Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Notocactus magnificus
Notocactus magnificus, also called balloon cactus, is a round, deeply ribbed cactus lined with fine golden spines. It starts green and turns a bluer, powdery color as it matures, and older plants can form a cluster of heads. Shiny sulfur yellow flowers open on top in late spring and summer. It suits pots, dish gardens and small cactus beds.
Best for: pots, dish gardens and small cactus beds where its ribbed blue-green heads and golden spines can be seen up close. Older plants cluster into a small mound.
Each head grows to about 5 to 6 inches across and stays under a foot tall. It fits a small pot or a dish garden with a gritty cactus mix.
It turns a bluer, powdery color as it matures, lined with golden spines along 11 to 15 sharp ribs. It contrasts well with green cacti and aloes.
Shiny yellow flowers about 1 to 2 inches across open on top in late spring and summer. Keep it in bright light so it blooms.
It can be damaged below about 25°F, so cover it on frost nights. Wet winter soil can rot it. In Phoenix, give it some shade in summer.
- Group planting6 in apart
- Planted with more room12 in apart
Wait about a week after planting before the first water. Then water about every other week while nights stay above 60°F. Once it is rooted, water when the soil has dried out in the warm months. Keep it dry in winter unless the winter is very dry.
It grows in light shade to full sun. In Phoenix, give it some shade in summer so it does not scorch.
It can be damaged below about 25°F. On frost nights, cover it with frost cloth or a sheet that reaches the ground, not plastic, and take it off in the morning. Move pots under a patio roof on cold nights.
Use a pot with a drainage hole and a gritty cactus mix with plenty of pumice, perlite or coarse sand. Water it when the mix is dry, and keep it drier in winter.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Is Notocactus magnificus the balloon cactus?
Yes. It is now named Parodia magnifica and is sold as balloon cactus or ball cactus. Older labels use Notocactus magnificus.
How big does it get?
Each head grows to about 5 to 6 inches across and up to about 8 inches tall. Older plants can make pups and form a small cluster.
Why is my balloon cactus turning blue?
This color change is normal. It starts green and takes on a bluer, powdery color as it matures, so there is nothing to fix.
When does it bloom?
Shiny yellow flowers open on top in late spring and summer. Keep it in bright light so it blooms well.
Does it need shade in Phoenix?
It grows in light shade to full sun. In Phoenix, give it some shade in summer, such as morning sun and afternoon shade.
How often should I water it?
Wait about a week after planting, then water about every other week while nights stay above 60°F. Once it is rooted, water it when the soil has dried out in the warm months. Keep it dry in winter.
How cold can it take?
It can be damaged below about 25°F. On frost nights, cover it with frost cloth or a sheet down to the ground, and move pots under a patio roof.
What soil does it need in the Valley?
Plant it in soil that drains fast, like sandy or gravelly native soil, with no compost. If you hit caliche, break through it so water drains, or choose another spot.
Why did my new cactus turn yellow or white?
That is sunburn, which is common on nursery plants in their first summer. Plant it with the same side facing south as before, and give it light shade cloth the first summer.
Notocactus magnificus for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Notocactus magnificus is now named Parodia magnifica and is often sold as balloon cactus. It comes from southern Brazil. Below is what to expect in a Valley pot or bed: size, sun, water, cold and flowers.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
What is Notocactus magnificus?
It is Parodia magnifica, the balloon cactus from southern Brazil. It is a round, ribbed cactus with golden spines.
How big does balloon cactus get?
Each head grows to about 5 to 6 inches across and up to about 8 inches tall. Older plants can cluster into a small mound.
Balloon cactus flowers
Shiny yellow flowers open on top in late spring and summer. Plants bloom best in bright light.
Growing balloon cactus in Phoenix
Plant it in fast-draining soil in full sun to light shade, with some shade in summer. Keep it dry in winter.
Is balloon cactus cold hardy?
It can be damaged below about 25°F. Cover it with frost cloth on frost nights, and move pots under cover.
Balloon cactus in a pot
It is a good pot plant. Use a gritty cactus mix and a pot with a drainage hole, and let it dry between waterings.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.