Publication: [as: Lobivia grandiflora Britton & Rose 1922]
Description
Echinopsis huascha var. grandiflora previously known as Lobivia grandiflora or Trichocereus grandiflorus somewhat resembles Echinopsis schickendantzii in habit, but has glorious crimson flowers. It has much shorter reddish spines (about 1 cm long) than standard Echinopsis huascha (not variety or cultivar) which is reported to have spines over 5 cm long.
Habit: It is a basally branching columnar cactus, 15-90 cm tall.
Stems: Globose to short-cylindric, 5-10 cm, in diameter.
Ribs: 12 to 18.
Areoles: Whitish brown about 1 cm apart.
Spines: Needle-like, subulate, unequal, yellowish to brownish.
Central spines: 1 to 2 rarely more than 1 cm long.
Radial spines: 9 to 11 brownish 5-10 mm long.
Flowers: Diurnal, funnelform, 7-10 cm long, mostly bright red produced near the end of the stems. Throat dark red, filaments fuchsia. Perianth-segments narrow, acuminate, 4 to 5 cm long, dark pink to dark red. Anthers clear pastel and stigma pure white. Scales on the ovary narrow, 10 to 12 mm long, a little hairy in their axils.
Origin and Habitat
Catamarca, Argentina.
Altitude: 1000-2100 meters above sea level.
Habitat: Argentina is a land erupting in volcanic fire, quickly changing to the glacial cold of the Andes. Nearby is the most arid desert in the world, the desolate Puna de Atacama. Inhabitants must be very rugged in order to tolerate such extremes in exposure. Echinopsis huascha var. grandiflora is such a robust individual often found growing on steep towering ridge and rocky grassy slopes.
Cultivation and Propagation
Echinopsis huascha (and its forms and varieties) is very easy to grow and cold hardy as low as -7°C (or less).
Growth rate This species produces noticeable amounts of growth each year if kept well fed and watered throughout the warmest months, particularly if it has been acclimatised to accept full sun. Once this cactus is established it can easily produce 10 cm of growth every year. Plants grown in the ground form soon imposing specimens.
Sun Exposure: Outside full sun, inside needs bright light, and some direct sun. 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.
Soils: It needs a fertile, well drained soil mix.
Waterings: Water the plants well and allow them to dry before watering again. This species seems to do better with a little more water than most cacti. In fact, its cultivation requirements are really more like ‘normal’ plants than most other cacti.
Fertilization: During the growing season fertilize them monthly with a balanced fertilizer.
Pest and diseases: They are susceptible to fungal diseases if overwatered, but are not nearly as sensitive as many other cacti, especially in warm weather. They tend characteristically towards black rotted spots unless watering is moderate and only in hot weather, if kept damp through cold periods, they will invariably suffer.
Propagation: Cutting or from seed. The seeds are quite easy to germinate and grow. Their main requirements consist of high humidity levels, free-draining soil mix, and enough water, light, and nutrition. The flower colour is not always true from seeds.
Notes
The main form of Trichocereus grandiflorus has red flowers in summer, but forms with orange and yellow (Trichocereus huascha var. macrantha) flowers are also found.
This columnar species has been the subject for years of intensive selective hybridization with hybrids of Echinopsis. As a result hybrids (see: Trichopsis) now flower in a vast array of colours, including yellow, rose, crimson, orange, violet, white and even bicolour. Flowers can attain 22cm in diameter, rivalling even the giant flowers of the epiphytic “Orchid Cacti” (Epiphyllums). T. grandiflorus hybrids in time form attractive columns that explode yearly in vivid floral displays. Very few cacti can surpass the flowers of the T. grandiflorus hybrids for sheer flower power.
Bibliography
Major references and further lectures
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Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
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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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Friedrich Ritter “Kakteen in Südamerika: Ergebnisse meiner 20jährigen” Volume 2, Argentinien/Bolivien, Volume 2 Selbstverlag, 1980
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Curt Backeberg “Die Cactaceae: Handbuch der Kakteenkunde,” Volume 2 G. Fischer, 1959
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N. L. Britton and J. N. Rose “The ‘Cactaceae’, Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the ‘Cactus’ Family” volume 2 Carnegie Institution, 1920
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Gordon Douglas Rowley “Reunion of the genus Echinopsis”. In: IOS Bulletin. Journal of the International Organization for Succulent Plant Study. Volume 3, Nuber 3, page 94 , 1974
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Perea, M., Trevisson, M. & Demaio, P. 2013. Echinopsis huascha. In: IUCN 2013. “IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.” Version 2013.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 01 November 2013.
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John Borg “Cacti: a gardener’s handbook for their identification and cultivation” Blandford P., 1970
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Walther Haage: “Kakteen von A bis Z.” Quelle & Meyer Verlag, Heidelberg 1986
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Urs Eggli, Leonard E. Newton: “Etymological Dictionary of Succulent Plant Names.” Birkhäuser 2004
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