Frailea Castanea * Exotic * Flower Cacti * Rare * Flowering Cactus * Amazing * 5 seeds *

Rounded, flattish mounds of solitary to occasionally divided chocolate, purple-brown or greenish brown Frailea make interesting contrasts to other succulents. This genus is named for Manuel Fraile, who once was in charge of the cactus collection of the United States Department of Agriculture. Growing cactus Frailea is not difficult and these little plants are super starter plants for the novice gardener or just for someone who travels consistently but wants to come home to a living thing. Frailea cactus care is one of the simpler cultivation processes in the plant world. The majority of these plants grow as solitary little flattened domes. The spines are extremely tiny and arrayed along the ribs. The body of the plant may range from chocolate to reddish green with several other color variations possible. Often, the plant will produce a fuzzy white fruit that dries to a fragile, membranous capsule filled with large seeds. This fruit is often a surprise as flowers are rare and are cleistogamous, meaning they don’t need to open to produce fruit and seed. If you are lucky enough to observe a full bloom, the flower will be larger than the body of the plant and rich sulfur yellow. Growing cactus Frailea is easy from seed as germination is quick and reliable.