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Turbinicarpus flaviflorus
(Syn: T. schmiedickeanus ssp. flaviflorus)

CACTUS ART
NURSERY

Cultivation and Mail Sale
of Cacti and Succulents.

 


T. flaviflorus is a very nice and rare member of this genus, and sought by many.
The stem is elong
ated, with a thin neck on a large taproot.
 

Description: Solitary or slowly clumping.  It has a very distinctive form, described by some as almost pagoda-like.
Stem: Cylindrical
, grey-greenish, and coated in a whitish bloom, 2.5 cm in diameter, 5 cm tall; conical tubercles with a rhomboidal base.
Areoles: Small with white caduceus wool.
Root: Napiform.
Spines:  4 to 6
, up 30 mm long, the juvenile ones are dark-brown, the older ones are greysh. They are spongy, flexible and curve upwards.
Flowers: Infundibuliform, light yellow-green
, up 2 cm in diameter.  Stylus pink with white stigmas, anthers yellow.
Blooming season:
The flowers appear at the plant's apex, in succession from spring to summer.
Fruit: Longly ovoidal
, 10 mm long, base dark green, apex dark brown.
Seed: Dark brown
, 1 mm long.
 

The flowers, from which it gets its name (from Latin flavus = yellow)  are an unusual greenish-yellow, and contrast well with the body.

Cultivation: It’s a fairly easy and robust species to cultivate, but very slow growing.  It needs a very well-drained soil, and requires strong sun to part sun to keep the plant compact and low and to develop a good spinal growth. Waterings should be rather infrequent to keep the plant compact, and avoid its becoming excessively elongated and unnatural in appearance.
Furthermore it has a tap root, and watering it properly is often difficult, because it tends to crack open or rot if over-watered.
Keep dry in winter, or when night temperatures remain below 10° C.  It is hardy to -4°C for a short period. Assure a good ventilation.

Reproduction: From seed, since the plant rarely produces plantlets, or grafted.

 


A very old specimen

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Family: Cactaceae (Cactus Family)

Scientific Name: Turbinicarpus flaviflorus G.Frank & Lau
Published in:
Frank and Lau, KuaS, 30(1):6-7, 1979

Origin  Mexico (San Luis Potosí: Santa Rita del Rucio)

Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix I

Taxon synonyms
  • Turbinicarpus schmiedickeanus ssp. flaviflorus (G. Frank & A.B. Lau) Glass & Foster
    Published in: Guía Identif. Cact. Amenazadas México unpaged. 1997

  • Neolloydia schmiedickeana var. flaviflora,
  • Turbinicarpus macrochele ssp. flaviflorus,
  • Pediocactus schmiedickeanus var. flaviflorus,
  • Turbinicarpus schmiedickeanus var. flaviflorus
 



T. flaviflorus is for many the favorite Turbinicarpus to grow.
This species has
long, corky,  flexible  spines.


Small babies at the base of the mother plant.
 


 

Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Turbinicarpus schmiedicheanus aggregate:  (This taxon has lots of synonyms,  with several controversial varieties and subspecies):

Home | E-mail | Plant files | Mail Sale Catalogue | Links | Information | Search

All the information and photos in cactus art files are now available also in the new the Enciclopedia of Cacti. We hope you find this new site informative and useful.