Echinocereus is a very beautiful and compact succulent from the Cactus family. A distinctive feature of the genus are thorns in the form of spiders, which cover not only the stems, but also miniature fruits. Under natural conditions, cactus can be found in highland forests on the US-Mexico border. This cute plant decorates the house with a decorative stem and beautiful flowers, therefore it is especially loved by gardeners.
Plant description
Cactus echinocereus has a rounded or columnar, rather short stem. Numerous lateral processes often appear on it. The length of the soft, sometimes lodging stem is 15-60 cm. The thin skin is painted in gray-green color. Gradually, the base of the stem may become yellow-brown.
The trunk is covered with protruding ribs in the amount of 5-21 units. Areoles are densely located on the ribs. Rigid spines can be long or shortened, stick out perpendicular to the stem or adjoin it. In the areola, there may be 3-30 needles up to 10 cm long.
Flowers can form even on young plants. Flower buds do not appear in the areola itself, like most cacti, but next to it. The stem tissue is torn and a large tubular flower appears. The diameter of the wide-open bell is 1.9-15 cm. The glossy petals are bent back and slightly twisted. Flowers are painted in greenish, red, pink or yellow shades. During flowering, echinocereus exudes a strong citrus aroma. The core consists of a bundle of long stamens and an ovary. Even on the outside of the flower tube are short stiff spines.
Fruits in the form of small balls are covered with shiny, reddish skin with many spines. The diameter of the fruit is 1-3.5 cm. Juicy pulp contains small seeds. It exudes a delicate strawberry flavor, for which Echinocereus is called the strawberry hedgehog. The fruits can be eaten.
Types of Echinocereus
The family has about 70 species suitable for indoor cultivation. Many flower shops offer catalogs of echinocereus, which presents all types and photos of these cacti. This helps to make the final choice and make a purchase.
Echinocereus crest. The plant has a cylindrical stem with a rounded top. Its length does not exceed 20 cm with a width of 3-6 cm. The surface of the stem is covered with shallow, vertical ridges in the amount of 20-30 pieces. Radial, short spines are almost completely pressed to the stem and create a unique pattern on its surface. Widely open funnels of flowers with a diameter of 6-8 cm are formed in the upper part of the shoot. The petals are pink and gradually brighten to the core.
Echinocereus Reichenbach. Cylindrical dark green stems overgrow with many dark green shoots. The barrel is about 25 cm long and 9 cm wide. Up to 19 vertical or spiral ribs are located on the surface. Areoles consist of sparse pubescence and yellowish-white long spines. Slightly curved, hooked needles stick out in all directions. The top of the stem is decorated with large pink or purple flowers with a diameter of up to 10 cm. The view includes several decorative varieties:
- armatus - a stem with 20 vertical ribs is covered with bunches of long (up to 3 cm) red-brown spines;
- baileyi - the stem is covered with rare bundles of long perpendicular spines and large (up to 12 cm in diameter) flowers;
- albispinus - a cylindrical stalk up to 15 cm high is densely dotted with areoles with bent needles pressed to the trunk. The top is decorated with purple flowers with a diameter of 6-7 cm.
Echinocereus tricuspid. The plant is distinguished by spherical stems, which are gradually extended. On the gray-green shoot there are 5-12 ribs with short spines. In the beam, there are up to a dozen yellowish radial needles and about four darker central needles.
Echinocereus the hardest - a very beautiful plant. Its columnar stalk is up to 30 cm high and up to 10 cm wide, painted dark green and covered with 15-23 vertical ribs. Short curved spikes are firmly pressed to the skin and form a beautiful, scallop coating. The needles may be yellow-white or pinkish.
Echinocereus poleless. The plant is characterized by very short spines. On a cylindrical light green stem, relief ribs are visible in an amount of up to 11 units. Rare areoles consist of 3-8 silver short needles bent to the stem. Their length is 1-7 mm. In the upper part of the stem are large yellow flowers with a diameter of 12 cm.
Breeding methods
Reproduction of echinocereus is possible by sowing seeds and rooting of the lateral processes. Seed propagation allows you to immediately get a large number of plants, but the loss of varietal traits is possible. Before planting for a month, the seeds are subjected to cold stratification in the refrigerator at a temperature of + 4 ... +5 ° C. They are sown in wet sand and covered with a film. The container is kept in a warm place, regularly ventilated and moisturized. Shoots appear within 2-3 weeks. The grown plants dive and plant in separate small pots or a common wide container with soil for cacti.
Small processes are often formed in the lower part of the echinocereus trunk. They are carefully separated and dried for 2-3 days. When a whitish film forms on the cut, you can slightly push the stalk into the moist sandy soil. Until the roots appear, it is recommended to back up the seedling. It is better to water it with a wick method so that water does not accumulate at the base of the stem. Rooting takes place easily, after 15-20 days the plant will begin to develop more actively.
Growing rules
Caring for echinocereus does not require special measures. Typically, pots are placed in bright places: near windows, on balconies or in greenhouses. It is recommended for the summer to expose them to fresh air, protecting from drafts and rain. Lighting should be bright, it is advisable to ensure that direct sunlight is exposed to the cacti. Instances with rare spikes are accustomed to light gradually.
In summer, echinocereuses easily tolerate even intense heat, but in the fall it is necessary to provide a cooler content. Air temperature should not exceed +12 ° C. In nature, plants can withstand severe winters, but indoor flowers should not be experienced in frost.
Watering the echinocereus is necessary in moderation, allowing the soil to dry well between waterings. Water is used warm, settled. A cactus can exist in dry air, but infrequent spraying will do it good.
In April-August, it is recommended to fertilize monthly. Mineral fertilizers for cacti are bred in water and watered. Use non-specialized compounds is not worth it. It’s better to just transplant the flower into fresh ground.
A transplant is made in the spring every 2-4 years. Pots can be chosen not very deep, but wide, able to accommodate numerous offspring. Shards, expanded clay or broken brick are necessarily poured to the bottom. For planting, a neutral and light soil mixture of:
- soddy soil;
- gravel
- sand;
- charcoal.
Transplanted echinocereus is not watered for 2-3 days.
Cactus echinocereus boasts excellent immunity from diseases and parasites. Only with improper watering, its roots and stems affect various rot. In this case, it is recommended to suspend watering or transplant the plant, as well as treat the roots with fungicides.
