Red Orchid Cactus (Nopalxochia Ackermannii) Profile

Red Orchid cactus, also known as Nopalxochia ackermannii, is a perennial herb of the cactus family. Red Orchid cactus was introduced to China from Mexico. Red Orchid cactus with its delicate and lithe beautiful posture, and it's gorgeous dazzling color, as well as the tenacious vitality and the charming aroma, very popular with people and love.

Red Orchid Cactus Picture

Red Orchid Cactus Morphological Characteristics

Red Orchid cactus is an epiphytic cactus plant, stems erect, much branched, social shrubby, about 50-100 cm high. Plant base trunk fine round, branching flat arrow - shaped, green. Stem margin of red orchid cactus is obtuse dentate. The concave part of the tooth has a spiny base, with a fine spiny 0.3~0.5 cm long, and a cluster of short spines. Stems of Red orchid cactus are flat, midvein prominent. Large flowers, from the stem node on both sides of the spiny out of the tube, long and thin, trumpet-shaped, perianth double or double petals, bloom during the day, the night closed, a flower only open 1~2 days, color has purple, bright red, pink, magenta, yellow, white, blue purple, summer bloom during the day.

Red Orchid Cactus Distribution

Red Orchid cactus (Nopalxochia Ackermannii) is native to the American tropical region, Mexico is the most. Potted plants are the main plants in China. red orchid cactus is distributed in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Taiwan, Guizhou, Liaoning and other places.

How to Grow and Care for Red Orchid Cactus in Pots

1. Red Orchid cactus prefers a warm and humid semi-shade environment, and is not cold resistant. Flowering from spring to summer. Propagation methods can be used by cutting and grafting.

2. Cultivation tips: cutting or grafting method to breed alive seedlings on the pot, pot soil with garden soil 2, 1 river sand, 1 organic fertilizer, add a little ash mixed, or with 4 leaves of soil, back to the 3, 2 compost, 1 coarse sand mixed preparation. The floor of a devil basin is lined with broken tiles to drain water.

3. Pour permeable water on the pot, place in a shady place with ventilation, and place Red Orchid cactus in a well-ventilated and sunny place after 7-10 days. In spring and autumn Red Orchid cactus should be placed in the sun, the summer in the half shade, in order to prevent sunburn stems and leaves or plant stems and leaves of Red Orchid cactus Ling Shrinkage and yellow. Winter on the sunny south windowsill, to be higher than 8 degrees Celsius above to safety over winter.

4. Red Orchid cactus (Nopalxochia Ackermannii) should be planted with stents. During the growth of watering to use soak basin method watering, keep wet to, to prevent basin soil too dry too wet, avoid water, so as not to rot root. Hot summer can increase the environmental humidity through the ground wine spray. Winter basin soil can be dry. In the growth period fertilization, every 15 days 1 times the rarefied decayed cake fertilizer water.

5. Apply 0.2% phosphorus and potassium compound water once a week during the gestation period of Red Orchid cactus. In the red orchid cactus flowering, we should stop fertilization, and control of water, hot summer and winter is unfavorable and fertilization, to constantly in the process of growth to plastic, to stick to long a certain height to make a top, make it stop growing, and promptly erase branches on either side of the new bud, encourage germination of the base of the new branches, if everyday keep stem leaf too close or cauline leaf disease, should be timely sulfur, spring every branches, keep only 3-5 flowers.

6. Change the pot once every 2 years. Changing the pot should be carried out in spring or autumn.

Red Orchid Cactus Propagation

Red Orchid Cactus Cutting Propagation

Red Orchid cactus (Nopalxochia Ackermannii) is generally propagated by cuttage. Greenhouse can be carried out all the year round, but in summer cuttings are the best. The cuttings were selected free of disease Red Orchid Cactus.

Insect, growth robust and hypertrophic 2A foliate branch, the foliate branch tissue tender and easy to rot. After cuttings are cut from the mother Red Orchid cactus. Cut it into a section of 8~10cm with a sharp knife. Set in a cool and ventilated place for about 1d. Wait for its wound to dry into a layer of film and then cut. If a large number of breeding, cutting before the establishment of the seedbed. Cutting substrate for plain sand can be, seedling bed with 0.1% potassium permanganate solution disinfection and then use. Cutting with a small wood cutting edge hole, in order to prevent the destruction of the incision tissue. Spray enough water and shade after inserting, keep the temperature 15~20℃, keep the seedbed of Red Orchid cactus wet, but not too wet, found cuttings slightly wilting due to high temperature can be used as a fine sprayer spray plant. Generally 20~30 days can grow new roots, roots should be transplanted in time.If the family breeding can be directly inserted in loose fertile, well-drained acidic soil. 

Red Orchid Cactus Grafting Propagation

Red Orchid cactus can also be propagated by grafting. Rootstock is generally selected to grow strong, robust cactus, suitable for split grafting, at room temperature above 15℃ can be carried out.The grafting survival rate was the highest at room temperature of 20~25℃.

To graft, cut the top end of the stock crosswise with a sharp steel knife (sterilised with alcohol to prevent infection), then cut a wedge at the top, then cut the lower end of the scion flat on both sides. The scion is then inserted into the opening, and a thin bamboo needle is inserted to secure the scion. After the grafting, put the Red orchid cactus in the semi-shade, and pay attention to the wound not to touch water. After 7 days, move it to a sunny place.

Red Orchid Cactus Diseases & Pests Care

The stem rot, brown spot and root-knot nematodes are common Red Orchid cactus diseases and pests, which can be treated with 50% carbendazim wetted powder 1000 times, and root-knot nematodes with 80% dibromochloropropane emulsion 1000 times liquid release water. Poor ventilation, vulnerable to aphids, scale insects and red spider harm, can be used to kill 50% borer pine emulsion 1000 times the liquid spray.

Red Orchid Cactus Uses

Ornamental value

Red Orchid cactus (Nopalxochia Ackermannii) also comes in a variety of colors, notably Red and pink, but some other colors are also very beautiful. Cactus itself is a very good-looking flower, after flowering nature is of more ornamental value. Therefore, the beautiful and generous Red Orchid Cactus is very popular in the market of potted plants and garden gardening by virtue of its strong fragrance and dazzling appearance, and is often used to decorate balconies and living rooms in homes.

Medicinal value

Red orchid cactus or blindly drug, is that it can be used as a traditional Chinese medicinal materials of parts of stem, not like other Chinese herbal medicine will take a decoction after dehydration, Red orchid cactus is picked a direct mash can external use of herbs, generally is to apply directly on the affected part, can help eliminate depressive pain, good effect of invigorate the circulation of dredging.

Red Orchid Cactus Flower Language: Remembrance

In the hot barren wasteland and desert, facing the Red orchid cactus in full bloom, one can't help but think of the past. It is precisely because of this characteristic that the flower phrase of Red Orchid Cactus has become a reminder.

This exquisite, elegant, gorgeous and enchanting flower exudes a charming aroma, which is very special. The flowers look beautiful and lovely, but sound a little sad in the words of Red Orchid Cactus.

There is a sad and beautiful story about a couple who love each other, but their families are at war with each other, resulting in a lot of casualties. They committed suicide by hugging each other for the sake of peace. However, soon on the grave where they were buried together, plants very much like Ling's arrows and flowers like lotuses grew out. This is the Red Orchid Cactus that people now see.