Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus
Herbaceous Perennial
Origin
South America
Africa, Kenya, South Africa
Types
Gymnocalycium alboareolatum , Gymnocalycium amerhauseri , Gymnocalycium andreae
Freesia
Number of Varieties
5415
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Semi desert
gardens, Grassland, Homesteads, Tropical regions, Wet forest
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-129-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
-
Sunset Zone
13,21,22,23,24
-
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
12.50 cm50.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
8.00 cm40.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
creamy white, Light Pink, Pink
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Pink
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Light Yellow, Brown
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
-
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
All year
Spring
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Part sun, Partial shade, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Sand, Sandy
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Slightly Acidic
Soil Drainage
Sandy
Well drained
Bloom Time
All year
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Offsets
From bulbs
Plant Maintenance
Medium
High
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Needs a lot of moisture in the growing season, Stop watering completely once the plant becomes dormant
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Slightly Acidic
Soil Type
Sandy
Clay, Loam, Sand, Well drained
Soil Drainage Capacity
Dry
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Part sun, Partial Sun
Full Shade, Indirect sunlight, Partial shade, Partial Sun
Pruning
-
Cut away fading foliage, Remove deadheads, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
20-20-20 amount, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize in early spring, Potash
Pests and Diseases
Mealy bugs, Root rot
Pests and diseases free
Plant Tolerance
Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance
Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ants, Mealybugs
Butterflies
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Ornamental use
Beautification, Ground Cover, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Hair Conditioner, Making cosmetics, Skin cleanser
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, Food for insects
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits
Bulbs, Flowers
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes
Cosmetics, Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used for fragrance
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Showy Tree
Feature Plant, Flower borders, Screening
Botanical Name
GYMNOCALYCIUM
Freesia refracta
Common Name
Chin Cactus
Freesia
In Hindi
Gymnocalycium
Freesia
In German
Gymnocalycium
Freesie
In French
Gymnocalycium
Freesia
In Spanish
Gymnocalycium
fresia
In Greek
Gymnocalycium
freesia
In Portuguese
Gymnocalycium
freesia
In Polish
Gymnocalycium
frezja
In Latin
Gymnocalycium
Freesia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Asparagales
Family
Cactaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Gymnocalycium
Freesia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Trichocereeae
-
Subfamily
Cactoideae
Ixioideae
Number of Species
5416
1
27800
👆🏻