[2] The most popular cultivars are varied mutants which completely lack chlorophyll, exposing the red, orange, or yellow pigmentation.

Gymnocalycium mihanovichii is found growing at lower elevations up to 500 meters in Paraguay and northeast Argentina.

Frequently found in culture are mutants of cultivated individuals—color forms that are viable only when grafted since they can hardly assimilate—due to the lack of chlorophyll in the plant cells.

The individually growing Gymnocalycium mihanovichii have a broad-spherical, gray-green, often reddish overgrown plant body, which reaches stature heights and diameter of 3 to 5 centimeters.

The 5 to 6 weak, pliable, and slightly curved thorns are greyish-yellow, between 0.8 and 1 centimeter long and partly fall off.

[10] The species belonging to the "Hibotan" cultivar have a different color from the natural one because it is deprived of chlorophyll and, being unable to live on its roots, it is necessary that it is grafted onto another Cactacea, generally Hylocereus.

Moon cactus, for one, thrives best in bright, indirect light, and can be grown indoors year round.

Those preferring plentiful sunshine may need covering from the sun in the hottest months, but exaggerating this will result in loss of flowers.

The balance of the potting medium should be adequate to allow decent drainage so that the plants do not sit in marshy soil for more than a day or two after watering.