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Miniature barrel cactus
Miniature barrel cactus
Miniature barrel cactus
Miniature barrel cactus
Miniature barrel cactus
Miniature barrel cactus
Miniature barrel cactus
Thelocactus setispinus
The miniature barrel cactus is native to the Mesquite scrublands of Texas and northern Mexico. It is sometimes called the 'Hedgehog Cactus.' miniature barrel cactus blooms with silky, one-eyed yellow flowers all summer and is usually solitary, but will sometimes offset from its base.
Hardiness Zones
Hardiness Zones
10 to 13
plant_info

Key Facts About Miniature barrel cactus

Attributes of Miniature barrel cactus

Lifespan
Perennial
Plant Type
Succulent
Leaf type
Semi-evergreen
Ideal Temperature
20 - 41 ℃

Scientific Classification of Miniature barrel cactus

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distribution

Distribution of Miniature barrel cactus

Distribution Map of Miniature barrel cactus

distribution map
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Potentially invasive
Exotic
No species reported
habit
question

Questions About Miniature barrel cactus

Watering Watering Watering
Sunlight Sunlight Sunlight
Temperature Temperature Temperature
What should I do if I water my Miniature barrel cactus too much or too little?
Underwatered Miniature barrel cactus
Miniature barrel cactus and other succulents can endure long periods without water, so it’s unusual to find one of these suffering from underwatering. But, if you somehow forgot about your plant and neglected to water it for a month or more, you’ll probably find your Miniature barrel cactus looking thirsty or with some damage from lack of watering.
It is very easy to identify an underwatered Miniature barrel cactus. Plant look lacklustre and wrinkled. Some may have dried up completely, turned brown and crispy, or dropped off the plant. And of course, the soil will be completely dried out.
If your Miniature barrel cactus is thirsty and underwatered, give it plenty of water as soon as possible. Submerging the pot entirely in water for about 5-10 minutes is a good way to make sure the soil and plant are rehydrated properly. When you feel a sense of moisture on the surface of the soil with your finger, it means the watering is done properly.
Overwatered Miniature barrel cactus
Overwatering is dangerous to Miniature barrel cactus and can be fatal to your plant if you don’t remedy the situation. Too much moisture over time leads to root rot, which prevents the roots from being able to absorb nutrients and water from the soil. Root rot occurs when wet conditions allow fungi and bacteria to flourish in the soil and feed on roots. When you find that it's overwatered, you'd better change the growing conditions, place it somewhere with more air ventilation and adjust water frequency, for example.
The symptoms of overwatering are yellow, swollen, and translucent organs that may even burst open from being over-full with water. If the problem continues without being treated, plant might turn brown or black, and fall off the plant at the slightest touch. Be sure to check the soil to determine if overwatering is the culprit, as some other issues can cause similar symptoms.
It’s a bit difficult (but not impossible) to save an overwatered plant. The key is catching it early before a lot of damage has occurred. If the roots become rotten, it is likely to kill the entire plant. If you suspect you have overwatered your Miniature barrel cactus, the first step is to remove it from its pot and check the roots and soil.
After removing the plant from its pot, gently remove wet soil from around the roots and then rinse them clean in room-temperature water. This helps with removing fungus that might be lurking in the soil and allows you to get a better sense of how healthy the roots are. If your plant has already developed root rot, you will see roots that are dark brown or black, soft, mushy, or slimy.
If the majority of the roots are already affected by root rot, it may not be possible to save the plant. In this case, it is best to remove any healthy stem and try to use these to propagate a new Miniature barrel cactus. If, on the other hand, only a portion of the roots have succumbed to rot and other healthy roots still remain, there is a chance it can be saved.
Use a sterilized cutting tool to remove any unhealthy-looking roots. Once you're left with only the firm, pale roots, it’s a good idea to dip them in a fungicide to kill off any remaining spores. After that you can repot your Miniature barrel cactus in fresh, free-draining potting soil. While this does not always work to save a succulent with root rot, in most cases this plant will be able to make a full recovery and will put out new growth starting in the next growing season.
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How often should I water my Miniature barrel cactus?
There’s not a hard-and-fast rule for how often to water Miniature barrel cactus. The best way to determine this is to check the soil and only water when it’s bone dry. You can either stick your finger in the pot or use a moisture meter to check the soil below the surface. When you plant it in a deep pot, you can do this with a stick or chopstick. If it feels even a little bit moist, wait a few days and check it again.
Most people will need to water Miniature barrel cactus about every two weeks in summer and once a month in winter, but there are several factors that can change the frequency. The section below lists some considerations that can help you to determine how often to water.
Read More more
What should I consider when watering my Miniature barrel cactus?
There are several environmental conditions that will affect how your Miniature barrel cactus needs to be watered, including the container size, soil type, temperature, and humidity.
First off, the container and soil you use will determine how often to water and how much water to use each time. Be sure you use a container with plenty of drainage holes in the bottom so extra water can escape the pot. A small container has less room for soil, meaning it won’t hold as much moisture, while a larger pot will stay wet longer and need to be watered less often. It’s important not to keep your Miniature barrel cactus in an oversized pot as this can easily lead to overwatering. When repotting, move to just one size larger than the current container. A shallow container works better than a deep one, since Miniature barrel cactus has shallow root systems.
Miniature barrel cactus will need to be watered less often in winter and more often in the active growing season in spring and autumn. During the winter, growth slows down considerably and the plant isn’t using much energy or water. There is less water lost to evaporation in cooler winter air, meaning that soil stays wet for much longer than it would in the summer.
This also applies to the general climate around your home. If you live in a humid location with a lot of rain, you will need to water less often than if you live in a dry, arid climate. Remember that conditions at the same geographic location can vary significantly with the season and the use of indoor heating and air conditioning.
Outdoor Planting
If Miniature barrel cactus is planted in the ground, after establishing a root system, it shouldn’t need supplemental water beyond what it receives through precipitation and dew. But if there is a long dry period, you may want to water occasionally. In other areas where Miniature barrel cactus can only be grown in a container, this plant can be moved outside in the spring and summer when the temperature is proper and then brought back inside when temperatures start to drop. A potted Miniature barrel cactus kept outside usually needs more water than the same plant kept indoors, because there is a lot more sun exposure even on a shaded porch.
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How to water Miniature barrel cactus?
The best way to water Miniature barrel cactus is to soak it thoroughly and then allow it to dry out before it gets watered again. Since this plant is somewhat drought tolerant, you can let it get quite dry before watering again. It is always better to give this type of plant too little water over too much.
When you water, make sure the soil gets thoroughly soaked throughout the whole pot. Don’t pour the water in just one spot, but rather try to go around the whole rim of the planter to be sure that it has a chance to get wet on all sides of the plant. The correct amount of water will depend on the size of your container and how much water your soil absorbs. Give your Miniature barrel cactus enough water that it drains out from the drainage holes and then (ideally) leave the drained water in the saucer for about 20-30 minutes to absorb into dry pockets of soil. After that, discard any excess water that’s still in the saucer to avoid the soil getting waterlogged.
Bottom-watering is also an excellent method for Miniature barrel cactus, as you can be sure that the soil gets thoroughly moistened. This process involves placing the pot into a saucer of water and allowing the soil to absorb moisture through the drainage holes. You will know that the soil has absorbed enough water when the top layer is moist. This takes a bit more time than top-watering, but is almost foolproof in getting an even distribution of water throughout the pot.
The original habitat of Miniature barrel cactus is relatively dry with little rain, but when it rains, the soil will be thoroughly moistened. So you can mimic this situation by bottom-watering your plant when the soil is totally dry. Deep soil bathing is better than frequent light watering for Miniature barrel cactus.
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Miniature barrel cactus
Miniature barrel cactus
Miniature barrel cactus
Miniature barrel cactus
Miniature barrel cactus
Miniature barrel cactus
Miniature barrel cactus
Thelocactus setispinus
The miniature barrel cactus is native to the Mesquite scrublands of Texas and northern Mexico. It is sometimes called the 'Hedgehog Cactus.' miniature barrel cactus blooms with silky, one-eyed yellow flowers all summer and is usually solitary, but will sometimes offset from its base.
Hardiness Zones
Hardiness Zones
10 to 13
plant_info

Key Facts About Miniature barrel cactus

Attributes of Miniature barrel cactus

Lifespan
Perennial
Plant Type
Succulent
Leaf type
Semi-evergreen
Ideal Temperature
20 - 41 ℃
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Scientific Classification of Miniature barrel cactus

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distribution

Distribution of Miniature barrel cactus

Distribution Map of Miniature barrel cactus

distribution map
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Potentially invasive
Exotic
No species reported
question

Questions About Miniature barrel cactus

Watering Watering Watering
Sunlight Sunlight Sunlight
Temperature Temperature Temperature
What should I do if I water my Miniature barrel cactus too much or too little?
more
How often should I water my Miniature barrel cactus?
more
What should I consider when watering my Miniature barrel cactus?
more
How to water Miniature barrel cactus?
more
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