rot if even mildly wet.
Care
Blossfeldia needs to be watered during its growing period which is from March till October. Considering its growing between roks, Blossfeldias roots are very sensitive to humidity. Water it just when you’re sure that the soil is completely dry. If you’re keeping it in the sun during the growing period, just avoid getting any water on bodies of this cactus, otherwise, it will get sunburned. This can cause forming some scar tissue on the plant, or even infections. You should stop watering Blossfeldia as soon as October starts and let it dry for the winter months.
When it comes to soil, you should choose some well-draining mix to prevent a lot of water to cause roots to rotten. You can either make your own mix or get some premixed soil. Blossfeldia will also grow faster and healthier if you add some low nitrogen content fertilizer in summer months.
When it comes to pests and infection, this cactus in a good shape is almost healthiest you can get. With a little mineral added to soil mix and good air flow, your Blossfeldia should stay pests free and without any infection.
Propagation
Blossfeldia propagates from seeds and graft. Giving plant itself being small, you can imagine seeds easily blend in with surrounding soil and rocks. You need to sow those minuscule seeds on a surface of finely sifted soil mix. Blossfeldia is a very slow growing cactus so you need to be careful with it until roots become stronger. The best way to keep them alive when they’re young is to water them with the spray bottle for the first few months until they’re large enough to be watered normally.