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Echinocactus
polycephalus
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Description: 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 apparent, and they have pronounced
tubercles making them look superficially like
Mammillarias.
This Echinocactus is unique because it branches under normal conditions.
The dense, stout spines obscure the plant bodies and restrict the small
yellow flowers from opening fully. They appear in July. The brown spines
appear bright red when wet from rain.
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New spine are colourful |
Needs as much sun as possible and careful watering, to stay
compact with strong spines.
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Cultivation: Difficult to grow on their own
roots as they are extremely root rot sensitive in cultivation, best
grafted. 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.
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The chalky pink-white spines turn a bright red
when sprinkled with water. |
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Family:
Cactaceae (Cactus
Family)
Scientific Name:
Echinocactus
polycephalus
Conservation status: Listed in
CITES appendix 2.
Synonyms:
- Echinocactus xeranthemoides
- Emorycactus polycephalus
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Origin: USA (Mohave and Sonoran
desert: Yuma and Mojave Co., Arizona, Inyo, San Bernardino
Valley, Riverside
and Imperial Co., California, Lincoln and Clark Co., Nevada), Mexico (northwestern
Sonora)
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A plant in Habitat.
Photo
and © copyright by
Wilfried Stolz
(Austria) |
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Habitat: The plant occurs at low elevations mostly on rocky and gravely slopes
in the dryest parts of the Sonoran and Mohave deserts.
It is rarely
found where rainfall exceeds 5 inches (130 mm) at 30 to 750m elevation.
The plants grow in spreading clumps, sometimes of more than 100 stems,
although 20 to 40 stems are more common.
The flowers hardly escape from the intertwined
mass of hardy spines, and often fail to open completely.
A
young specimen. (Grafted on Nebuxbaumia polylopha)
Grow it in a very draining mineral soil and provide good ventilation
(especially in winter)
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Cultivation and
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