Echinocereus Cacti Will Keep Blooming for a Long Time

In brief: Echinocereus cacti are undemanding to grow, and their large flowers last for more than a week. In summer they need plenty of sun, water, warmth and fresh air; for winter they need a dry, bright spot at around 5 °C. Echinocereus chloranthus can even overwinter outdoors, provided it is under a small roof and kept completely dry.

Echinocereus cacti are fairly undemanding to grow. Their natural range covers a very large area of Central America. In the wild they grow in central-eastern Mexico in the states of Tamaulipas and Durango, as well as in Sonora, Chihuahua and all the other south-western US states from Texas and California to Colorado, Utah and Nevada. Thanks to our e-shop, you can grow these Central American beauties yourself.

Echinocereus

Echinocereus belong to the cactus family (Latin Cactaceae). Echinocereus can be solitary or heavily branched, sprawling or upright cacti, mostly with dense spines. The flowers are mostly large and come in various colour shades. The most common are pink, red and purplish, less often white, yellow and greenish. A valuable advantage of echinocereus flowers is their relatively long life. The flowers last for more than a week.

Growers divide echinocereus into the so-called "green" ones, which produce plenty of offsets and form clumps. Individual plants reach a maximum of 3 cm in diameter. The second group are the so-called "pectinate" echinocereus, which have a thicker body and comb-like arranged spines. The spines are their great ornament, as they are often brightly coloured.

The best-known species of echinocereus

The best-known echinocereus include Echinocereus rubrispinus, Echinocereus chloranthus and Echinocereus viridiflorus.

Echinocereus rubrispinus

Echinocereus rubrispinus has a columnar habit and can grow to a height of approximately 18 cm and a width of about 5 cm. This cactus grows singly and offsets appear only very rarely. Its spination is its pride; younger plants in particular boast strikingly red spines. Echinocereus rubrispinus reaches the peak of its beauty at flowering time. Its flowers are large, light purplish red with a cream throat and a green stigma. Its home is the western part of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Here this cactus grows in the inaccessible terrain of the Sierra Obscura mountains. Echinocereus rubrispinus was discovered at its locality by Alfred Lau, who knew at the moment of discovery that it was a novelty that growers would greatly value for its attractive appearance. Today it is popular among growers and forms a striking centrepiece of a collection. It is best to grow this echinocereus in a permeable substrate and give it a cool, bright winter rest. In summer it needs plenty of water and fresh air.

Echinocereus chloranthus var. cylindricus

Echinocereus chloranthus var. cylindricus is one of the smaller echinocereus species with a cylindrical stem. The stems grow singly, with occasionally a few offsets appearing. Echinocereus chloranthus can grow up to a height of 20 cm and a diameter of 7 cm. The spination of these plants is very variable and depends on the particular locality of origin. The flowers grow roughly halfway up the body of this cactus. Their colour, like the spination, is very variable. The flowers can range from yellowish green to brown. Echinocereus chloranthus grows in high-lying areas of the south-western USA, in the states of Texas and New Mexico. These areas are cold, so these cacti can even overwinter outdoors in our climatic conditions. However, you must provide them with the driest possible winter spot.

Echinocereus viridiflorus

Echinocereus viridiflorus has a slightly columnar habit. It mostly grows in clumps, although some individuals grow on their own. This echinocereus grows up to a height of 15 cm and a stem diameter of around 6 cm. As with the previous species, the spination is very variable and depends on the particular place of origin. The spines are mostly pressed against the stem, regularly spread spider-like around the areole. The flowers grow roughly halfway up the body of the cactus and are greenish or greenish yellow in colour. Echinocereus viridiflorus is the northernmost growing echinocereus. It occurs in many states in the south-west and midwest of the USA: New Mexico, Texas, Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado and Wyoming. The habitats are in grassy places or in the shade of mountain forests. Echinocereus from colder regions can even tolerate cold overwintering below freezing point. During this time, however, they must be kept completely dry and the tissues must be well matured. This species of echinocereus is also very popular among growers. Even beginners will have no trouble growing it.

Growing echinocereus

Growing most species of echinocereus is not difficult. To make your cacti flower, it is important to preserve their natural rhythm of alternating summer growth and winter dormancy. With echinocereus this is doubly important. In summer, give your echinocereus plenty of sun, water, warmth and air. They will also appreciate frequent misting on sultry days. Misting supports their growth and also reduces the likelihood of attack by the pest known as the spider mite. In autumn, move your echinocereus to a cool, bright room. The optimal temperature is around 5 °C. Keep the cacti completely dry in these conditions. In the cold they will happily last the whole winter without a single drop of water. If overwintered in warmth and damp, the plants could become etiolated (they would form an unattractive narrow pale tip), and if overwatered the whole plant could even rot, which would be a great pity with echinocereus. The overwintering of Echinocereus chloranthus is special, as it can even be overwintered outdoors. This species of echinocereus can therefore be grown outdoors all year round. Plant it in a permeable substrate so that water does not linger around its roots. Face the site south so that the echinocereus get enough sun in summer. Before winter, build a small roof over the echinocereus so that water does not reach its roots. Once this echinocereus is sufficiently dried out, it tolerates even hard frosts without problems. A thaw can literally deal it a deadly blow in winter, when water from melting snow reaches the roots, the cactus "drinks" and then harder frosts follow. A "drunk" cactus is very vulnerable and can easily freeze or rot. If you have an unheated greenhouse, it can become the ideal winter spot for Echinocereus chloranthus. Don't hesitate to get seeds of these echinocereus, so that you can look forward to the beauty of their spines and above all their large, long-lasting flowers.

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