Publication: Kaktus-ABC [Backeb. & Knuth] 293, 417, 1936
Description
Gymnocalycium ochoterenae is a flattened, brown bodied, interestingly spined species, solitary barely rising above ground level or sometime branching in cultivation to form small clusters. This species is characterized by a marked variability in in body form and spination and has received many names.
Stem: Flattened hemispherical to spherical, grey-green, olive green to brownish, 3-4,5 cm tall and up to 8 cm in diameter.
Ribs: 9 to 12(-16) wide and flat, or slightly tuberculate.
Areoles: Round to oval, initially felted but soon naked.
Roots: Branched taproot.
Central spine: Often lacking.
Radial spines: Usually 3 (occasionally 1 or 5 or rarely 7) needle-like, stiff, straight to slightly curved, bent back on the body, pointing downward or comb-shaped radiating, brownish yellow to whitish yellow with a darker tip, 1-1,5 cm (rarely up to 2,2 cm) long.
Flower: Funnel-shaped, white with pale pink throat, 3,5-5,5 cm (rarely up to 6,5 cm) long and 3,5-5,5 cm in diameter.
Fruit: Barrel shaped green to dull red, 1,5-2(-3) cm long and 1,5-2 cm in diameter.
Origin and Habitat
Widespread in Cordoba, and San Luis, Argentina. Gymnocalycium ochoterenae has a relatively wide range, and is abundant. (also reported from La Rioja)
Altitude: (300-)500-150(-2500) metres above sea level.
Habitat and Ecology: Gymnocalycium ochoterenae grows in chaco forest associated to mountainous soils. The species is abundant, common and tolerant to disturbance. There are no major threats affecting this species.
Cultivation and Propagation
Gymnocalycium ochoterenae is a summer grower species that is easy to cultivate.
Growth rate: It is a slow growing but easily flowering species.
Soils: It likes very porous standard cactus mix soil. Prefer a low pH compost, avoid substrata rich in limestone; otherwise growth will stop altogether.
Repotting: This plant needs plenty of space for its roots, repotting should be done every other year or when the it has outgrown its pot. Use pot with good drainage.
Watering: Needs moderate to copious waterings in summer, but do not overwater (Rot prone), keep dry in winter at a minimum temperature of 0°C.
Fertilization: Feed with a high potassium fertilizer in summer.
Hardiness: Reputedly resistant to frost if kept on the dry side prior to, and during, cold weather (hardy to -5 C ° C, or less for short periods).
Exposition: The plant tolerates extremely bright situations but enjoys filtered sunlight or afternoon shade, inside it needs bright light, and some direct sun. Tends to bronze in strong light, which encourages flowering and heavy spine production, but is likely to suffer from sun scorch or stunted growth if over exposed to direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day in summer.
Uses: It is an excellent plant for container growing. It always looks good and stays small. It look fine in a cold greenhouse and frame or outdoor in a rockery.
Pests & diseases: It may be attractive to a variety of insects, but plants in good condition should be nearly pest-free, particularly if they are grown in a mineral potting-mix, with good exposure and ventilation. Nonetheless, there are several pests to watch for:
- Red spiders: Red spiders may be effectively rubbed up by watering the plants from above.
- Mealy bugs: Mealy bugs occasionally develop aerial into the new growth among the wool with disfiguring results, but the worst types develop underground on the roots and are invisible except by their effects.
- Scales: Scales are rarely a problem.
- Rot: This species is particularly easy and accommodating, seldom suffer of cryptogamic diseases. Rot it is only a minor problem with gymnocalyciums if the plants are watered and “aired” correctly. If they are not, fungicides won’t help all that much.
Propagation: Division, direct sow after last frost. Seeds germinate in 7-14 days at 21-27° C in spring, remove gradually the glass cover as soon the plants will be well rooted (ca 1-2 weeks) and keep ventilated, no full sun for young plants! To make a cutting twist off a branch and permit it to dry out a couple of weeks, lay it on the soil and insert the stem end partially into the soil. Try to keep the cutting somewhat upright so that the roots are able to grow downward.
Bibliography
Major references and further lectures
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Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
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James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey “The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass” Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug/2011
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David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. “The New Cactus Lexicon” dh books, 2006
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Curt Backeberg “Die Cactaceae: Handbuch der Kakteenkunde” Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart New York 1982–1985
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Demaio, P., Trevisson, M. & Perea, M. 2013. Gymnocalycium ochoterenae. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T152075A594369. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T152075A594369.en. Downloaded on 29 March 2016.
From llifle page Gymnocalycium intermedium
Description
Gymnocalycium monvillei Piltz non Hildm. is an undescribed name published in Jörg and Brigitte Piltz seed catalog (field number P113) used to indicate one of the local form of the very variable Gymnocalycium ochoterenae, with squat dull grey-green or blue green epidermis, up to 9 cm high 4-10 cm broad (or more in culture)
Ribs:11-14 prominent.
Areoles: Whit grey wool .
Spines: Stiff and bent to the body approx 1 to 2 cm long, usually 3 in each areole, but others forms are similar and plants from other localities look more like it.
Nota bene: Do not counfound this taxon with Gymnocalycium intermedium (Hildm.) Y.Itô which is an hybrid between Gymnocalycium denudatum and Gymnocalycium monvillei originally described as: Echinocactus denudatus var. intermedius by Hildemann in 1885.
Origin and Habitat
East of Salsacate, Cordoba, Argentina
Altitude range: 900-1000 metres above sea level.
Cultivation and Propagation
Gymnocalycium intermedium is a summer grower species that is easy to cultivate.
Growth rate: It is a slow growing but easily flowering species.
Soils: It likes very porous standard cactus mix soil. Prefer a low pH compost, avoid substrata rich in limestone; otherwise growth will stop altogether.
Repotting: This plant needs plenty of space for its roots, repotting should be done every other year or when the it has outgrown its pot. Use pot with good drainage.
Watering: Needs moderate to copious waterings in summer, but do not overwater (Rot prone), keep dry in winter at a minimum temperature of 0°C.
Fertilization: Feed with a high potassium fertilizer in summer.
Hardiness: Reputedly resistant to frost if kept on the dry side prior to, and during, cold weather (hardy to -5 C ° C, or less for short periods).
Exposition: The plant tolerates extremely bright situations but enjoys filtered sunlight or afternoon shade, inside it needs bright light, and some direct sun. Tends to bronze in strong light, which encourages flowering and heavy spine production, but is likely to suffer from sun scorch or stunted growth if over exposed to direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day in summer.
Uses: It is an excellent plant for container growing.
Source: Gymnocalycium intermedium, LLIFLE - Encyclopedia of living forms, CC-BY-SA, retrieved 2026-10-25.
Cultivars and forms (3)
Subspecies (1)
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