Colored Cap Cactus Care Guide: Watering, Light, and the Secret Behind His Bright Top
That bright pink, yellow, or red top isn't a flower, and it isn't dyed either. It's a completely different cactus grafted onto a green base, and once you understand that, his care actually makes a lot more sense.
Two Plants in One
His colorful cap is Gymnocalycium mihanovichii, a cactus that naturally lacks chlorophyll, which is why he can't make his own food and can't survive on his own. Growers graft him onto a green base cactus that does the photosynthesizing for both of them. So really, you're caring for a team of two, even though it looks like one plant.
Watering
Water only when his soil is completely bone dry. In summer, that's roughly every 3 to 4 weeks. In winter, stretch it out to every 6 to 8 weeks. Like most cacti, he's far more likely to suffer from too much water than too little.
Light
Bright, indirect light is best. Avoid harsh direct sun hitting his colorful top directly, it can scorch the parts of him that can't protect themselves the way a fully green cactus could.
Good to Know
Empty the saucer after watering so his roots don't sit in water. Overwatering, not his color or his unusual shape, is the main thing that shortens his life.
Did You Know?
Grafting cacti like this started in Japan decades ago as a way to grow naturally chlorophyll-free, colorful cacti that couldn't otherwise survive. He's originally from South America, and he's pet friendly too.