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RarePhotographs are of our actual stock, taken at the nursery. Plants are living things — expect small differences in shape and leaf count from the plant shown.
Succulents & Cacti
Variegated Gymnocalycium
Gymnocalycium mihanovichii f. variegata
Variegated gymnocalyciums carry irregular patches with no chlorophyll at all, which lets the underlying red, orange and yellow pigments show through. The result looks painted. Fully colour-mutated forms — the moon cactus sold grafted on a green stem — cannot survive alone; these are partially variegated plants on their own roots, which is far rarer and far more interesting.
They need slightly more shade than a plain gymno, since the non-green tissue burns quickly. Bright light through glass or under 30% shade cloth is about right.
- On its own roots — not a grafted moon cactus that dies in a year
- Scarlet, orange and gold variegation against green
- Wants bright light but not unfiltered midday sun
Rs 3,550for the 10 inch pot
Inclusive of pot and mix. Delivery Rs 350, free over Rs 5,000.
1
4.9(22 reviews) In stock, dispatched in 1–2 working days
Packed by hand
Dispatched in 1–2 working days
7-day guarantee
Replaced or refunded if damaged
Grown by us
Never bought in and resold
At a glance
- Mature size
- 8–14 cm
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Difficulty
- Moderate to keep
- Around pets
- Non-toxic — safe if chewed
Bright lightWindowsillCollector shelf
How to look after your Variegated Gymnocalycium
Written for Pakistani conditions — long hot summers, dry winter air, and hard tap water. Follow this rather than advice written for a temperate climate.
- Light
- Full sun. Four to six hours of direct light minimum — a rooftop, balcony rail or south-facing sill. Acclimatise gradually if the plant has been indoors.
- Water
- Soak thoroughly, then let the mix dry completely before watering again. Fortnightly in summer heat, and nothing at all from mid-November to late February.
- Humidity
- Low. Good airflow matters more than humidity — stagnant, damp air invites fungal spotting.
- Soil
- Gritty mineral mix: coarse sand, perlite and a little compost. Our plants ship in this blend already.
- Feeding
- Low-nitrogen cactus feed once in April and once in July.
- Temperature
- 10–45°C. Genuinely tolerates Pakistani summer heat. Keep dry and above 5°C in winter.
If something goes wrong
Soft brown patch at soil level
Why it happens: Rot from winter watering.
What to do: Cut above the rot with a sterile blade, callus the cut for a week in shade, then re-root in dry mix.
Pale, stretched, narrow new growth
Why it happens: Etiolation from too little light.
What to do: Increase sun gradually over two weeks. The stretched section will not shrink back, but new growth returns to normal.
White cottony specks in the crevices
Why it happens: Mealybug.
What to do: Dab each cluster with a cotton bud dipped in rubbing alcohol, and repeat weekly for a month.
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