Santamaría Cactus: Complete Care, Watering, Light, and Substrate Guide (Disocactus and Ferocactus)

Cacti, belonging to the cactus family, are perfect plants for decorating your home. They are very resistant, cheerful, and add a very special touch to the environment. For these and other reasons we'll explain later, cacti are the perfect plants to grow indoors and outdoors.

They're also one of the best options for those who don't enjoy plants. They're long-lasting, don't require much care, and if you're short on time, they're perfect because they last a long time. They're not immortal, though. Cacti also need certain attention, the same as their relatives, the succulents or the crass. We teach you the basic care so you can enjoy a natural, fresh, and cozy atmosphere at home accompanied by any of these plants.

Cacti defend their water reserves with spines. Succulents, on the other hand, defend themselves with jagged leaves, stinging stems, or an irritating sap that makes animals think twice before biting into them.

There are different types of succulents. These are some of the most common options.:

• Aloe vera: It's probably one of the best-known succulents. It has a slender appearance and is native to Northwest Africa. It's one of the most common plants in the Canary Islands. Its fleshy, elongated, green leaves can reach 4 or 5 meters.
• Sansevieria: Also known as tiger's tongue, this is one of the strongest and most resilient plants. It has flat, padded, tongue-shaped leaves, hence its name. It thrives in dimly lit areas like the bathroom and tolerates temperatures between 16 and 21°C.
• Echeveria: It's one of the most popular succulents. It's very common to see this plant in the United States and Mexico. There are up to 400 different species of Echevaria. It's a plant that requires direct light and can be placed both indoors and outdoors.
• Everlasting flowers: Their leaves are flat and slightly pointed. They are succulents well known for their hardiness. These plants are best placed in a well-lit area with good drainage and moderate watering.
• Jade tree: The jade tree is one of the most sought-after plants. It is characterized by its tree-like shape and oval, fleshy leaves. It blooms in spring and summer.

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There are countless curious and exotic plants in the world, but without a doubt one of the most striking because, in addition to its appearance, we can easily have it at home is the Christmas cactus, winter cactus, Christmas cactus, Christmas nopal, Easter cactus or feathers of Saint Teresa or Saint Therese. Scientifically known as Schlumberg wasThis plant is a type of cactus native to tropical areas of Brazil, but is now cultivated in many more countries and available worldwide. It's different from the more popular cactuses, as it doesn't have spikes. If you want to have this unusual and flowering cactus at home, keep in mind that it's best to keep it indoors, with indirect natural light, water it twice a week, and use a well-draining substrate.

If you like this plant and are curious about how to care for it, feel free to continue reading this oneHOWTO article in which we tell you all the details about the Christmas cactus care in a complete guide.

Basic care of the Christmas cactus

Where to place a Christmas cactus at home

Temperature and humidity for caring for a Christmas cactus

How to water the Christmas cactus

How to Make a Christmas Cactus Bloom

How to prune a Christmas cactus

How to propagate a Christmas cactus

That cacti produce spectacular flowers that is a fact, but that there are species that attract more attention than others ... that too, and if not that they tell anyone who enjoys the beauty of one that is popularly known by the name from Santa Maria .

Not only is it easy to care for, but it is also hanging, which means that growing it in a tall pot is a very interesting option. Would you like to meet him? Let's go there.

Origin and characteristics

Our protagonist is a hanging or epiphytic cactus whose scientific name is Disocactus speciosus (before Heliocereus speciosus ). It is known as Santamaría and is endemic to Mexico and Guatemala. Develops stems up to 1 meter long, 1,5 to 2,5cm thick. These have very serrated ribs, with areoles from which arise 5-8 spines 1 to 1,5 cm long, pointed and erect, yellow or brown.

The flowers are large, 11 to 17cm long by 8 to 13cm in diameter, scarlet in color.. Once they are pollinated, the fruits begin to mature, which will be ovoid and will measure 4 to 5 cm when they finish maturing.

What are their cares?

If you dare to get a copy, we recommend that you provide it with the following care:

• Location: Outdoors, in full sun or partial shade. If you buy it from a nursery where it was kept in a greenhouse or protected from the sun, don't expose it directly to the sun, as it will burn. Accustom it gradually.
• Earth:
  • Pot: universal growing substrate mixed with perlite in equal parts.
  • Garden: it is indifferent as long as it has good drainage.
• Irrigation: twice a week in summer and every 10-15 days the rest of the year.
• Subscriber: from early spring to late summer with specific cactus fertilizers following the instructions on the package.
• Multiplication: by seeds and stem cuttings in spring.
• Rusticity: It tolerates cold and light frosts down to -2°C. If you live in a colder area, you should protect it indoors by placing it in a bright, draft-free room.

Pests and preventive care: Watch for mealybugs, mites, and spider mites; check the armpits and edges of cladodes. Maintain good ventilation and apply potassium soap o neem oil as a preventive measure if the environment is very dry.

Pay attention to the common name: In commerce it is called "Santamaría" both this Disocactus speciosus pendant like a Ferocactus peninsulae var. santa-maria (Baja California barrel). If your plant is globular and spiny, follow the care instructions in the starter block: full sun, abundant watering in growth and dry in winter, very mineral substrate and cold rest at around 10 °C, with occasional tolerance down to -3 °C; multiplication is carried out only by seed.

For both, a impeccable drainage is the key: specific mix for cacti enriched with gravel or coarse sand and a pot with holes. Avoid waterlogging by lifting the pot after watering and removing excess water from the saucer after 10 minutes.

The above set of recommendations allows the "Santamaría" to thrive both in bright interiors and in protected exteriors. Regular pest monitoring, measured watering, and proper light acclimation will ensure showy blooms and growth healthy for many years.

Related article:

Complete Guide to Watering and Fertilizing Cactus and Succulents: Care and Tips