| Home Page | The genus Melocactus includes around 40 cacti from Mexico, the West Indies, and northern South America. Many of these species are endangered, and plants in cultivation are almost always grown from seeds. They are slow-growing, often difficult to grow. They are globular plants, generally solitary, except if the growing tip has been damaged. When they are mature, the body stops growing and produces a crown on its apex named cephalium. This densely spined area is where the flowers and fruit will be produced. The cephalium can keep on growing for many years, and in some species can exceed the height of the body itself. The striking difference between the body and the cephalium, reminds of a cap, hence the name Turk's Cap Cacti given to many specimen in this genus. The botanical name comes from the Latine for 'melon cacti'. Most Melocactus have specialized requirements that make them tricky to grow. They are rot prone and should be drained in shallow containers with well-draining soil mixture. In summer water and feed regularly. In winter, decrease the watering, but still they need regular water. Deionized water or distilled water is better. Some direct sun light is necessary, but in the hot desert of Arizona, they burn easily. To insure optimum growth, it is a good idea to repot them in Spring every 2-3 years.
The Melocactus flowers are generally a shade of pink or red. They come in abondance from spring to fall depending on the species. They are followed by fleshy fruit.
Melocactus albicephalus Melocactus andinus Melocactus azureus Turk's Cap Cactus Melocactus azureus var. krainzianus Melocactus azureus ssp. ferreophilus Melocactus bahiensis Cabeca de Frade Melocactus bahiensis ssp. amethystinus Melocactus bellavistensis Melocactus bellavistensis ssp. onychacanthus Melocactus broadwayi Melocactus caroli-linnaei Melocactus concinnus Melocactus conoideus Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus curvispinus ssp. caesius Buche Melocactus curvispinus ssp. dawsonii Melocactus deinacanthus Wonderfully Bristled Turk's-Cap Cactus Melocactus ernestii Melocactus ernestii ssp. longicarpus Melocactus estevesii Melocactus glaucescens Melocactus grueberi Melocactus harlowii Melocactus horridus Melocactus intortus Melocactus intortus ssp. domingensis Melocactus lanssensianus Melocactus lemairei Melocactus levitestatus Melocactus macracanthus Melocactus matanzanus Dwarf Turk's Cap Cactus Melocactus mazelianus Melocactus neryi Melocactus oreas Melocactus oreas ssp. cremnophilus Melocactus pachyacanthus Melocactus pachyacanthus ssp. viridis Melocactus paucispinus Melocactus perezassoi Melocactus peruvianus Melocactus praerupticola Melocactus salvadorensis Melocactus schatzlii Melocactus smithii Melocactus violaceus Melocactus violaceus ssp. margaritaceus Melocactus violaceus ssp. ritteri Melocactus zehntneri Synonym and obsolete names Melocactus acispinosus synonym of Melocactus bahiensis (Cabeca de Frade) Melocactus actinacanthus synonym of Melocactus matanzanus (Dwarf Turk's Cap Cactus) Melocactus acunai synonym of Melocactus harlowii Melocactus acunai ssp. lagunaensis synonym of Melocactus harlowii Melocactus amethystinus synonym of Melocactus bahiensis ssp. amethystinus Melocactus ammotrophus synonym of Melocactus bahiensis (Cabeca de Frade) Melocactus amoenus synonym of Melocactus neryi Melocactus amstutziae synonym of Melocactus peruvianus Melocactus antonii synonym of Melocactus intortus Melocactus arcuatispinus synonym of Melocactus zehntneri Melocactus axiniphorus synonym of Melocactus concinnus Melocactus azulensis synonym of Melocactus ernestii Melocactus barbarae synonym of Melocactus macracanthus Melocactus besleri synonym of Discocactus placentiformis Melocactus borhidii synonym of Melocactus harlowii Melocactus bozsingianus synonym of Melocactus macracanthus Melocactus brederooianus synonym of Melocactus bahiensis (Cabeca de Frade) Melocactus brongnartii synonym of Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus caesius synonym of Melocactus curvispinus ssp. caesius (Buche) Melocactus canescens synonym of Melocactus zehntneri Melocactus communis synonym of Melocactus intortus Melocactus cremnophilus synonym of Melocactus oreas ssp. cremnophilus Melocactus curvicornis synonym of Melocactus zehntneri Melocactus curvispinus synonym of Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus dawsonii synonym of Melocactus curvispinus ssp. dawsonii Melocactus deinacanthus synonym of Melocactus ernestii Melocactus deinacanthus ssp. florschuetzianus synonym of Melocactus ernestii Melocactus deinacanthus ssp. longicarpus synonym of Melocactus ernestii ssp. longicarpus Melocactus delessertianus synonym of Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus depressus synonym of Melocactus violaceus Melocactus diersianus synonym of Melocactus levitestatus Melocactus douradaensis synonym of Melocactus zehntneri Melocactus ellemeetii synonym of Melocactus violaceus Melocactus ernesti synonym of Melocactus ernestii Melocactus erythracanthus synonym of Melocactus ernestii Melocactus evae synonym of Melocactus harlowii Melocactus ferreophilus synonym of Melocactus azureus ssp. ferreophilus Melocactus florschuetzianus synonym of Melocactus ernestii Melocactus fortalezensis synonym of Melocactus peruvianus Melocactus giganteus synonym of Melocactus zehntneri Melocactus glauxianus synonym of Melocactus bahiensis (Cabeca de Frade) Melocactus griseus synonym of Melocactus curvispinus ssp. caesius (Buche) Melocactus grisoleoviridis synonym of Melocactus bahiensis (Cabeca de Frade) Melocactus guaricensis synonym of Melocactus neryi Melocactus guatemalensis synonym of Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus guitartii synonym of Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus helvolilanatus synonym of Melocactus zehntneri Melocactus hispaniolicus synonym of Melocactus lemairei Melocactus holguinensis synonym of Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus huallancaensis synonym of Melocactus peruvianus Melocactus humilis synonym of Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus inclinatus synonym of Melocactus macracanthus Melocactus inconcinnus var. brederooianus synonym of Melocactus bahiensis (Cabeca de Frade) Melocactus inconcinnus synonym of Melocactus bahiensis (Cabeca de Frade) Melocactus interpositus synonym of Melocactus ernestii Melocactus intortus var. antonii synonym of Melocactus intortus Melocactus jakusii synonym of Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus jansenianus synonym of Melocactus peruvianus Melocactus krainzianus synonym of Melocactus azureus var. krainzianus Melocactus latispinus synonym of Ferocactus latispinus ssp. latispinus (Devil's Tongue Barrel, Crow's Claw Cactus) Melocactus laui synonym of Melocactus macracanthus Melocactus lensselinkianus synonym of Melocactus bahiensis (Cabeca de Frade) Melocactus lobelii synonym of Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus loboguerreroi synonym of Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus longicarpus synonym of Melocactus ernestii ssp. longicarpus Melocactus longispinus synonym of Melocactus ernestii Melocactus macrodiscus synonym of Melocactus zehntneri Melocactus macrodiscus var. minor synonym of Melocactus violaceus ssp. ritteri Melocactus mammillariaeformis synonym of Coryphantha retusa Melocactus margaritaceus synonym of Melocactus violaceus ssp. margaritaceus Melocactus maxonii synonym of Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus maxonii var. sanctae-rosae synonym of Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus melocactoides synonym of Melocactus violaceus Melocactus montanus synonym of Melocactus ernestii Melocactus mulequensis synonym of Melocactus ernestii Melocactus nagyii synonym of Melocactus harlowii Melocactus neomontanus synonym of Melocactus ernestii Melocactus nitidus synonym of Melocactus ernestii Melocactus oaxacensis synonym of Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus obtusipetalus synonym of Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus onychacanthus synonym of Melocactus bellavistensis ssp. onychacanthus Melocactus oreas synonym of Melocactus ernestii Melocactus oreas var. longispinus synonym of Melocactus ernestii Melocactus oreas ssp. bahiensis synonym of Melocactus bahiensis (Cabeca de Frade) Melocactus oreas ssp. ernestii synonym of Melocactus ernestii Melocactus oreas ssp. rubrisaetosus synonym of Melocactus oreas Melocactus pedernalensis synonym of Melocactus intortus Melocactus peruvianus var. amstutziae synonym of Melocactus peruvianus Melocactus pruinosus synonym of Melocactus concinnus Melocactus pruinosus var. concinnus synonym of Melocactus concinnus Melocactus radoczii synonym of Melocactus harlowii Melocactus robustispinus synonym of Melocactus concinnus Melocactus rubrisaetosus synonym of Melocactus oreas Melocactus rubrispinus synonym of Melocactus levitestatus Melocactus ruestii synonym of Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus ruestii ssp. centalapensis synonym of Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus ruestii ssp. maxonii synonym of Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus ruestii ssp. oaxacensis synonym of Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus ruestii ssp. sanctae-rosae synonym of Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus rustii synonym of Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus salvador synonym of Melocactus curvispinus Melocactus saxicola synonym of Melocactus zehntneri Melocactus securituberculatus synonym of Melocactus levitestatus Melocactus shulzianus synonym of Melocactus neryi Melocactus trujilloensis synonym of Melocactus peruvianus Melocactus uebelmannianus synonym of Melocactus levitestatus Melocactus uebelmannii synonym of Melocactus levitestatus Melocactus unguispinus synonym of Melocactus peruvianus Melocactus violaceus ssp. natalensis synonym of Melocactus violaceus Melocactus warasii synonym of Melocactus levitestatus Melocactus zehntneri ssp. robustispinus synonym of Melocactus concinnus
Desert Tropicals Home Page List of All the Plants | More in the Cactaceae family Desert-Tropicals is dedicated to provide gardening advice, gardening ideas, and information about flower of all kind for landscape and collections.We try to check carefully the identification of the plants on the illustrations as well as the other information from the page, but occasionally errors do occur. if you notice anything that needs to be changed please contact us.Thanks. © 1998-2020 Philippe Faucon, All Rights Reserved. |
