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Echinocereus reichenbachii f. cristatus hort.

Family: CACTACEAE · Variety or form of Echinocereus reichenbachii

Publication: ( = cristata)

Description

The typical Echinocereus reichenbachii is a well known and widely grown solitary or slowly branching cylindrical shaped cactus and one of the smaller Echinocereus species.

Stem: Green with straight or slightly undulate ribs, The crested stems are relatively strong, up 4 cm in width .

Areoles:1-6 mm apart.

Radial spines: 20 to 36 , straight to slightly curved, held closely against the the ribs of the stems, organized in 2 series, ± pectinately arranged or nearly so, 5 to 8 mm long. Multi-coloured, white to tan, dull pink, dark brown, or purplish black.

Central spines: 0 to7 small , terete, 1-6(-15) mm long, often darker yellowish with a brown tip, at first, whitish on older areoles.

Origin and Habitat

Garden origin (Nursery produced cultivar)

Cultivation and Propagation

The crests are frequently grafted onto a Myrtillocactus geometrizans trunk, but are easily grown on their own roots. Indicated for full sun exposure. Water regularly from March to October. 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, Keep drier and cool in winter. Need full sun. It is very cold resistant and it can briefly tolerate temp. as low as -5° to -20° C (depending on clones) or less for short periods of time. Stems may possibly become purple and limp in winter, but revitalize in early spring. Any normal shoots should be removed to promote the growth of the crest.

Propagation: Grafting, also can be grown from cutting, which will take root in a minimum temperature of 20° C. Cuttings of healthy shoots can be taken in the spring and summer, Cut the stem with a sharp, sterile knife, leave the cutting in a warm, dry place for a week or weeks (depending on how thick the cutting is) until a callus forms over the wound. Once the callus forms, the cutting may be inserted in a container filled with firmed cactus potting mix topped with a surface layer of coarse grit. They should be placed in the coarse grit only; this prevents the cut end from becoming too wet and allows the roots to penetrate the rich compost underneath. The cuttings should root in 2 to 6 weeks.

Bibliography

Major references and further lectures

  1. Edward F. Anderson (2001) “ The Cactus Family”.

  2. Curt Backeberg “Cactus Lexicon” Sterling Publishing Company, Incorporated, 1978

  3. David Hunt, Nigel Taylor “The New Cactus Lexicon” DH Books, 2006 ISBN 0953813444, 9780953813445

  4. Del Weniger “Cacti of the Southwest: Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana” University of Texas Press, 1969

  5. 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 GlassCambridge University Press, 11/ago/2011

  6. Lyman David Benson “The Cacti of the United States and Canada” Stanford University Press, 1982