When do cactus balls bloom, and can they really protect against radiation and treat stomach ailments?
Cactus balls are commonly known as grass balls, also called Changshengwan and Duanmaowan. Cactus balls are very ordinary plants; they not only have radiation-proof effects but can also be used as medicine, making them very worthwhile plants to grow. So do cactus balls bloom? When do they bloom? In fact, every kind of cactus plant can bloom, and many species will bloom quickly as long as they are cultivated properly. Generally speaking, the cactus ball varieties commonly seen on the market are all very easy to bloom. For example, the common grass ball can bloom after about three years of growing. Some ornamental horticultural varieties, such as large ball types, are relatively difficult to bloom and generally need more than ten years before they bloom. Therefore, the cactus balls we usually grow at home are generally varieties that bloom relatively easily, and we only need to pay attention to a few care techniques.
The reasons why cactus balls fail to bloom can roughly be divided into two categories. One is related to the type of cactus ball; different varieties need different amounts of time to bloom, some need only about two years, while some may even need as long as twenty or thirty years to bloom. The other is related to the growing environment of the cactus ball, such as sunlight, fertilizer and watering amount.
When do cactus balls bloom
First, under normal circumstances, if you want to see a cactus ball bloom, it needs to be cultivated for at least 3-4 years, and the ball diameter must reach at least 3-4 cm. Depending on the variety of cactus ball, some are easy to bloom and some are very difficult to bloom. Generally, those in the genus Gymnocalycium are relatively easy to bloom, such as Gymnocalycium baldianum. But for something like the golden barrel cactus, it is very difficult to see it bloom; it is said that one has to wait ten or twenty years for it to bloom.
The blooming time of cactus balls is around May, and how long the bloom lasts also varies by variety. Some may bloom for only a few hours to one day, such as the grass ball, while some, like Mammillaria and Gymnocalycium baldianum, can stay open for about two or three days. Cactus balls generally bloom in the early morning or evening. The flower colors include white, red, yellow, orange, green and many other colors, and the flower shape is similar to a long morning glory. It lasts from a few hours to one day.
The conditions for cactus balls to bloom
Sunlight
In the process of cultivating and caring for cactus balls, as long as it is not the rainy season, place the cactus ball outdoors for care as much as possible, let it receive more sunlight, and the outdoor ventilation is smooth and ultraviolet light is relatively sufficient, making it more suitable for cactus ball growth. If the sunlight conditions are not met, the cactus ball will not bloom.
Temperature
There is evidence showing that the best survival temperature condition for cactus balls is between 20°C and 30°C, and they grow best in an environment with a large temperature difference. In summer, pay attention to cooling appropriately; when the temperature exceeds 35°C, the cactus ball will be forced into dormancy. In winter, pay attention to keeping warm, and the temperature should be kept no lower than 5°C.
Watering
Cactus balls like dry environments, so control the amount of watering as much as possible, and make sure it is better to keep them dry than wet. Especially in winter and summer, when cactus balls grow slowly, watering should be restrained even more; an overly moist environment is even less conducive to cactus balls blooming.
Fertilizing
Although cactus balls are relatively tolerant of drought and poor soil, proper fertilizing is still beneficial for cactus balls to bloom earlier; after all, insufficient nutrients in the soil are also not conducive to cactus ball growth. During the growing period of the cactus ball, fertilize once every half month, and be careful not to apply too much fertilizer, otherwise it is easy to get the opposite effect and be even less conducive to blooming.
Care in a shed
Of course, if conditions at home allow, you can also use plastic film on the balcony to build a closed care shed for the cactus ball, so that the environment inside the shed is hotter, and the cactus ball will grow faster and bloom more easily. Note that when caring for it in the shed, pay attention to ventilation to avoid stagnant air in the shed, which is not conducive to cactus ball growth.
What omen does a cactus ball blooming represent
A cactus ball blooming has a very good meaning, representing the tenacity of life, representing good fortune in life, and also representing auspiciousness and things going as one wishes. The meaning of a cactus ball blooming is different in every place. Some people say that a cactus ball blooming represents that mistakes have been forgiven, probably because the probability of a cactus ball blooming is very small and the blooming time is also very short. It is precisely because the cactus ball's bloom is brief that people cherish the period when the cactus ball blooms even more.
The effects and functions of cactus balls
Health benefits: cactus is cold in nature and bitter in taste, contains triterpenes, malic acid, succinic acid, potassium carbonate and other components, and has the effects of promoting qi and blood circulation, nourishing and strengthening the stomach, and clearing heat and detoxifying.
It can treat the following diseases:
1. Chilblains: take cactus, remove the spines, mash into a paste, apply to the affected area, wrap with gauze externally, and remove the dressing after applying continuously for 5 days. This method is suitable for grade I-II chilblains (it is not advisable to use this method if the chilblains have already ulcerated).
2. Tenosynovitis: choose a piece of cactus slightly larger than the area of the tendon sheath lesion, remove the hairs and spines, then scrape off the epidermal layer on one side, apply it to the affected area, and fix it with medical tape. Replace with a fresh cactus every other day; generally after several replacements, the swelling disappears on its own
3. Mumps: take an appropriate amount of fresh young cactus stems, remove the surface spines and fuzz, wash clean and mash, spread evenly on the swollen area below the ear, and fix with gauze. Change the dressing twice a day.
4. Burns and insect bites: use a knife to scrape off the outer skin of the cactus, mash it and apply it to the injured area, disinfect and bandage, to treat burns. Mash the whole plant to extract juice and apply to the affected area to treat snake and insect bites.
5. Stomach ailments and acute bacillary dysentery: take 1-2 liang of cactus root, stew it with pork tripe and eat, which can treat stomach ailments. Take 1-2 liang of fresh cactus and decoct in water, to treat acute bacillary dysentery.
6. Acute mastitis: remove the spines from cactus and mash, add 50 milliliters of 95% alcohol and mix well, apply externally to the local area, twice a day.
7. Diabetic foot: first clean the ulcer surface with hydrogen peroxide and physiological saline, and remove necrotic tissue and purulent secretions. Then take 30 grams of fresh cactus, remove the skin and spines and mash into a paste, apply evenly externally to the affected area, and bandage with gauze. Change the dressing 2-3 times a day for 5-7 consecutive days.
Edible value
The edible cactus ball is a succulent plant of the Cactaceae family, growing in subtropical regions. It first originated in France in Europe, once spread to Vietnam at the end of the eighteenth century, and later was introduced through Mong Cai into the coastal areas of the Beibu Gulf in our country, the three islands of the Jing ethnic group and the Shiwan Dashan area. After more than a hundred years of evolution, it has now formed a green health food with unique local characteristics——the edible cactus ball. In Enping, Guangdong, local people commonly call it leguo.
In Enping, Guangdong, hotels generally have this dish. The edible cactus ball is tender in texture, sweet and mild, non-toxic, and has no side effects. It is a new type of medicinal vegetable with a unique flavor and truly lives up to its name. According to the latest information, the edible cactus ball is a pollution-free green food that combines food, medicine, health care, beauty and ornamental value.
It has certain preventive and therapeutic effects on human cancers, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, pulmonary tuberculosis, stomach ailments, diabetes, various heat syndromes, gynecological diseases and so on. It can also effectively remove tobacco toxins, alcohol toxins, gas toxins, metal toxins and pesticide residues left in vegetables from the human body; it fills this gap in the history of medicinal vegetables in today's world. Therefore, it has the reputation of “king of vegetables” and “king of medicines”.