One of the most famous genera of cacti is echinocactus or cactus echinopsis. A plant with a powerful stem native to the tropical desert of Mexico, it can also be found in the southwestern regions of the United States.
An accurate translation of the name indicates external features. "Hedgehog cactus" has a thick spherical stem, reaching a height of up to 3 m. It is covered with large needles that give similarities to a hedgehog.
This type of cactus is bred in the apartment. If he is provided with appropriate care at home, he blooms very beautifully, not inferior to natural flowering. In hot areas, echinocactus is used in landscape gardening of home gardens.
General description of echinocactus
Cactus echinocactus belongs to the spherical succulents (Cactus family). In nature reaches a huge size. First, the stems of the plant have the correct spherical shape, then stretch up.
As a result, they resemble a 3-meter tree with a trunk width of up to 1.5 m. Most people who saw them in reality in the Mojave desert or in a photo in natural conditions do not compare that we are talking about the same plant that many have at home.
Succulents feel great without watering. According to some studies, they capture electromagnetic radiation from electronic gadgets well, protecting the user from harmful effects.
Main characteristics:
- Spherical shape in young plants with numerous protruding ribs (about 50 pieces in individual species) with spines. With age, stretch up.
- Areoles are large.
- Flowers of red, pink and yellow with pubescence. Appear at the apex (sometimes radially in several circles), have narrow, lowered petals.
- The age of individual plants reaches 500 years.
- Maximum weight - 1 t.
Types of Echinocactus
| Title | Physical parameters | Flowering and Landscaping Conditions |
| Echinocactus gruzoni (Echinocactus grusonii) | Width up to 40 cm, there are multi-colored sharp spikes up to 30 mm, in the center - up to 50 mm. Top with white bristles. Usually has 35-45 ribs. It becomes higher, maintaining its width after about 13 years. | With normal care at home, it can bloom, but it is extremely rare. |
| Echinocactus squamulus (Echinocactus platyacanthus) | The height in nature is up to 2 meters narrower in width. Radial gray spines are up to 45 mm in size. 3-4 central - up to 45 mm. Has corolla-shaped yellow flowers up to 40 mm long at the crown. | Used for landscaping landscaped areas in the southern regions, conservatories. It blooms quite often in an apartment. |
| Echinocactus flat spherical, horizontal (Echinocactus horizonthalonius) | Diameter up to 23 cm, ribs twisted into a spiral. The young plant has up to 6 flat spines on the rib. Spines at a young age are scarlet, eventually acquire an orange color. Lilac flowers with a red tint up to 40 mm in size appear on the fluffy crown. | The apartment blooms successfully, is used for decorative landscaping of small winter gardens. Makes landing more interesting due to the bright spines. |
| Echinocactus polycephalus (Echinocactus polycephalus) | Height is up to 70 cm, grows more often in groups. The trunk has up to 20 ribs, radial spines - 50 mm, central - up to 60 mm. Spines of ocher color are perceived from the side as pink, sometimes spines are yellow. Cactus produces yellow flowers on a crown with a whisk up to 60 mm. | Almost does not bloom at home. |
| Echinocactus texas | The spherical, slightly flattened trunk measuring up to 30 cm in width at a height of up to 20 cm has 13-24 rkber, the crown is downy white. The central spine reaches 60 mm; the radial bends are up to 40 mm long. Flowers are pale pink terry, with a red outline. | It is used in decorative landscape plantings of winter gardens. Flowering is bright and very beautiful. |
| Echinocactus parry (Echinocactus parryi) | The trunk is gray-blue in color, with a radius of up to 30 cm. The number of ribs is up to 15. It has from 6 to 11 radially spines, 4 in the center. In young plants, spines are pinkish-brown, then acquire a white color. The roots often rot. | Growing is difficult, with normal home care forms beautiful landscape groups. Germination in apartment conditions is low. Originally from Northern Mexico. |
| Echinocactus many-headed (J.M. Bigelow) | The house reaches 70 cm in diameter. It has beautiful long needles of different colors: red-brown, red or yellow, the number of ribs up to 20 pieces. | Distributed in the Mojave desert. Used as a decorative indoor flower. |
Please note that the popular wide-needle cactus (Ferocactus latispinus) does not belong to echinocactus. Of the other varieties of cacti, stapelia, thaumcraft, echinocereus are also popular.
Features of growing echinocactus and caring for it
Echinocactus practically does not require care, grows slowly.
All cacti love bright lighting, are not afraid of the sun and temperature changes. Moreover, the latter may cause his death. In spring, the plant is shaded, then transferred to the sun.
Lighting
Cacti love bright and even lighting. They feel best in a well-lit area on the south side. They tolerate heat very well. The stem tends to stretch toward the light, so the plant is regularly rotated.
Despite the unpretentiousness, if the owner has a desire to improve the appearance of his ward, you need to think about lighting.
Echinocactus rusty red is especially sensitive to light. With a long daylight, its color becomes brighter and more saturated. This is more or less characteristic of all echinocactus.
Temperature
Considering the example of echinocactus Georgian disease at home, it should be noted the need to maintain the temperature regime. He will feel good both in the winter garden and on the southern window. At the same time, experts recommend providing the necessary temperature range. In the spring, cacti are taken out onto a balcony or other cooler room.
| Temperature mode | Conditions of detention |
| + 18 ... +23 ° C | In spring / summer (if above +30 ° C - there is a period of rest). |
| + 10 ... +12 ° C | Fall / winter |
| + 7 ... +8 ° C | Permissible daily temperature differences characteristic of the winter garden. |
| below +8 ° C | The plant dies. |
Watering, humidity
In the summer, watering the plant is required no more than 2 times a month.
Intervals of watering in cold time increase by about 2 or 2.5 times. This requires non-chlorinated room temperature water. The soil should be slightly moist, but not very wet. Watering is stopped at + 15 ° C.
Soil, top dressing
For fertilizer, compositions for succulents are used, in the season they are fed 1-2 times from April to October.
You can increase the number of dressings, and fertilize every 3 weeks. Echinocactus gruzona with nutrient soil becomes brighter. For this purpose, it is necessary to renew the earth, using a substrate from turf, sheet earth, pumice, sand and charcoal. However, this is not enough, the bright colors of the spines provide when watering with dyes.
Transfer
Cactus transplantation is required in the spring, once every 3-5 years, primarily to update depleted soil.
For these purposes, a substrate is used for succulents, which can be prepared independently from an equal amount of sheet, sod land, sand, fine pumice and charcoal.
Each time they are transplanted into a new, more stable container with a large diameter of the pot. Large-sized adult plants practically do not need updating the substrate.
Landing process:
- drainage material is laid at the bottom;
- remove old soil from the roots of the cactus to prevent acidification;
- transplantation is carried out without excessive deepening in the prepared soil.
Bloom
Echinocactus blooms rarely, buds appear only in some adult species from 20 years old. Flowers appear on the crown, usually in spring.
Breeding
Reproduction of echinocactus is carried out with the help of children and seeds.
Kids
Quite often, children do not form in principle, especially on the hudson.
To provoke a cactus, it should be slightly damaged. For this, a few shallow scratches are enough, with severe damage the plant will become sick and begin to rot.
Rooting kids:
- separated at the age of six months or a year;
- for 2-3 days leave in the air with roots peeled from the ground;
- transplanted into poured sand or peat mixture with sand, nail the soil and fix the baby with toothpicks;
- after 1-2 months, transplanted into the main pot.
Seeds
When growing echinocactus from seeds, the material is planted in the soil in late winter (February). For these purposes, use a loose soil substrate, a mixture of leaf turf and sand in equal proportions.
Seeds are evenly laid out on the soil surface of the container, lightly sprinkled with earth, sprayed and covered with a film. The greenhouse is placed on the window and maintained at a temperature of + 26 ... +30 ° C. Seeds germinate after 2 weeks. They are kept in the greenhouse for another month, then young plants are accustomed to indoor conditions.
Mr. Dachnik warns: diseases and pests of echinocactus
Major cactus diseases are associated with poor care.
This often manifests itself unexpectedly, a sign of damage are children with dark spots, dry. In this case, they are rooted immediately. If the cactus recovers, new shoots are left in place.
Echinocactus is often affected by spider mites, worms and scale insects. To eliminate the disease, the plant is washed well with fairly warm water, covering the soil with a film.
Other ways to control pests:
- brushing;
- spraying tobacco;
- in case of damage to the plant by root parasites or ticks - watering with Actellik solution 2 times a month (2-3 times in a row is enough).
How to identify parasites:
- worms look like a small insect covered with a wax coating;
- ticks are clearly visible in the form of brown or red dots, under them you can see dead damage to the cactus trunk;
- Scabies have a silver-gray color, spread fungal diseases.
Sick plants are always quarantined.
The use of echinocactus
Echinocactus plants are used in landscape and interior gardening. Various mixes of cactus plants of different ages look good. Indoors, they improve energy.
In Mexico, candied fruits (bisagnaga) and desserts are prepared from some species. A pulp called asitron is also added to meat instead of vegetables.
