This little cactus bloomed yesterday and reopened today, so I thought it deserved some recognition.

Chamaelobivia is a hybrid of chamaecereus (peanut cactus) and lobivia, which happen to both now be classified in the echinopsis family. Chamaelobivia rose quartz yielded this particular color of flower in all its radiant neon glory.

Lobivias come from Bolivia, and look-the name is an anagram for the place of its origin! Regular lobivias are fat round balls whereas the peanut cactus, chamaecereus, which comes from the mountains of Argentina, has longer, finger or peanut-shaped bodies. The cross between the two combined to make fatter, longer peanut bodies with these beautiful flowers. The hybrid also has the advantage of being more resistant to meally bugs than its peanut cactus parent, which is a plus. Like all cactus, they need good light and perhaps less heat than our summers here deliver, and they like good air flow. Even though they come from the cooler mountains, it is suggested that they be protected from frost.

The flowers can be up to three inches in diameter, so I am guessing mine is not quite mature enough for flowers that large yet. But this is one specimen I hope to keep around to enjoy for a long time, so waiting for larger flowers gives me something to anticipate while I enjoy these smaller ones.

They may be small, but the color more than makes up for the size!