ORTEGOCACTUS MACDOUGALLII regrafting 2013

ORTEGOCACTUS MACDOUGALLII is the only species in the genus. T. MACDOUGALL found it in the SAN JOSÉ DE LACHIGUIRI MASSIV in OAXACA, MEXICO, after whom the species was named in 1961 by ALEXANDER.

The cactus grows on mountains from 2500 m up to 2700 m between lichens and mosses. There it grows on basalt, a vulcanic rock, barely shaded and fully exposed to the sun the whole day long.

As the lichens and mosses indicate there has to be a good plenty of fog and rain. But the basalt will not hold the water for a longer time.

Temperature cannot be very high because of the "alpine habitat", but the intensity of the sun forms the special character of this cactus.

ORTEGOCACTUS MACDOUGALLII has a light green body but you might not see it. The corp is covered with wax and that gives the cactus that beautiful white blueish colour.

I have bought my plant in a nursery. It is grafted on a SELENICEREUS or TRICHOCEREUS. For its look does not appeal to me i will regraft it again in May or June. My grafting stock is made of TRICHOCEREUS PACHANOI. In April i will begin to start their growing so that they will be in perfect shape in May or June.

literature

w. heyer  ORTEGOCACTUS MACDOUGALLII  kakteen und andere sukkulenten  volume 42 (3): 57  1991

j. riha  KAKTEEN DER BERGSTUFE DES SÜDLICHEN OAXACA  kakteen und andere sukkulenten  volume 34 (2): 29-31  1983