I wrote about my new Melocactus Salvadorensis back in November last year, “My New Melocactus,” November 3, 2022, and it had some small flowers on its cephalium, the structure on the top of the plant that grows tall and makes tiny, pretty pink flowers. When I bought it, it had already bloomed and had the remains of something pink on the cephalium. It is making those little flowers again this year. They pop up randomly in no particular pattern, then fade, and others take their place.
The cephalium, that round part on the crown of the plant, is for the blooms. The little black spots you can see are the remains of the flowers. I think. In my earlier post, I said the pink structures you could see on the cephalium were the remains of the flowers. Well, they are sort of the remains, but now I realize those pink structures I first saw must surely be the fruit that develops from those tiny flowers, fruit that will contain the seeds of the plant. I say that because this year, that cactus is covered with those pink structures that I think are the fruit of the cactus. And those pink things just kind of appear overnight without warning!
You can see my other three melocactus plants lined up behind this one, not old enough to have a cephalium yet. But look at all those fruits! Is that not cool?
The thought struck me that I could find out if these little pink things are in fact the fruit of the plant by looking into one of those fruits. So I carefully pulled one off, sliced it in half, and sure enough, there were some seeds! I suspect they are not fully developed and ready to be planted yet, but that solved the mystery of what they are. I should have known that since I do know what cactus fruit is all about.
I am still learning about this cactus, and I may not have all the information totally right yet, but in the meantime I am enjoying these pretty little pink things on tops of the cactus.
And impatiently waiting for my other melocactus to grow their own cephaliums and make pretty little pink things, too.
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