Echinocactus parryi SB59 Cuidad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico

Description

# # # SPECIAL PLANT # # # (Selected specimen)
Diameter 6 cm, fascinating plant with fantastic spines, very rare! Wet spines are bright red!

Family: Cactaceae (Cactus Family)

Scientific Name: Echinocactus parryi Engelmann
In: Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 3: 276, 1856

Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 2.

Origin: Mexico (Chihuahua)

Habitat: Grows mostly on rocky and gravely slopes in a very dry deserts environment. The plants grow solitary or in spreading clumps.

Synonyms:

Emorycactus parryi 1996

E. polycephalus complex:
This complex is formed by three similar barrel cacti and comprises E. parryi, E. polycephalus var. polycephalus, and E. polycephalus var. xeranthemoides. The two varieties of E. polycephalus are indeed not recognized and accepted by all taxomists, in fact studies in the in the field, and distribution maps indicate potential sympatry among them. While herbarium studies, field observations, scanning electron microscopy, and genetic analysis support the distinction of E. parryi and E. polycephalus as separate species.

A young Echinocactus parryi SB59 Cuidad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico
This species needs as much sun as possible and careful watering, to stay compact with strong spines.

Grow it in a very draining mineral soil and provide good ventilation (especially in winter)

Description: Globose depressed or shortly cylindrical, remarkably similar in morphology to E. polycephalus but distinct by the manner of growth and whiter spines. This Echinocactus is usually solitary but can branches spontaneously under normal conditions.
Stem: Glabrous, greyish-green, 20 to 30 cm high and 25 to 40 cm. in diameter (but typically under 35 cm in diameter)
Areoles: Roundish, with abundant greyish wool.
Ribs: Approx 13, acute. The juvenile Echinocactus looks quite different from the mature specimens. In fact, as with other Echinocactus and Ferocactus seedlings, the rib structure is not yet completely apparent, and they have pronounced tubercles making them look superficially like Mammillarias.
Spines: Dense, stout, angled, and ringed, chalky white to greyish-pink that turn a darker (redder) colouring when sprinkled with water. The spines almost obscure the plant bodies and restrict the small yellow flowers from opening fully.
Flowers: Yellow. They appear in summer.
Fruit: Woolly

Cultivation: Relatively difficult to grow on their own roots as they are root rot sensitive in cultivation, especially after planting. Slow-growing and very long-lived. Plants grown from seed begin to branch at nearly 20 years of age. Hardy to -12°C, it needs full sun, and good ventilation.
It is extremely xerophytic and adapted to very dry soils, but plant grafted are very easy to grow and no special skill is required. They can stay in a non heated green house (hardy to about - 9° C for a short time). This cactus continues to be, a particular prize among collectors.

Propagation: Seed or grafting. The seeds germinate with extreme difficulty and a low rate of success. Seedlings did not do well either, and some die each year.