Growing Pink Cacti
Ready to get started? Here are several pink cactus plants to consider: The grafted moon cactus, botanically called Gymnocalycium cacti, comes with pink heads. This specimen comes in 80 types and is becoming more common in-home collections. The most often available of this group is the moon or Hibotan cacti, found at mass retailers. “Flowers” bloom on the colorful heads that are grafted onto a taller, green base. Most are confined to a four-inch (10 cm.) container when purchased. Repot into a bigger container to allow growth and encourage blooms. Fertilize a few weeks before bloom time. Perhaps, the most well-known pink blooms occur on the holiday cacti group. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter cacti are popular among houseplant growers and sometimes bloom around the appointed time. Others in this group simply blossom when conditions are right, whether it is a holiday or not. Holiday cacti are short-day specific and can be trained to bloom during holiday times. Once they flower at the appointed time, they are more likely to bloom at this time in following years. Six weeks of 12-hour nighttime darkness preceding the holiday encourage flowers. These blooms may also be white, yellow, and red. Growing pink cacti and getting flowers is not always so methodical. Some pink blooms occur after the plant is well established and in appropriate conditions. Getting cacti to bloom often depends on weather conditions for those that grow outside in the landscape. While we may know all the secrets to getting pink blossoms, weather that is too cold or wet may discourage them from flowering at a set time.
Other Cacti That are Pink Flowering
Some cactus plants have long-lasting, showy flowers while other blooms are insignificant. Cactus plants that sometimes bloom pink include:
Coryphanthas: sometimes have attractive, showy blooms
Echinocacti: the double barrel cactus sometimes blooms in shades of pink
Echinocereus: includes the pink hedgehog
Echinopsis: bloom in various shades and flowers are mostly showy
Ferocactus: with colorful spines, some are rare, in addition to pink blooms
Eriosyce: large group of flowering cacti that sometimes blossom in pink
Many other cacti may flower with pink blooms. If you desire this shade of blooms on your plants, research before planting and make sure to plant the appropriate cultivar.
