Ariocarpus KOTSCHOUBEYANUS

Ariocarpus KOTSCHOUBEYANUS - Kotschoubey's ariocarpus, Living rock cactus, Roseocactus.

Ariocarpus is a genus of distinctive and very original plants in the family Cactaceae, whose flattened-globose stems, covered with triangular spineless tubercles, resemble leafy rosettes. They develop stout turnip-like taproots. The diameter and height of the plants vary from 2-5 cm (0.8-2.0 in) to 25-30 cm (9.8-11.8 in).

All Ariocarpus species are included on protected lists, and some are very rare in nature. The plants inhabit rocky hillsides in the partial shade of shrubs and grasses at elevations of 200 to 2400 m (656-7874 ft) above sea level. Infrequent but usually torrential rains fall here from June to September; occasionally precipitation is possible in late autumn, while winter and early spring are dry. Abundant dew helps the cacti survive the arid period. Adult ariocarpus are the ornament of any collection, and moreover they develop quite well in culture - on sunny windowsills or in a greenhouse. However, these cacti grow very slowly, so to accelerate development they are most often grown grafted.

Kotschoubey's ariocarpus is a miniature species with a globose stem of green color. The stem has large, pointed, triangular tubercles. Along the middle of the tubercles are white or cream woolly grooves. The flowers are white or pink, large, funnel-shaped.

Usually, when sowing ariocarpus, no special tricks are required, although some experts recommend cold stratification for 2-3 weeks at a temperature of 5-6 °C (41-43 °F). During cold treatment, seed after-ripening occurs, as underdevelopment of embryo tissues is often observed in them.

The seeds are mixed with moist sand (3 parts sand to 1 part seeds) and the container is placed in the refrigerator without covering it with a lid. The substrate for seedlings, unlike that for adult plants, should be more nutritious and can consist of leaf soil and sand, or peat and sand (1:1). The top layer (about 0.5 cm (0.2 in) thick) is more expediently made of coarse sand, brick, or expanded clay grit. Substrate sterilization is a mandatory condition before sowing. Seed containers are soaked with water, and the seeds are lightly pressed into the substrate without covering them on top. The flat container with sowings is covered with glass or film and kept in a semi-shaded place at a temperature of 20-25 °C (68-77 °F). It is good if the temperature drops to 18-20 °C (64-68 °F) at night. The first sprouts of ariocarpus appear after a week, and mass germination is observed over the next 10 days, although individual seeds can germinate over the course of a year.