Description
Echinocereus fendleri is a wide ranging and variable species with an indefinite number of geographic races. It is a low growing , scrubby cactus, that grows solitary or in small clumps with 5 to 20 stems. The classic fendleri form has huge violet-purple flowers and attractive white/black spination. All varieties have large red delicious edible fruits.
Stems: 10 to 30 cm tall, 5 to 7 cm in diameter somewhat flaccid erect or slightly decumbent, ovoid to cylindric with age.
Ribs: 9 to 13, uninterrupted or sometimes wavy, with sinus between areoles.
Areoles: Circular areoles 8 to 17 mm apart.
Radial spines: (2 to) 5 to 11 radials, 3 to 20 mm long, spreading, opaquely white, commonly with dark stripe on underside, often with contrasting black or brown spines in same areoles (rarely all brown or all white)
Central spines: 0 to 3 (more often 1) dark, becoming lighter with age, rigid, straight or curved up to 4 cm long, porrect or ascending, if curved, then usually directed upward, abaxial central spine like others in colour or darker, flat to sharply angled. In some areloes accompanied by short accessory centrals.
Flowers: Close to the stem tips, funnelform, 7 cm in diameter purple-violet (sometime pink to almost white) throat sometimes darker or purplish maroon, tips relatively thin and delicate. The stigma is green, and there is a very large number of stamens.
Blooming season: April to June.
Fruit: 2,5-5 cm long, 12 mm in diameter, edible, bright red, dull carmine, or purplish maroon, less often orange-tan or purplish orange, pulp magenta or red.
Remarks: Echinocereus fendleri var. kuenzleri has short conical stems up to 15 cm long and 10 cm in diameter, no central spine; 2 to 6 radials about 2.5 cm long and magenta flowers up to 10 cm long.
Origin and Habitat
Local population. Prescott, Yavapai County, Arizona, USA
Cultivation and Propagation
It grows rather slowly and is sensitive to over-watering (rot prone). Keep drier and cool in winter. It needs full sun. Very cold resistant, reportedly to -18°C or less (depending on clones), but needs good drainage and protection from excessive moisture in winter and well mulched with gravel chips. It is a fine plant for a rock garden or container, and contrasts well with agaves, yuccas, and low-growing flowering plants. It will show its flowers only provided with an adequate winter rest period.
Propagation: Seeds, can also be grown from cuttings, as it branches from the base.
Bibliography
Major references and further lectures
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Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
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Nathaniel Lord Britton, Joseph Nelson Rose “Cactaceae: Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family” vol. 4 The Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington 1923
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James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey “The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass” Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug/2011
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David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. “The New Cactus Lexicon” dh books, 2006
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A. Michael Powell, James F. Weedin “Cacti of the Trans-Pecos & Adjacent Areas” Texas Tech University Press, 2004
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Del Weniger “Cacti of Texas and Neighboring States: A Field Guide” University of Texas Press, 1984
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