Melocactus Species, Matanzas Meloncactus, Melon Cactus, Dwarf Turk's Cap Cactus
Melocactus matanzanus
| Family: | Cactaceae (kak-TAY-see-ee) (Info) |
| Genus: | Melocactus (mel-oh-KAK-tus) (Info) |
| Species: | matanzanus |
| Synonym: | Melocactus actinacanthus |
Category:
Cactus and Succulents
Water Requirements:
Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Sun Exposure:
Sun to Partial Shade
Light Shade
Foliage:
Foliage Color:
Height:
under 6 in. (15 cm)
6-12 in. (15-30 cm)
Spacing:
9-12 in. (22-30 cm)
12-15 in. (30-38 cm)
Hardiness:
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)
Where to Grow:
Can be grown as an annual
Danger:
Plant has spines or sharp edges; use extreme caution when handling
Bloom Color:
Pink
Magenta (pink-purple)
Bloom Characteristics:
Bloom Size:
Bloom Time:
Other details:
Soil pH requirements:
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
Patent Information:
Non-patented
Propagation Methods:
From seed; direct sow after last frost
Seed Collecting:
Allow unblemished fruit to ripen; clean and dry seeds
Unblemished fruit must be significantly overripe before harvesting seed; clean and dry seeds
Properly cleaned, seed can be successfully stored
Regional
This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:
Phoenix, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Mission Viejo, California
Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Grenoble, Rhône-Alpes
Austin, Texas
show allGardeners' Notes:
| Rating | Content |
|---|---|
| Neutral | On Oct 20, 2005, cactus_lover from FSD, Melocactus Matanzanus is the smallest,which come from Cuba and is very pretty.It makes its cephalium in 4 to 5 years. |
| Neutral | On Jul 22, 2004, palmbob from Acton, CA (Zone 8b) wrote: smaller green Cuban species- matures quickly at about 4" in diameter, so if you want a relatively cheap melocactus with a cephalium already, this one could be for you. Once the cephalium forms, the cactus itself won't grow any/much... just the cephalium. Needs protection from hot sun and cold/damp combinations. |
