Cactus family. The oldest genus, which includes 6 species of large spherical cacti. Many of them are on the verge of extinction. Representatives of this genus are characterized by very slow growth, on average, cacti over 5 years old increase 1-2 areoles per year. Interestingly, young plants are very different from adults, in 3-4 summer seedlings the ribs are not yet sharp enough, they have pronounced tubercles, the cactus trunk can be well viewed. In old plants, the ribs are sharp, even, and many thorns cover the body of the cactus with a continuous carpet, and are better protected from the scorching sun .
The most famous and widespread species in culture is Echinocactus Grusoni Echinocactus grusonii - the homeland of his Mexico (San Luis Potosi, Hidalgo). The species was first described by the famous German collector Heinrich Hildmann in 1891, and named after Hermann Gruzon, a German inventor, scientist and part-time collector of cacti.
This spherical cactus can grow up to 40 cm in diameter in room conditions, much larger in nature. It has very sharp robust spines straight or slightly curved, various shades of yellow, sometimes almost white. Radial spines 8-10, they are up to 3 cm long, and 4 central spines, located crosswise, up to 5 cm long. The average rib is 35-45. Flowering occurs in mature, even old cacti - after 20 years. The flowers are yellow, the corolla up to 7 cm long and 5 cm in diameter, form a wreath on the top of the cactus. It does not bloom in indoor conditions. By the way, the top of the cactus is always covered with thick white bristles of growing spines. Over time, after 13-15 years, the echinocactus body from a rounded, even slightly flattened spherical, gradually takes the shape of a barrel, stretches slightly, in old specimens in nature the trunk height reaches 1.3 m and about 90 cm wide. That is why the popular name for this Golden Barrel Cactus is Golden Barrel.
At one time, Echinocactus Gruzoni was the only species of echinocactus available to florists, but now seeds of all species are available for cultivation.
Echinocactus platyacanthus is another species known in culture, large, reaches 1.5-2 m in height and 1-1.5 m in width, less ribbed compared to Gruzon - ribs from 20-25. The spines are grayish - 5-6 radial, up to 3.5 cm long and 3-4 central, about 4.5 cm long, straight slightly flattened, with transverse hatching. The flowers are bright yellow, the corolla 3.5-4 cm long, located with a crown at the apex of the trunk. Blooms in adulthood. Homeland - Central Mexico and the USA (New Mexico, Oklahoma). This type of echinocactus is endangered, as it is widely popular in the confectionery industry - Mexicans cook sweets called 'Dulce de biznaga' from the pulp of this cactus and sugar. This species has a separate form of Echinocactus platyacanthus f. grandis.
Echinocactus horizontalis Echinocactus horizonthalonius is so named for the flat-spherical body, natural specimens, whose homeland Mexico (Chihuahua) and the southern states of the United States reach only 25 cm in diameter. Unlike previous species, the ribs are slightly twisted in a spiral, there are few of them - on average 10-13. Spines from 6 to 9 pieces are all the same length, slightly curved, round or slightly flattened, in young plants dark red, in older amber. The flowers are lilac-red, up to 3 cm long. It blooms easily in indoor conditions.
Echinocactus texensis is widespread in Texas (USA). The cactus is small, with a flat-ball body 15-20 cm tall and up to 30 cm in diameter. Ribs 13-24, upper areoles with white fluffy bristles. Spines usually 8, one central up to 5-6 cm long, 7 radial slightly bent, about 4 cm long. This cactus was formerly placed in the Homalocephala genus Homalocephala. When grown from seeds, it is non-capricious, grows well on its own roots.
Echinocactus polycephalus Echinocactus polycephalus is a Mexican spherical cactus, prone to shrub, and form curtains (up to one hundred cacti in a group). The body of the cactus reaches 70 cm in height, ribs 15-20, the cactus looks like a real hedgehog. Radial spines 5-8, about 4.5-5 cm long, central - 4, up to 6 cm long. The spines are powerful flat, slightly bent from afar look pink, if you look closely, then the shade is rather yellowish to red-brown. The flowers are yellow, up to 6 cm long, rarely blooms.
Echinocactus Parri Echinocactus parryi is a spherical cactus native to Northern Mexico (Chihuahua), with a blue-gray body initially spherical, then cylindrical, up to 30 cm high. Ribs 13-15, radial spines 8-11, they are thinner, central - 4, large from 4 to 10 cm long. In the young plant, the spines are brown-pink, bent, in the old - almost white. Areoles with white bristles. The flowers are golden yellow. The cactus is very capricious, too susceptible to root rot, seed germination is low, many seedlings die. In nature, this species is on the verge of extinction. The species is very similar to polycephalus, and there have been disputes among specialists for a long time whether this is the same plant or not, but still genetic analysis confirmed that these are two different species. Moreover, Echinocactus parryi is distinguished by smaller growth and is not inclined to cluster on such a scale as Echinocactus polycephalus.
As for the content, it is the same in all types of echinocactus - due to the narrow distribution range and the small number of species.
CARE TIPS
Temperature: In summer, the usual room, in winter, the rest period at a temperature of + 8-12 ° C, with dry content. In summer, it is better to keep cactus in the fresh air. Despite the fact that Echinocactus are somewhat frost-resistant, and in nature tolerate short-term frosts to -5-12 ° C, potted plants are never exposed to freezing temperatures, the wintering limit is + 5 ° C.
Lighting: Bright lighting in both winter and summer. Echinocactus loves a lot of light and needs direct sunlight, grows well on the south window. But in early spring, it is necessary to accustom to the bright sun gradually, so as not to get burns.
Watering: Moderate in spring and summer, declining in autumn and very rare in winter when kept cold. Echinocactus are extremely susceptible to overflow, so the substrate must be well drained. If there is even the slightest doubt, it is better to underfill than to pour, i.e. during the growth period, it is necessary to water the cactus only after the substrate is completely dry and remains dry for another day.
Fertilizer: From late spring to mid-summer, echinocacti can be fed with special fertilizer for cacti once every two weeks.
Air humidity: Echinocactus is resistant to dry air, but regular spraying (dust-like) summer period with warm water is quite useful (dew loss is natural in natural conditions).
Transplantation: The soil is the 1 part of the sod, the 1 part of the leaf, the 1/2 part of the coarse river sand and the 1 part of the crushed pumice or lava - this is ideal. Pumice can be replaced with acadama (special soil for bonsai), at worst, fine expanded clay (3-4 mm). It is also necessary to add pieces of birch coal to the soil. Soil pH is about 5.7-5.8. Young echinocacti are transplanted annually, cacti older than 4-5 years - in a year or two. Drainage is required to the bottom.
Reproduction: By seed and inoculation. Echinocactus Parry is advisable to grow by the method of cascade vaccinations, i.e. re-cropping of grown seedlings first on Pereskiopsis Pereskiopsis, then temporary - Echinopsis Echinopsis and then on a permanent stock - Eriocereus Yusbert Eriocereus jusbertii. Directly echinocactus on the stock take root very poorly, so you cannot do without intermediate inserts.
Read more about the features of various maintenance modes, transplantation and reproduction in the section Cacti.