Gymnocalycium baldianum

I bought a cactus garden in March just because I wanted this gymno.



I wasn't too excited about anything else in the pot, but I just felt that I should add this particular one to my collection. When I got it home, I realised that it looked very much like the Gymnocalycium leeanum that I already had, and felt a bit disappointed, but still potted it up to see how it would develop.

Lo and behold! In no time at all it was budding and then it bloomed RED!

G. leeanum does not have red flowers at all, and this was subsequently identified as being G. baldianum. So it turns out to have not been a bad choice on my part, and it has bloomed again since. I hope it keeps it up all summer - the red is such a joy to see since many of the other cacti blooms are white or yellow. Don't you just love it?

First blooms ...................... Second round