From Rio Grande de Sul, Brazil, Parodia herteri is a solitary globular cactus to 6 inches around. The stem varies from a medium to pale green. It is softly spined with a tinge of red and produces gorgeous 3 inch flowers in late spring. They are purplish pink with a yellow center. I've had this one in the ground for two years and it's about 4 inches across. It finally gave me a single flower in spring 2006. It was well worth the wait!
     Update May 2007. Well I thought I was in for a magnificent display, but ended up dissapointed. Five buds on the plant this year and all of them opened at once. I never got to see it because by the time I got home that afternoon some insect or critter had eaten the flowers. Shredded them to bits! Damn!!!!!!!

First flower in May

A little closer