Cactus identification

Question

I bought a cactus with a bright day glow pink bloom on the top of it. I’m trying to find out the correct name for it, because I’m using it in my biology report with pictures. I certainly can’t incorporate my cactus in my assignment if I don’t know the correct name and origin and scientific name for it. I also propagate succulents but I don’t know the name of that either! Please help, thank you.

Answer 1

The cactus you have is a very interesting grafted specimen. The pink section on the top is a moon cactus, scentific name Gymnocalycium mihanovichii. It is a mutant variety of that species which cannot produce green chlorophyll and appears pink because of other biochemical compounds it contains. Without chlorophyll, it cannot photosynthesize, so it would die without being grafted to the green cactus on the bottom, which is most likely a Hylocereus cactus (I am not sure of the species).

Your succulent is probably some variety of Echeveria.