About Parodia scopa (Spreng.) N.P.Taylor
Parodia scopa, synonymized as Notocactus scopa and commonly called the silver ball cactus, is a flowering plant species belonging to the cactus family Cactaceae. It is native to upland areas of southern Brazil and Uruguay. This species grows as a ball- or cylinder-shaped cactus, reaching 5–50 cm (2–20 in) tall and 10 cm (4 in) broad. It has a spiny, woolly crown and produces pale yellow flowers during the summer. Its specific epithet 'scopa' translates to 'broom', a name that refers to the species' long spines. In 1997, David Hunt transferred this species from the genus Notocactus to the genus Parodia. When grown in cultivation, Parodia scopa needs a minimum temperature of 10 °C (50 °F). For this reason, it must be grown under glass or as a houseplant in temperate regions. The subspecies Parodia scopa subsp. scopa has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
