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Sclerocactus parviflorus subs. havasupaiensis (Clover) Hochstätter

Family: CACTACEAE · Variety or form of Sclerocactus parviflorus

Publication: Succulenta (Netherlands) 74: 38. 1995

Description

Sclerocactus parviflorus subs. havasupaiensis is an extremely endangered subspecies of Sclerocactus parviflorus. It is (usually) a single spherical to oblong cactus with pink, pleasantly perfumed flowers. This subspecies shows similarities with Sclerocactus polyancistrus which occurs in the Death Valley in California.

Stem: 5 to 30 cm long and 3-11 cm in diameter.

Flowers: Purple, white bell-shaped 3 to 5.5 cm long and 3 cm wide. The flowers appear in a ring around the apex.

Blooming season (in habitat): It blooms in April to May.

Origin and Habitat

Sclerocactus parviflorus subsp. havasupaiensis is a strictly endemic cactus that only grows in the Havasupai Canyon (inside the Grand Canyon) in Arizona, USA.

Altitude range: 1.000 to 1600 meters above sea level.

Habitat and ecology: Sclerocactus parviflorus subs. havasupaiensis grows in a limited area scattered on stony hills among knee-high sagebrush bushes together with Mammillaria tetrancistra, Yucca baccata subsp. vespertina and Agave utahensis var. kaibabensis.

Cultivation and Propagation

Rarely seen in cultivation, it needs perfect drainage to flourish. It is quite difficult to grow on its own roots and to propagate (only 2-3 percent of seeds germinate ). Mature individuals easily rot and die.

It is indispensable to provide a greenhouse with good ventilation and full sun exposure. Keep totally dry during winter. It can tolerate temperature below zero (-20° C). Plants grafted on hardy Opuntia humifusa stock are quite easy to grow, and no special skill is required.

Propagation: Seeds are extremely difficult to germinate (only 2-3 percent of seeds germinate). Grafting is often used to speed growth rate and to create a back-up for plants in collection.

Bibliography

Major references and further lectures

  1. Wikipedia-Autoren, siehe Versionsgeschichte “Sclerocactus parviflorus subsp. havasupaiensis” Wikipedia, Die freie Enzyklopädie. <http://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sclerocactus\_parviflorus\_subsp.\_havasupaiensis&oldid=131803499\> 2. Juli 2014, 15:37 UTC Versions: 131803499 21. Dezember 2014, 17:42 UTC

  2. Fritz Hochstätter “An den Standorten von Pediocactus und Sclerocactus” Selbstverlag, 1989.

  3. Fritz Hochstätter “To the habitats of Pediocactus and Sclerocactus. Selbstverlag” 1990.

  4. Fritz Hochstätter “The Genus Sclerocactus. Selbstverlag” 1993.

  5. Fritz Hochstätter “The Genus Sclerocactus. Englisch mit deutscher Zusammenfassung. Selbstverlag” 2005

  6. “Sclerocactus parviflorus subsp. havasupaiensis” IN: Succulenta 74(1): 38-44. 1995.

  7. “Sclerocactus parviflorus subsp. havasupaiensis” Amer. Journ. Bot. 29: 172. f. 1-2. 1942.

  8. “Sclerocactus parviflorus subsp. havasupaiensis” Amer. Journ. Bot. 29: 172. 1942.

  9. Cacti of Arizona ed. 2. 104. 1950.

  10. “Sclerocactus parviflorus subsp. havasupaiensis” Cact. Succ. J. (US) 38: 104. 1966.

  11. Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001

  12. 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

  13. David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. “The New Cactus Lexicon” dh books, 2006

  14. Urs Eggli, Leonard E. Newton: “Etymological Dictionary of Succulent Plant Names.” Birkhäuser 2004

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

From llifle page Echinocactus parviflorus var. roseus

Origin and Habitat

Arizona (Southwestern U.S.A., Northern America)

Source: Echinocactus parviflorus var. roseus, LLIFLE - Encyclopedia of living forms, CC-BY-SA, retrieved 2026-10-25.