Rebutia Padcayensis
Cactus flowers are some of the most beautiful in the plant kingdom. It is not difficult to be amazed when you see them, as they live in such difficult hot and dry conditions that it seems incredible that they are capable of producing such brightly colored petals.
But nothing lasts forever, which is why it is not surprising that many wonder How long do cactus flowers last?
When do cacti bloom?
The Cactus normally bloom in spring, but there are others like the Mammillaria or the Rebutia that can also do it in autumn-winter, especially when these seasons have more or less the same characteristics as the spring season, that is: a maximum temperature of about 20-25 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 10-15ºC and with a non-existent risk of frost.
But ... at what age? This answer is more complicated, since it will depend a lot on the species and its cultivation. Thus, while larger columnar cacti like the The giant carnage (Saguaro) can do it after 20, 30 or more years, the ones that stay smaller like the Ferocactus or the Lophophora will bloom much sooner: with 2, 5 or 10 years.
How long do your flowers last?
The truth is that very little. The flower of a cactus is made to be attractive to pollinators, which are very rare in their natural habitat, and also to be short-lived. In general, it will last from a few hours to a maximum of one or two weeks, the ones that last the least are those of the Echinopsis or Lobivia, and the longest those of the Discocactus, Coryphanta or Astrophytum.
Lobivia winteriana
As we have seen, cacti produce spectacular flowers, but if we want to enjoy them to the fullest we have to be very attentive with the camera in hand (or mobile phone ready) to photograph them and follow the advice we offer in this article.