Parodia concinna

RHS Plant Profile

ball cactus

Synonyms

Notocactus tabularis
Notocactus concinnus
Notocactus apricus
Parodia tabularis

Cactus Succulent

A small, roughly spherical, ribbed cactus with yellow or brown spines and a woolly crown. Funnel-shaped yellow flowers are produced from the crown in spring

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Sand

Max Height

Up to 10 cm

Max Spread

0-0.1 metre

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 0-0.1 metre
Max Height: Up to 10 cm

Growing Conditions

Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H2

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Cactaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Columnar upright
Potentially harmful: Handle with care due to prickly spines. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Genus: Parodia are cacti with either solitary or clustered, many-ribbed, globose, spiny stems, with funnel-shaped flowers near the apex
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: S. Brazil, Uruguay

How to Grow

Cultivation

Under glass, grown in cactus compost in full or bright filtered light. From mid-spring to late summer, water moderately and apply a low nitrogen fertiliser every two months. Keep almost dry at other times. See houseplant cacti and succulent cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown at 20°C in spring or summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Houseplants
Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to mealybugs

Diseases

Generally disease-free