Sun cactus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sun cactus
Flowers in various stages of maturation
Botanical illustration
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Cactaceae
Subfamily:	Cactoideae
Genus:	Disocactus
Species:	D. speciosus
Binomial name
Disocactus speciosus (Cav.) Barthlott
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Synonyms
List Cactus speciosissimus Desf. Cactus speciosus Cav. Cereus amecamensis Heese Cereus coccineus DC. Cereus coccineus Salm-Dyck ex Pfeiff. & Otto Cereus elegantissimus A.Berger Cereus formosus J.Forbes Cereus formosus Monv. Cereus hybridus Otto Cereus jenkinsonii Sweet Cereus schrankii Zucc. ex Seitz Cereus serratus Weing. Cereus speciosissimus (Desf.) Sweet Cereus speciosus (Cav.) Sweet Cereus speciosus var. amecamensis (Heese) A.Berger Cereus speciosus var. coccineus K.Schum. Cereus superbus C.Ehrenb. Disocactus aurantiacus var. blomianus (Kimnach) E.Meier Disocactus cinnabarinus (Eichlam ex Weing.) Barthlott Disocactus schrankii (Zucc. ex Seitz) Barthlott Disocactus speciosus f. amecamensis (Heese) Barthlott Epiphyllum speciosum (Cav.) Haw. Heliocereus amecaensis (Heese) Britton & Rose Heliocereus aurantiacus var. blomianus Kimnach Heliocereus cinnabarinus (Eichlam ex Weing.) Britton & Rose Heliocereus coccineus Britton & Rose Heliocereus coccineus (DC.) Scheinvar Heliocereus elegantissimus Britton & Rose Heliocereus elegantissimus var. helenae Scheinvar Heliocereus elegantissimus var. stenopetalus Bravo ex S.Arias, U.Guzmán & Gama Heliocereus heterodoxus Standl. & Steyerm. Heliocereus luzmariae Scheinvar Heliocereus schrankii (Zucc. ex Seitz) Britton & Rose Heliocereus schrankii var. elegantissimus (Britton & Rose) Backeb. Heliocereus schrankii subsp. helenae (Scheinvar) Doweld Heliocereus schrankii var. helenae (Scheinvar) Kimnach Heliocereus schrankii subsp. luzmariae (Scheinvar) U.Guzmán Heliocereus schrankii subsp. stenopetalus (Bravo ex S.Arias, U.Guzmán & Gama) Doweld Heliocereus schrankii var. stenopetalus (Bravo ex S.Arias, U.Guzmán & Gama) Kimnach Heliocereus serratus (Weing.) F.M.Knuth Heliocereus speciosissimus (Desf.) Y.Itô Heliocereus speciosus (Cav.) Britton & Rose Heliocereus speciosus var. amecamensis (Heese) Bravo Heliocereus speciosus subsp. amecamensis (Heese) Doweld Heliocereus speciosus var. serratus (Weing.) Backeb. Heliocereus speciosus var. superbus (Ehrenb.) Backeb. Heliocereus superbus (C.Ehrenb.) A.Berger Mediocactus coccineus (DC.) Britton & Rose × Phyllocereus cinnabarinus (Eichlam) Knebel

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The sun cactus, also known by its scientific name Disocactus speciosus, is a beautiful flowering plant. It belongs to the Cactaceae family, which means it's a type of cactus! This amazing plant is originally from places like Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala. It has also been brought to the Canary Islands.

This cactus is so special that it received an award called the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. This award shows that it's a great plant for gardens.

Where Does the Sun Cactus Grow?

The sun cactus is native to parts of Central America. You can find it growing naturally in Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala. It likes warm places with lots of sunshine.

Different Types of Sun Cactus

Just like there can be different types of apples, there are also different types of sun cacti. Scientists call these "subspecies." Each subspecies might have small differences in where it grows or how it looks.

• One type is found in a place called Chiapas in Mexico.
• Another type grows in southern Mexico and Honduras.
• A third type is found in Guatemala.
• And then there's the main type, which is simply called Disocactus speciosus subsp. speciosus.

These different types show how diverse and interesting plants can be, even within the same species!

See also

In Spanish: Disocactus speciosus para niños