Publication: Cacti Trans-Pecos 203. 2004
Description
Echinocereus coccineus var. rosei is a simple or clustered species and forms large compact clumps with sometimes as many as 40 stems. This plant is separated from its closely relatives by the presence of quite long, white wool in the areoles of the ovary and fruit. The flowers are very showy 4 to 6 cm long, scarlet, but also orange coloured or pink.
Stems: Globose to cylindrical, 10 to 20 cm. high, and 5 to 8 cm. thick
Ribs: (5-)8-11(-14) obtuse to slightly acute.
Areoles: Rather closely set
Spines: Grey to pinkish or reddish passing to greyish. Radials 3 to 12, spreading; centrals 4 to 6 cm Long.
Flowers: 4 to 6 cm long, scarlet (but sometime orange coloured or also pink) spines on ovary and flower tube brownish or yellowish, intermixed with short hairs.
Fruit: Spiny.
Origin and Habitat
Northern Mexico, New Mexico, Texas.
Habitat: In mountains and dry hills and sometimes on the mesas.
Cultivation and Propagation
Echinocereus coccineus var. rosei is fairly easy to grow. It makes great potted specimens.
Soil: Use a mineral well permeable soil with little organic matter (peat, humus). It grows in limestone areas of Texas (Big Bend area) and adjacent areas of Mexico, so will probably benefit from extra calcium in its soil.
Growth rate: It grows well, though slowly, but it possible to increase the speed of growth to some extent by providing adequate amount of water, warmth, and a liquid fertilizer diluted half strength during the active growing season, but it’s susceptible to rotting if too wet. Most plants will offset readily, and clumps can be produced in a few years.
Soil: It needs a very porous, slightly acidic potting medium (add pumice, vulcanite, and perlite). Outdoors it does well on poor, rocky soils.
Exposure: It likes a sunny position also blasting sun in summer. If grown indoor provide 4 to 6 hours, or more, direct morning or afternoon sun.
Watering: It is sensitive to overwatering (rot prone) needs a very good drainage to avoid rotting, but requires more moisture than true desert cacti to grow and produce flowers.
Hardiness: It its natural environment it is very cold resistant from -10° to -25° C (depending on clones) or less for short periods of time. It can be grown outdoors in Mediterranean warm-temperate climates, But for safe cultivations needs anyway to kept above 5 °C and dry in winter. But it can tolerate temperatures down to -5° C (or even less) for very short periods if very dry and ventilated. During winter month, put them in a cool luminous place and encourage them to enter winter dormancy by withholding water and fertiliser over the winter as they will etiolate, or become thin, due to lower levels of light.
Maintenance: Repot every two years. Needs lots and lots of space to grow, use large shallow container or bowl filled with very porous compost. It like pots with generous drain holes.
Pest & diseases: They are susceptible to fungal diseases if overwatered, but are not nearly as sensitive as many other cacti, especially in warm weather. If kept damp through cold periods, they will invariably suffer.
Garden uses: It is a fine plant for a rock garden or container, contrasts well with agaves, yuccas, and low-growing flowering plants.
Grafting stock: The taller fast-growing forms of Echinocereus coccineus and of Echinocereus triglochidiatus are highly recommended stocks for grafting cold hardy type cactus species. These can be used as cold hardy type stocks for almost all types of cactus, while still retaining the original natural grown look to the scion.
Edible uses: The fruit can be consumed fresh or preserved.
Propagation: Cutting as it branches freely from the base; Also can be grown from seeds. The seeds may be germinated and grown in containers. Their main requirements consist of high humidity levels, free-draining soil mix, and enough water, light, and nutrition.
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