Echinocereus comb care at home. Echinocereus – beautiful stems, bright flowers

Echinocereus is a very beautiful and compact succulent from the Cactus family. A distinctive feature of the genus are spider-shaped spines that cover not only the stems, but also miniature fruits. Under natural conditions, the cactus can be found in high mountain forests on the US border with Mexico. This cute plant decorates the house with a decorative stem and beautiful flowers, so it is especially loved by gardeners.

Description of the plant

The Echinocereus cactus is round or columnar, quite 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 colored gray-green. Gradually, the base of the stem may acquire yellow-brown shades.

The trunk is covered with protruding ribs in the amount of 5-21 units. The areolas are densely located on the ribs. Hard spines can be long or short, sticking out perpendicular to the stem or adjacent to it. The areola can contain 3-30 needles up to 10 cm long.

Flowers can form even on young plants. Flower buds do not appear in the areola itself, as in most cacti, but next to it. The stem tissue breaks 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 curled. The flowers are colored greenish, red, pink or yellow. During flowering, Echinocereus emits a strong citrus aroma. The core consists of a bunch of long stamens and an ovary. Even on the outside of the flower tube there are short, hard spines.

The fruits are in the form of small balls and are covered with a shiny, reddish skin with many spines. The diameter of the fruit is 1-3.5 cm. The juicy pulp contains small seeds. It exudes a delicate strawberry aroma, for which Echinocereus is called the strawberry hedgehog. The fruits can be eaten.

Species of Echinocereus

There are about 70 species in the genus, suitable for indoor growing. Many flower shops offer Echinocereus catalogs, where all types and photos of these cacti are presented. This helps you make the final choice and make a purchase.

The plant has a cylindrical stem with a rounded tip. 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 against the stem and create a unique pattern on its surface. In the upper part of the shoot, wide-open funnels of flowers with a diameter of 6-8 cm are formed. The petals are colored pink color and gradually lighten towards the core.

Cylindrical dark green stems are overgrown with many dark green shoots. The trunk is about 25 cm long and 9 cm wide. There are up to 19 vertical or spiral ribs on the surface. The areoles consist of sparse pubescence and long yellowish-white spines. Slightly curved, hooked needles stick out in all directions. The top of the stem is decorated with large pink or purple flowers up to 10 cm in diameter. The species 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 sparse bunches of long perpendicular spines and large (up to 12 cm in diameter) flowers;
• albispinus - a cylindrical stem up to 15 cm high, densely studded with areoles with curved needles pressed to the trunk. The top is decorated with purple flowers with a diameter of 6-7 cm.

The plant is distinguished by spherical stems that gradually elongate. The gray-green shoot has 5-12 ribs with short spines. There are up to a dozen yellowish radial needles and about four darker central ones in the bunch.

– very beautiful plant. Its columnar stem, up to 30 cm high and up to 10 cm wide, is dark green and covered with 15-23 vertical ribs. Short curved spines are pressed tightly against the skin and form a beautiful, scalloped covering. The needles can be yellow-white or pinkish in color.

The plant is characterized by very short spines. The cylindrical light green stem has up to 11 raised ribs. Rare areoles consist of 3-8 short silvery needles bent towards the stem. Their length is 1-7 mm. At the top of the stem there are large yellow flowers with a diameter of 12 cm.

Reproduction methods

Reproduction of Echinocereus is possible by sowing seeds and rooting lateral shoots. Seed propagation allows you to immediately obtain a large number of plants, but loss of varietal characteristics is possible. Before planting, the seeds are subjected to cold stratification in the refrigerator at a temperature of +4...+5 °C for a month. They are sown in wet sand and covered with film. The container is kept in a warm place, regularly ventilated and moistened. Shoots appear within 2-3 weeks. The grown plants are picked up and planted in separate small pots or a common wide container with soil for cacti.

Small shoots often form 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 lightly press the cutting into a damp sandy soil. Until roots appear, it is recommended to support the seedling. It is better to water it using the wick method so that water does not accumulate at the base of the stem. Rooting occurs easily, after 15-20 days the plant will begin to develop more actively.

Growing rules

Caring for Echinocereus does not require any special measures. Typically, pots are placed in bright places: near windows, on balconies or in greenhouses. It is recommended to display them in the summer Fresh air, protecting from drafts and rain. The lighting should be bright; it is advisable to ensure that the cacti receive direct sunlight. Specimens with sparse spines are gradually accustomed to light.

In summer, Echinocereus can easily tolerate even extreme heat, but in the fall it is necessary to provide cooler conditions. The air temperature should not exceed +12 °C. In nature, plants can withstand harsh winters, but indoor flowers should not be exposed to frost.

Echinocereus should be watered sparingly, allowing the soil to dry thoroughly between waterings. Use warm, settled water. The cactus can survive in dry air, but infrequent spraying will benefit it.
In April-August, it is recommended to fertilize monthly. Mineral fertilizers for cacti are diluted in water and watered the plant. You should not use non-specialized compounds. It is better to simply replant the flower in fresh soil.

Transplantation is carried out in the spring every 2-4 years. You can choose pots that are not very deep, but wide, capable of accommodating numerous offspring. The bottom must be filled with shards, expanded clay or broken bricks. For planting, a neutral and light soil mixture of:

• turf soil;
• gravel;
• sand;
• charcoal.

The transplanted Echinocereus is not watered for 2-3 days.

Echinocereus is a genus of plants of the Cactaceae family, numbering about 60 species growing in the territory North America, in its southern part.

The peculiarity of all cacti of this genus is their low growth, up to 60 cm, highly branching shoots and, most importantly, the presence of areoles with spines on the flower buds and tubes, due to which these cacti received the prefix “Echinus” in their generic name, which translates from Greek, as “hedgehog”.

The flowers of these cacti, like most members of the family, are single, tubular, funnel-shaped, multi-petaled. After flowering, small, juicy, fleshy fruits are formed, which in many species are not only edible, but also very tasty.

Otherwise, there are strong differences from species to species. Stems can be either spherical or cylindrical. The ribs are found both straight and spiral-shaped, both barely noticeable and deep, clearly defined. Flowers come in both small and large.

More than half of the species are successfully cultivated and loved by gardeners. And the most common of them are the following:

Echinocereus Reichenbach(Echinocereus reichenbachii) - a cactus with cylindrical branching shoots, in adulthood reaching a length of about 25 cm and a width of 9 cm. It has 10 - 19 straight or slightly curved ribs, dotted with fluffy areoles with light straw spines, contrastingly standing out on the dark green surface stem. There are from 20 to 36 radial spines. They are slightly curved and pressed against the surface of the cactus, resembling scallops or spiders in appearance. The central spines may or may not be pronounced, depending on the variety of the cactus. The flowers are large, up to 10 cm in diameter, bright pink-violet. Lanceolate-shaped petals form a 3-4-tiered corolla.

Popular subspecies of this plant:

– E. R. armatus(E. r. armatus) has about 20 straight low ribs. The central spines, 2–4 in number, about 3 cm long, straight, light brown at the base, dark brown at the ends.

– E. R. Bayle(E. r. baileyi) is distinguished by longer, up to 3 cm, and sparse radial spines. In this variety they are straight, sticking out in all directions. There are no central spines. Flowers are about 12 cm in diameter.

– E. R. albispinus(E. r. albispinus) is one of the most attractive and popular varieties among cactus growers. The areoles are large, with white pubescence, the radial “spider” spines are white, there are no central spines. Pink flowers are relatively small, only 7 cm in diameter. The tips of the petals seem to be torn.

– E. R. Alberti(E. r. albertii) is one of the smallest varieties, measuring only 5 – 15 cm in height. There are practically no central spines, or they are barely noticeable, no more than 3 mm long. The areolas are located almost close to each other. The radial spines are also small, only 3–6 mm long, like the main species, similar to comb-shaped spiders. The flowers are purple, about 7 cm in diameter.

Echinocereus trispinata(Echinocereus triglochidiatus) at a young age has spherical stems, which later elongate and become cylindrical. There are relatively few ribs, 5 - 12. Like the previous species, it has many varieties, very different from each other in the number and length of spines. But what is common to all plants of the species is long flowering; the flowers last 2–3 days.

Popular subspecies of this plant.

– Et. Mojave(E. t. mojavensis) has many flat curved spines up to 5 cm long, which is comparable to the size of the cactus itself. Thanks to this, the stem of an adult plant is practically not visible through the “thickets” of thorns. There is one central spine. And it is almost no different in length from radial ones. The flowers are red-orange, about 8 cm in diameter. A feature of this variety is “nepotism” - over time, the cactus grows and forms fairly large clusters, uniting up to 100 specimens.

– E. t. Mojave inermis(E. t. mojavensis inermis) - unlike the previous variety, this cactus has no spines at all or few of them and they are very short, up to 5 mm long. The flowers do not appear from the areole like all cacti, but a little higher, which is why after flowering and the fall of the flower stalks, clearly visible scars remain on the skin.

Echinocereus hardens(Echinocereus rigidissimus) has a straight cylindrical stem up to 30 cm long and 10 cm in diameter. Radial spines are located in the areoles of 15 - 23 pieces. and form rather large “combs” (or “spiders”), bending towards the body of the cactus. In the shade they are yellow-white, and in sufficiently bright light they acquire a pink color, due to which the cactus becomes multi-colored. There are no central spines. The flowers are bright pink, with a white core, about 10 cm in diameter. The petals are elongated-oval, forming 2 - 3 tiers.

In the variety ‘ rubrispinus’ The spines are almost completely red.

Echinocereus spineless(Echinocereus subinermis) has a short cylindrical stem up to 20 cm long. When young it is light green, in mature plants it acquires a purple tint. A distinctive feature of the species are the strongly pronounced, deeply cut ribs, of which there are from 5 to 11 pieces. The areoles are quite small, bearing 3 to 8 short radial spines of a grayish color. Their length varies from 1 to 7 mm. The flowers are large, up to 12 cm in diameter, yellow. The petals are lanceolate or oval, with a pointed tip. They stay on the plant for almost a whole week.

Caring for Echinocereus at home

The popularity of Echinocereus among gardeners is caused not least by their unpretentiousness. Even among other cacti, they are distinguished by their undemanding maintenance.

Lighting. Echinocereus all year round needs bright lighting, direct lighting is desirable Sun rays. Therefore, the best place to place it would be south-facing windows. In summer, the cactus feels good outdoors, on the balcony or in the garden.

Temperature. The optimal summer temperature range is 25 – 30 °C. In winter, these cacti should be provided with a period of rest by placing them in a cool room where the air temperature does not exceed 12 °C.

It should be taken into account that many species of Echinocereus are frost-resistant plants. For example, Echinocereus scarlet and Echinocereus triglochidiatus can withstand frosts down to minus 20 - 25 ° C, freezing completely and becoming transparent. But with the arrival of warmth, they thaw and come to life again. Therefore, some gardeners keep their Echinocereus plants on glazed balconies and loggias both in winter and summer.

But not all species are capable of this. Thus, Echinocereus spineless dies when the temperature drops to minus 1 - 2 °C.

Watering. In spring and summer, watering should be moderate. Plants are watered only after the soil has thoroughly dried. The flood is not allowed. If the soil does not dry out for a long time, the roots may rot.

When watering, use soft, well-settled water at room temperature. You can further filter it.

In winter, watering is stopped completely and the cacti are kept completely dry. This requirement especially applies to those plants that are placed in cold rooms, and especially in the cold.

Humidity. Echinocereus does not need spraying. In addition, they are very susceptible to root and stem rot, and prolonged stagnation of water on the surface of the stems can seriously damage the plants.

The soil. These cacti need loose mineral soil. At home, ready-made succulents are quite suitable as a substrate, to which you should add a quarter of coarse river sand and the same amount of fine gravel.

Fertilizers. Echinocereus are rarely fed; for this purpose, specialized fertilizers for cacti and succulents or orchids are used. During the growing season, it is enough to apply fertilizer once a month. From autumn to spring, plants do not need feeding.

Transfer. Young plants are replanted annually, old ones - as needed, when they become cramped in the pot. Typically, such a transplant is carried out once every 3–4 years, in the spring.

Reproduces cactus is quite easy to grow both by seeds and cuttings.

Diseases and pests. Echinocereus is resistant to both pests and diseases. Almost their only enemy is various rots that develop with high air humidity or waterlogging of the soil.

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It is believed that these cacti are capricious and poorly flowering plants in our latitudes. However, if you create suitable living conditions for them, there will be no problems with them.

Bloom

Often, a rather inconspicuous-looking plant causes delight when huge flowers up to 10-13 cm in diameter appear, which, moreover, delight with their splendor for quite a long time (up to two weeks). But even in small-flowering species (1-6 cm in diameter), the shape of the flower and its richness will not leave you indifferent. The color of the petals is all shades of white, yellow, green, brown, red, purple.

The pistil is mostly emerald green in color, also setting this genus apart from thousands of other members of the Cactaceae family. The ability to flower occurs at different types differently. And if E. pulchellus can bloom at 3-4 years of age, barely reaching the size of a small walnut, then flowering of some forms of E. pectinatus can take more than 10 years.

Watering and planting

The maintenance of Echinocereus must obey certain rules. The main ones are infrequent watering, preferably with rain or well-settled soft water and a well-permeable earthen mixture (up to 30% sand), and so that the water does not drain away quickly, add red brick chips with a fraction of 3-5 mm (about 20%) and the same gravel size (up to 20%). It is advisable to add crushed coal as an antiseptic. hardwood trees (about 5%). The remaining components of the mixture can be made from peat chips (5%) and loamy or turf soil, preferably from molehills (20%).

Lighting

The thicker your pet's thorns, the more sunlight he needs. Only in such conditions will it be able to develop not only the correct shape of the stem, but also receive enough nutrients to form buds. Therefore, densely thorned species must be kept on windows facing south and southeast. For low-thorn and thornless plants, any windows except northern ones are suitable, and on southern and south-eastern ones they will even have to be shaded, especially at noon. I place such plants as if in the shade of larger plants.

Fresh air and nutrition

The next important factor for the successful cultivation of Echinocereus is fresh air. At the height of summer, when kept on a windowsill, they need to be ventilated periodically, avoiding drafts. A very good option is to place the collection outdoors in the summer, under a canopy made of film or glass. Echinocereus does not need fertilizing with mineral fertilizers in the first 2-3 years after transplantation, since a properly prepared earth mixture contains everything necessary for the life of the cactus. Later, you can occasionally use in a weak dosage (half or less of the recommended amount) fertilizers for indoor flowers with microelements that contain a minimal amount of nitrogen.

Echinocereus in winter

Wintering of Echinocereus should be absolutely dry and cold, preferably light, so as not to waste precious time at the beginning of the growing season on acclimating the plant to light. Spring sun rays can burn the cactus, so slight shading in the first days from active solar radiation Sometimes it’s simply necessary, even during a light winter. Most Echinocereus are frost-resistant, but a temperature of 8-12°C will be enough for them to overwinter well and prepare for future flowering.

Spring Awakening

The appearance of woolly buds is the first sign of the onset of vegetation. During this period, light mist spraying can begin, but only after fairly stable sunny days have established. In the middle zone this may be in March-April. However, if the plant has become very “shrunken” during the winter, and the weather is not favorable, then, without waiting for it to improve, you will have to spray it with slightly warm boiled water (without watering). This will prevent the buds from dropping. The procedure can be carried out at an air temperature of at least 10-12°C and ensure that drops of moisture do not accumulate on the surface of the stem.

Echinocereus is a perennial succulent plant of the Cactus family. From Latin the name literally translates as “hedgehog cereus”. This cactus has small spines, and the fruits are edible, like those of the cereus.

In total, there are about 70 species of the genus Echinocereus, which are distributed from the Pacific coast to the state of Texas in the USA, in Northern and Central Mexico. Most of them grow in the prairies, on bare ledges of gypsum, granite, and calcareous rocks; only a few can be found in the shade of bushes and trees. Coastal species are thermophilic, and representatives northern regions easily tolerate low temperatures.

Externally, the plants are similar, but have their own unique features and characteristics. The body of the cactus is spherical or in the form of a slightly elongated column, looking like a rounded stump. The height of the stem is 15-60 cm. The ribs are evenly spaced, like lobes of a tangerine or curled in a spiral, clearly protruding or less noticeable, their number varies between 5-21 pieces. The areoles are located relatively sparsely with yellowish spots, which is clearly visible against the background of the green color of the skin. Thin spines emerge from them, erect (perpendicular to the stem, sticking out in different directions) or slightly curled, like spider legs.

The official identification of the genus occurred in 1848 thanks to the American botanist George Engelmann. This cactus was so popular in culture that it prompted the publication of the German magazine “Friend of Echinocereus”, which describes in detail the features of growing and caring for various types. The plant is unpretentious and blooms regularly.

Flowering Echinocereus and delicious fruits

Echinocereus starts from a young age. Several flower buds appear in the upper part on the sides of the stem. They develop into a large corolla (1.9-15 cm in diameter). The petals are narrow with a pointed tip, glossy, greenish, pink, reddish or yellow. The core is fluffy thanks to the many soft yellow stamens, the ovary looks like a small bunch of onion feathers. In some species, the flowers exude a citrus aroma.

- a small spherical berry with juicy pulp and seeds. It is reddish, like the peduncle, and covered with small needles. The fruits are edible and taste like strawberries (hence another nickname for the plant: strawberry hedgehog).

In their homeland, jams and jams are made from these berries. Large-fruited species are grown in farmers' fields. The prickly peel has to be removed manually, so the price of the final product is high.

Growing conditions

Illumination

Throughout the year, the lighting level is required to be bright. Place it safely on a south-facing window - direct sunlight is not harmful to the plant; in extreme cases, place it on an eastern or western window sill. During the warm season, it is advisable to take it out into the fresh air (veranda, open balcony, secluded corner in the garden).

Air temperature and wintering

In spring and summer, Echinocereus thrives in the temperature range of 25-30 °C and even higher, provided that it is regularly ventilated.

Requires cool temperature around 12°C. Some types of these cacti are frost-resistant and can withstand cold temperatures of 20-25 degrees Celsius with a minus sign. These include Echinocereus trichlochidiatu, Echinocereus scarlet.

Freezing completely, the stem becomes glassy, ​​but with the onset of spring warmth it thaws and continues to grow. You can leave such cacti to winter in the loggia or on glassed balcony. Other species die off if the temperature drops to 1-2 °C with a minus sign.

How to care for Echinocereus at home

Watering

In spring and summer, but in moderation, let the earthen coma dry out halfway. It is not advisable to allow the soil to become waterlogged, since pathogenic organisms begin to develop in dampness, causing the roots and stem of the Echinocereus to rot. In the fall, reduce watering; if the winter is cool, moisten the soil occasionally (once a month); of course, cacti do not need to be watered at all in the cold.

Air humidity

In relation to cacti and succulents, there is no need to talk about indoor air humidity. For hygiene purposes, brush off dust from the stem using a paint brush. You need to spray with skill so that the accumulated water does not harm the plant. Carry out the procedure in the summer. So, cover the surface of the soil with a bag so as not to wet the substrate, spray warm water from a container with a fine spray and let dry in the shade. Please note if there are any drops of water left; they need to be removed with a cotton swab.

For watering and spraying, use purified water, i.e. Pass melt, rain, water through a filter or leave for 1-2 days.

Top dressing

Echinocereus should be carried out only during active growth. From April to the end of September, amend the soil with succulent and cacti fertilizer every 4 weeks. During the dormant period, feeding is not necessary and is even harmful.

Features of transplantation

We spend it in the spring before the start of the new growing season. Young plants up to three years old should be replanted annually, then every 3-4 years (focus on the degree of filling of the earthen ball with roots and the growth of the upper part).

To grow Echinocereus, take a wide plastic pot of medium depth; it is important to have large drainage holes.

The soil needs to be loose and moderately nutritious. Most often, a flower shop buys a universal substrate for cacti and succulents, but adds a small proportion of fine gravel and river sand to it. You can prepare the soil mixture yourself from equal proportions of turf soil, sand, gravel and charcoal. Pour brick chips, expanded clay, and pebbles into a layer about 3 cm thick at the bottom of the pot. Then add a little substrate and transfer the cactus along with the old earthen ball, add soil, press the soil at the base of the stem, and after replanting, do not water for 2-3 days.

Growing Echinocereus from seeds

Purchase seed material from a flower shop. Sow in early spring, but wrapped in a fabric bag or plastic bag keep the seeds in the vegetable section of the refrigerator or other dark place at a temperature of 4-5 °C.

• Fill a wide container with wet sand, spread the seeds over the surface, as if adding salt to a dish, cover with a piece of glass or transparent film.
• Place under diffused lighting, maintain a temperature of at least 20 °C, ventilate the crops daily and spray with a fine spray as necessary.

• The seeds will sprout in 2-3 weeks, then the shelter is removed, other conditions remain the same (just use bottom watering and protect the sprouts from drafts).
• Plant the grown cacti in separate pots with soil for adult plants, trying to transfer the seedlings without disturbing the root system.

Vegetative propagation

Over time, lateral shoots begin to appear at the base of the stem. Carefully separate the shoot, stick it into wet sand and prop it up with a match so that it does not fall. Water with a wick method or through a tray, maintain diffused lighting and a temperature of at least 20 °C. Rooting will occur in 15-20 days, as indicated by an increase in growth.

Diseases and pests of Echinocereus

This cactus has high immunity and does not suffer from diseases and harmful insects.

The grower himself can cause harm to the plant by excessive watering. It’s not so bad if the roots begin to rot, but when the stem softens and becomes like jelly, the cactus will die. At the first signs of damage, stop watering and urgently replant the plant. Remove rotten areas to healthy tissue, treat the cut areas with a fungicide, disinfect the pot and pour fresh substrate into it, do not forget to place a layer of drainage on the bottom.

The best types of Echinocereus

Echinocereus comb or comb-shaped Echinocereus pectinatus

The cactus is cylindrical in shape, its height does not exceed 20 cm, and its diameter is 3-6 cm. Shallow ribs in the amount of 20-30 pieces along the edges are decorated with areolas. The spines are small, adjacent to the surface of the stem. The corolla is about 8 cm in diameter, the petals are purple, lighter towards the core.

Description: Rainbow cactus (Echinocereus pectinatus) usually remains solitary, but older plants sometimes branch out and form loosely grouped clumps. It has yellow, pinkish or brownish spines, weakly pressed to the surface or widespread, intertwined with the rest of the areoles. It has very beautiful, brightly colored flowers with a spiny tube, which later develop into a gooseberry-like fruit, rich in sugar and said to be very tasty.

Stems: usually solitary, globose to cylindrical (8-) 10-20 (-35) cm tall, 3-6 (-13) cm in diameter, almost hidden by short interlaced spines.
Ribs: (12-) 20-23 blunt, usually straight, forming low tubercles.
Areoles: close but not touching each other, about 3 mm, oval, young areoles with short white hairs.
Central spines: none or (usually) 1 to 6, very short, yellow to pinkish to brownish, more or less straight or radiating, 1-25 mm long.
Radial spines: (12-) 16-30 white or pinkish, 5-10 mm long, usually tightly pressed to the surface or widely diverging, intertwined with the rest of the areoles, pinkish to grayish, often in the form of colored stripes.
Flowers: funnel-shaped, growing on the sides of the stems, diurnal, intensely pink (but also purple, lavender or yellow to almost whitish) with a white-greenish base, (5-)6-88-15) cm in length and diameter. The petals are quite long and pointed, the areoles are very spiny, with white hairs on the flower tube. The stamens are usually cream colored.
Flowering season: Spring summer.
Fruits: spiny, spherical to elliptical, greenish-purple, fleshy, exposed, 2-3 cm in diameter. Similar to gooseberries, rich in sugar and very tasty.

Echinocereus reichenbachii Echinocereus reichenbachii

The length of the cylindrical stem reaches 25 cm with a diameter of 9 cm. There are about 19 ribs, they are arranged spirally or vertically. The areoles are slightly pubescent and produce yellowish spines, which can be erect or hooked. The flowers are about 10 cm in diameter, pink or purple.

Description: Echinocereus reichenbachii is a slowly branching cylindrical cactus with up to 12 branches covered with highly condensed, compressed, truly lacy spines. The flowers are very showy, fragrant, produced in abundance, quite variable in size, often 6-7 cm long and fully wide, opening during the day, always closing at night and sometimes opening on the second day, purple. The base of the flowers is covered with dense grayish pubescence.
Stem: straight, simple or usually branched, forms a cluster of 12 straight stems, globose when very young, elongated or short cylindrical when mature, (2.5) 7-20 (-40) cm in height, (2. 5-) 5 -9 (-10) cm in diameter, dark green.
Ribs: 10-19 narrow, defined, straight or slightly wavy, divided into distinct tubercles.
Areoles: elliptical, vertically elongated, approximately 1.5-3 mm in length, 1-6 (-10) mm apart, rather woolly in juveniles and glabrous in adults
Radial spines: 20 to 36, rigid, thin, straight, spreading to slightly curved, closely adjacent to the ribs of the stems, arranged in 2 rows, 5 to 8 mm long. The upper ones are very tiny, almost bristly; the sides are stronger; below 1-3 slightly less; the spines of neighboring clusters are often intertwined. Variegated, white to yellowish, dull pink, dark brown or purple-black, white with brown tips, yellowish with brown tips or outer half black or purple.

Central spines: 0 to 7, but usually absent. If they are present, there is usually only 1 central one, standing upright, or 2 central ones, one above the other; they are thick, strong, small, like radials, 0.5-6 mm long (rarely more), often darker, yellowish with a brown tip, whitish on old areoles.

Flowers: Beautiful, very large, abundant, diurnal, fragrant, intense pink to purple, 5 to 12 cm long and wide. The flower tube, 22-40 × 10-30 mm, is covered with white cobwebby hair, 5-15 mm long, and tufts of 10-14 very fine, hairy, white, gray or black spines, 6 mm long. The outer segments gradually elongate, with greenish or brownish lines and pink edges. Internal perianth segments 30-50 (or more) narrow, silvery pink to purple, usually white, crimson, green or multicolored at the base, 23-40 × 5-15 mm, tips relatively thin, delicate, rather blunt or pointed, the edge is more or less ragged, often jagged. The fibers are pinkish or reddish, disappearing from above; Anthers are cream to yellow. Nectar chamber 2-5 mm. In the middle there are 8-22 large, dark green stigmas.
Flowering season: from early May to late June.

Fruits: ovoid or almost spherical, green, olive green or dark green, 10-28 mm long, covered with thin spines and pubescence, bearing fruit 1.5-2.5 months after flowering.
Seeds: black, almost spherical, from 1.2 to 1.4 mm. in diameter.

Varieties:

armatus – with a height of 20 cm, the diameter is about 3 cm, the spines are red-brown;

baileyi – areoles produce sparse bunches of long spines arranged perpendicularly, corollas up to 15 cm in diameter;

albispinus is a plant about 15 cm high. The stem is completely covered with areoles, the spines are curved and tightly pressed. Lilac flowers are 6-7 cm across.

Echinocereus triglochidiatus

As it grows, the spherical stem elongates a little, there are 5-12 ribs, it seems that the body of the cactus consists of individual balls. Each areola produces up to a dozen yellowish radial spines and four central ones that are darker in edema. The flowers are fiery red.

This is one of the most interesting cacti, often forming large clumps, over half a meter in diameter, with over a hundred heads (but large mounds with 500-800 heads have been reported).

Stems: usually straight, found in clumps, densely packed, globose to cylindrical, up to 5-20 (-45) cm tall, each usually less than 5 cm in diameter, light green to bluish green.
Ribs: 8 to 14, 5 to 6 mm high, but on older parts of the stem become indistinct, somewhat wavy.
Areoles: round, white, 10-40 mm apart and somewhat woolly.
Thorns: The spines are usually 5-11 per areole, all white or grayish in color, round in cross section, roughly curved (almost wavy), twisted, slightly rough when enlarged, and often intertwined with adjacent stems to form a dense web of spines that covers the plant. Radial spines about 5-10, needle-shaped, diverging, curved, 1 to 2.5 cm long.

The central spine is one (or two), light, usually twisted, often weak, 3 to 5 cm long. Central and radial spines are difficult to distinguish.
Flowers: Single, perfect, appearing from the tip of individual stems. The flowers are rather narrow, funnel-shaped, from orange to red, about 5-7 (-9) cm long. The perianth lobes are wide, obtuse. Areoles on the perianth with white felt and short needle-like spines.
Blooming season: Blooms in spring (April - June).

Fruit: oblong to cylindrical, about 2-3.5 cm long, 1.5 cm in diameter. Green or yellow-green, reddish when ripe, soft spines. Juicy and edible white pulp. Fruits in 2-2.5 months after flowering.

Echinocereus rigidissimus or hard Echinocereus rigidissimus

The stem is barrel-shaped, narrowed towards the apex, about 30 cm high and 10 cm in diameter. There are 15-23 ribs, they protrude slightly and are located longitudinally. The spines are very small and pressed closely to the stem, creating a scalloped covering. The needles are white-yellow or pink, which harmonizes with lilac flowers.

It is a small columnar cactus that, when mature, forms a cluster of cacti about 60 cm wide and 25 cm high.
Stems: straight, short cylindrical, only about 7cm thick.
Radial spines: 30-35 per areola and 6-10 mm in length in red and white stripes. This is a Mexican uniform that does not turn gray like the Arizona uniform.

Flowers: huge up to 10 cm wide. Beautiful bright pinkish red or purple or red with a white throat. It blooms in a ring at the top of the stem in spring. The only downside is that the flowers leave an unsightly scar when they fall.
Fruits: spherical, greenish or dark purple-brown, very spiny, 3 cm in diameter, white flesh. Fruits 3 months after flowering

Spineless Echinocereus Echinocereus subinermis

The cylindrical stem is divided into 11 deep ribs, the skin is dark green, wrinkled, matte. The areoles are sparsely located and produce 3-8 spines half a centimeter in length. Flowers with bright yellow wheat petals and a sunny yellow center.

Description: Echinocereus subinermis is the least armed species of the genus with very short spines and huge yellow flowers.
Form: simple at first or slowly thickening.
Stem: pale green when young, then bluish-green and finally dark green and more or less purple, 10-20 cm tall, 7-9 cm in diameter.
Ribs: 5-11 with narrow grooves between them, wide, somewhat sinuous, rounded.
Areoles: small, slightly woolly, 10-12 mm apart.
Central spines: usually absent or one (from 1 to 4 in var. Ochoterenae) very short and inconspicuous, up to 2 cm in length, thin and porous.
Thorns. Younger plants have short spines, while older plants have almost no spines.
Radial spines: 0 to 10 (usually 3 to 8), widely diverging, small, unequal, conical, yellowish or cream with a darker tip, deciduous, 1 to 8 mm (or more) long.
Flowers: large and showy, up to 10-12 cm in diameter, appearing near the tips of the stems and from the second to third areoles on the ribs, the perianth segments are sharp, cream to bright yellow with a delicately sweet aroma, often with some reddish centers. The middle has 10-12 green petals. The threads are light yellow. The areole spines on the perianth and floral tube are short, white to brown, with scanty white hair.
Blooming season: spring and summer. Individual flowers last up to six days. Flowering usually begins 4-5 years after sowing while the plant matures.
Fruits: ovoid, spiny, gray-green with white flesh, leafy along the longitudinal slit.

The stem is cylindrical, 8-40 cm long, slightly drooping above the soil surface. There are about 11 ribs, they are barely distinguishable, the areoles are scattered and produce several spines about 7.5 cm long. Adult plants form colonies numbering 50-100 specimens. The flowers are lilac, red-orange or yellow.

Description: This is an odd looking hanging cactus with curious bare, cucumber-like stems. Always without thorns.
Habitat: This is a lodging, hanging or weighed plant. Older plants may have 13 or 20 stems and are quite large and heavy.
Stems: 30-60 cm long, but sometimes up to 1 meter, old parts brownish.
Ribs: 4 to 5 rounded, without tubercles.
Areolas: closely spaced, 2-7 mm apart
Spines: none.
Flowers: tubular up to 14 cm long, pale purple-pink, often almost white inside. The spines on flowers and fruits are only 3 mm long. Flowers in buds are sharply pointed.
Blooming season: This is one of the early species to bloom in spring, the flowers remain fully open most day and night (or partially closed during the hottest part of the day).

Green-flowered Echinocereus viridiflorus

A dwarf cactus with a diameter of about 4 cm, forms small groups. The ribs are shallow, and tufts of spines emerge from the areoles. The lemon-yellow flowers exude the aroma of this fruit.

Echinocereus scheeri

Description: Echinocereus scheeri is a hanging cactus with showy tuberculate flowers. It is a widespread polymorphic species, showing considerable variation, especially in flower size and color, but also in shape and color. It is a succulent plant with many stems, usually sprouting mostly, trailing or lodging. Old plants can have 12-20 or more stems and are quite large and heavy.

Stems: thin, spiny, recumbent, convex or ascending, cylindrical, tapering towards the end, from 10 to 70 cm long, 1.5-4 cm in diameter, glossy dark green to yellowish green. Echinocereus scheeri is one of the Echinocerei with a softer stem.
Ribs: 6-10, well defined, blunt, tuberculate, somewhat spiral.
Areoles: closely spaced, yellowish, about 2-7 mm apart.
Spines: from 7 to 12 (-17), needle-shaped, white with brown or blackish tips.
Central spines: 0-4, white to brownish, 1-20 mm long.
Radial spines: usually 6-13, white to pale brown, 1-7mm long.
Flowers: red, purple, scarlet, pink or salmon-orange, tube-shaped 6-12 cm long, 4-8 cm in diameter, located on the sides of the stems from pointed buds, with spikes on flowers and fruits up to 8 mm long. The tube is extended. The perianth lobes are lance-shaped and sharp.

Blooming Season: Blooms in spring, with flowers remaining fully open most of the day and night. They usually expand during the day or late afternoon. The flowers can last for a week or more and remain open at night, closing slightly during the hottest part of the day.

Fruits: ovoid, up to 2 cm long, bright green with white flesh, split along one side, easily torn off.

Notes: Echinocereus scheeri is closely related to Echinocereus polyacanthus, from which it differs in having more elongated stems and ribs with closely spaced areoles spaced only 2-6 mm apart. Large flowers are distinguished by the fact that they have a much wider chamber for nectar.

The name of the species is given in honor of the famous cactus collector Frederic Scher.

Knippel's Echinocereus knippelianus

Description: Solitary or slowly growing cacti.
Stem: plump, soft, flattened or spherical, dark green with slightly lighter projections, up to 10 cm tall, 8 cm in diameter.
Ribs: 5 to 7 ribs, tuberculate or slightly wavy, separated by wide grooves.
Areoles: small with whitish pubescence, 5 mm apart.
Spines: Almost spineless, 1 to 3 thin yellow spines, 3 to 15 mm long.
Flowers: pink or white funnel-shaped flowers, 2.5-4 cm long, up to 6 cm in diameter, appearance In spring and summer. Flowers push the body through the crown.
Fruit: Green berries near the tip of the stem.