Hatiora will appeal to all lovers of cacti who want to diversify their home decor with exotic elements. Thousands of years ago, the hator's flower was hidden from the eyes of travelers in the wilds of rainforests, and now everyone can buy this plant in any gardening store and grow it at home or in the open. We will talk about the features of growing this cactus in an article.

Botanical description of the plant

Hatiora is a perennial succulent plant of the genus Cactus. That is why the name "hator" can also be used masculine, as this is one of the cactus subspecies. Some plant species are epiphytic, which characterizes their growth on trees and bushes, while the rest of the species grow in gorges of rocks. The birthplace of the cactus is Latin America, from where it was introduced to Europe. Hathior owes his name to the English explorer Thomas Harriot.

The plant is in the form of drop-shaped compounds of a cylindrical or flat shape, called segments. Each segment has a length of 3 to 7 cm. There are no needles, but some species show slight pubescence. Small round joints are formed between the stems, through which the hathior absorbs air and moisture.

Hatiora indoor cactus grows slowly and reaches a maximum height of 50 cm. In the wild, it can reach 2 meters.

Did you know? Because of their original appearance, people call the hatorouge “male tears, ” “dancing skeleton, ” “drunkard’s dream, ” “little fingers”, “Easter cactus, ” etc. The hatiora blooms in spring: from March to May, however it is not long and can last for 2-3 weeks. The color of the flowers is yellow, white, pink and red, depending on the species. After flowering, the petals fall off, in their place appear light yellow or translucent rounded fruits.

The main types

The official taxonomy identifies 8 types of hatior cactus:

• Hatiora cylindrica Britton & Rose;
  

• Hatiora epiphylloides;
  

• Hatiora × graeseri;
  

• Hatiora pentaptera;
  

• Hatiora herminiae;
  

• Hatiora gaertneri;
  

• Hatiora rosea;
  

• Hatiora salicornioides.
  

The last 4 species are suitable for indoor cultivation. Let's consider them in more detail.

Hatiora saline, or salt-root, solyanka-shaped (Hatiora salicornioides) - the most common type of house for indoor cultivation. The plant is characterized by the presence of a large number of upright branches, which creates the effect of a lush bush. It consists of small thin segments from 2 to 5 cm long with a diameter of 1.5–2 mm, adjacent to each other vertically. Externally, the segments resemble asparagus.

Over time, the stem may become lignified. The bush can reach a height of 30-50 cm. In spring, the youngest areoles bloom pink, white or orange. After the petals have dried, small round or oblong light yellow fruits appear on the tips of the areoles.

Hatiora rosea is the next most popular species. The bush of the pink hatiora differs from the rest in flat segments of an oval shape with small soft needles. The segments have a dark green color with a reddish tint and do not reach more than 3 cm in length. The flowers that are quite large and voluminous for this bush (each bell can reach a diameter of 5 cm) are characterized by a pink hue. The flowering period also falls in the spring.

Hatiora Gartner (Hatiora gaertneri) is one of the most beautiful types of cactus, because its flowers are painted in a bright saturated raspberry or red color. This cactus differs from the previous species by even more flattened and large ellipsoid segments with clear bordering at the edges and up to 5 cm long. Large are bloomed up to 4 cm in diameter on areoles during flowering. At the end of the flowering period, elongated light green fruits form at the edges of the segments. This houseplant differs from others in its catchy exotic appearance.

Hatiora herminiae (Hatiora herminiae) - a type of hatiora with erect thin segments, reminiscent of the shape of hatiora salinosa. The plant has a bush-like shape, its height is not higher than 30 cm. A distinctive feature of this cactus is an abundant small flowering of soft raspberry or pink color. During the active phase, the flowers literally cover the bush with a pink hat. Needles are practically absent.

House growing conditions

If you want your cactus to bloom profusely in spring, you must create the right conditions for it. Since this is a tropical plant, the main thing is to provide it with a moderate temperature and sufficient humidity.

Lighting

Despite the fact that the hator belongs to the Kaktusovs, you should not pamper him with plentiful sunshine - this can harm both the pods and the flowers. Like all indoor plants of a succulent type, the hator does not like direct light. An ideal location would be the southern room, but away from the windowsill, so that the sun's rays do not fall on the plant, but provide light. It is also important not to overdo it, because keeping it in the shade can lead to a lack of flowering in the spring.

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the features of growing other succulents:

Temperature

Hachior's cactus is very fond of natural temperature fluctuations, especially in the summer. That is why from April to August, it is recommended to keep the cactus in the open air: on the terrace, balcony or in the yard, placed in the shade, but not isolating from the light. If this is not possible, then at home, the plant must be placed so that the air temperature is not more than + 25 ° C.

From the end of October, the cactus goes into a dormant period and requires maintenance in a cool, bright place at a temperature of +14 ... + 18 ° С. Watering during this period should be rare.

Air humidity

The considered type of cactus is adapted to adapt to the humidity of the air in the room in which it is contained. But do not forget that all succulents are characterized by a love of moisture, so spraying is a prerequisite for the content of the hator. During hot summer periods, this procedure can be carried out several times a day so that the segments and the earth do not dry out. If the summer house is not kept in the air, but in apartment conditions, one should remember about the constant monitoring of the ventilation of the room. In winter, the number of sprayings must be reduced.

Home Care

Hatiora is unpretentious in care, however, when growing it, it is recommended to observe the correct watering regime and the basics of keeping in room conditions.

Watering

Proper watering is one of the most important factors in caring for the plant, because the wrong temperature and structure of the water can harm the plant and cause decay of the root system.

Hatori watering should be frequent in the summer months and during flowering. At this time, it is necessary to provide abundant moistening of the soil, practically preventing its drying out.

Important! Water for irrigation should be warm (+20 ... + 25 ° С) and soft, always settled, otherwise a white limestone deposit will appear on the surface of the soil. You can use boiled water. In the autumn-winter period, watering is reduced to a minimum: it will be enough to complete the procedure twice a month. The main rule in the cold season is to water the plant rarely, but abundantly. Excess water from the pan should be drained, avoiding waterlogging.

Top dressing

The plant especially needs additional vitamins and minerals during the growing season. These can be biostimulants of the development of the root system, fertilizers for the prevention of diseases, vitamins for soil restoration, for growth and flowering stimulants with a root method of application. Often such tools act in a complex way, improving the microflora of the soil.

To feed the hatori use fertilizers for cacti containing nitrogen, fluorine and potassium. Fertilizers can be in liquid or dry form: powders, sticks, tablets, which must be dissolved in slightly warm water. During the flowering period, the hator is fed twice a month, and for the dormant period they are left without top dressing.

Pruning

Hatoria pruning will help form a lush crown and provoke branching. The procedure is best performed after flowering: it is enough to manually pinch off 1-2 upper segments (using the method of easy twisting). In order for the crown to grow evenly, pruning of each shoot should be done. After completing the procedure, the areola does not need additional processing. During dormancy, pruning of the haator is optional.

Transfer

In order to find a hatiora in comfortable conditions as he grows, he must necessarily provide a periodic transplant, which is carried out after the growing season. For young plants, the procedure is mandatory once a year, then the cactus can be transplanted every 2–4 years, depending on the phases of growth. Each time, the pot should become wider, and it does not have to be deep, since the root system of the hator is high and does not grow in depth. The cactus is suitable soil of moderate acidity with a high level of breathability.

Consider the transplant process in more detail:

1. Prepare the necessary tools - a pot, water, soil, a shovel or a small rake.
2. At the bottom of the new pot spread moisture retainers - chipped brick, special substrates, coal, pebbles.
3. Carefully remove the plant from the old pot, as the stems of the haator are very fragile.
4. They clean the roots of the remnants of the earth and transplant the plant into a new pot. They add soil, tamping it lightly.
5. The distance between the edge of the pot and the soil must be left at about 1–1.5 cm.

Video: Hathior transplant

How to propagate by cuttings

Hatiora can be propagated by seed, but the most simple and quick way is to cuttings. To do this, wait for the period when the bush fades. Hatiora cuttings easily take root both in water and in soil. For the procedure, it is enough to pinch 2–4 upper segments from the trunk, treat the edge with charcoal (for lack of it, you can also use simple activated carbon).

If you choose a method of germination in water, then immediately place the stalk in a transparent glass or other transparent container so that the water only covers the roots, then place the glass on a light windowsill, protecting it from direct sunlight.

After a week, the stem can take root. When its length reaches 2 cm, the process can be transplanted into the ground.

Important! In the earthen method, after processing with coal, it is necessary to allow the cuttings to dry for 1–2 days and only then plant them in the prepared soil. Sometimes even segments used for pruning can be used for grafting. Survival during landing in the ground occurs within 2-3 weeks. With the method of planting seeds, you need to wait for the dormant period and sow them in airy loose soil, covering only with a thin layer of earth, and cover with a film on top, thus arranging the greenhouse. Water the seedlings with warm water mixed with coal in the pan of the pot. This technique should be used until the seeds have fully sprouted and taken root.

Possible growing difficulties

Hatiora is also susceptible to various diseases, which can lead to lack of flowering, decay of segments, drying out and necrosis of the sprouts.

Why does not bloom

Lack of flowering is the first signal that the flower is in the wrong conditions.

The reasons may be the following:

1. The pot is too small, and the cactus root system does not have enough room for development. Try transplanting the cactus into a wider pot and observe how the plant will behave.
2. Unsuitable soil. Flowering may be absent due to a lack of necessary trace elements and minerals, most of which the plant receives from the soil. Replace the substrate completely in the pot. To do this, carefully remove the cactus, clean the pot from the remains of the earth, rinse it, dry it and plant the plant in a new substrate.
3. Improper dormancy. The laying of color buds occurs during the dormant period (from the end of November to February), so at this time it is especially important to provide the cactus with the necessary care and observe climatic conditions, moisturize the air and adhere to a rare watering regime.

Diseases and Pests

Among the possible diseases that the hator's cactus is susceptible to, one can distinguish:

1. Fungal diseases. Late blight can occur due to chronic waterlogging of the soil. In this case, the plant looks lethargic, soft and loses its color. Due to abundant watering, the root system rots, and gradually this process spreads to the rest of the cactus. A disease such as fusarium infects open and untreated plant wounds, breaks, and can also spread due to insect bites in plant sections. In both cases, it is recommended to transplant the hator in new soil and apply fungicides that fight fungal diseases. These may be such drugs as Amistar Extra, Ridomil Gold, Flint Star and others.
2. Bacterial infections. If you notice wet slippery spots on the plant - this is the first signal that the cactus is infected with a bacterial infection. To do this, you need to immediately clean the hatoru from the affected segments, as the disease quickly spreads and affects the entire plant. Additionally, the topsoil must be replaced. If you notice the symptoms too late, then the plant can no longer be saved. The only way out is to trim still healthy cuttings for growing new plants.
3. Pest damage. Hatiora can be affected by a mealybug, scale insects, whiteflies, spider mites. Hachior bush is most susceptible to the negative effects of insects in the summer. The first indicator of a lesion is yellowing of the segments, their flabbiness. The buds and stems dry and fall over time. In this case, the hator should be transplanted into new soil by treating the pot with boiling water and thoroughly cleaning out the old soil. Additionally, insecticides are used, for example, Floristin Spray, Aktofit, Aktara, Aktoverm, Fastak, Lepidocyte and others.

The meaning of the flower in the house

Due to its extraordinary structure and original appearance, the hator is always the subject of controversy and rumor. It is generally believed that this flower can negatively affect the family mood and even the health of the inhabitants of the house, provided that it is improperly located.

For example, the most popular superstition says that the content of the hatiory provokes family quarrels and “drives” men out of the house or leads to their alcohol dependence. Especially if the hatorio is located in the bedroom or living room.

So that the plant does not harm, it is advised to put a pot of cactus in the hallway or in other bright places where the inhabitants of the house do not spend most of their time.

Did you know? Popular rumor says that if you place the hator in the hallway, she will drive away unwanted guests and their poor energy, and if you put the plant in the kitchen, it will absorb all the quarrels. But do not be afraid of this beautiful cactus, because good signs are associated with it. For example, if a plant feels healthy, but does not bloom for many years and suddenly suddenly opens its beautiful buds, this indicates good changes in the house, soon marriage or prosperity. It is also believed that if a hator receives his master, then she will give him all her most positive energy and health.

Whether this exotic cactus can harm your home is up to you. But if you follow all the rules of care, create the required conditions for the plant, take care of it, then do not doubt that he will give you only the best in return!