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 Description:
It is a globular cactus which became elongate when old , even though
usually solitary this species is one of the few members of the genus
that can put forth basal shoots. It does so as a young plant, becoming
sometime densely branched. Stems rather small up to 10 cm in diameter,
10 (20) cm tall with about 27 corrugated, sharp-edged ribs, swollen
where the areoles grow. The latter are round and thickly felted around
the apex, later becoming almost bare.
Spines: "pentacanthus" means five spined, of this 5 spines
there are 3 major on the upper part of the areoles: two are conical and
curved upward while the central spine is flattened, yellowish or pinkish
, about 2 (4) cm long and 2 (4) mm wide and 2 (4) small spine on the
lower part of the arele.
Flowers: 1-2 cm long can be up to 3-4cm in diameter. E.
obvallatus has white or pale yellow flowers with pink mid-veins and a
greenish base. The plants known as Stenocactus pentacanthus have long
lasting flowers in early spring.
Cultivation:
Easy to to
care and flower. It needs regular cacti soil with good drainage.
Propagation: Seeds (usually) or but, since it tillers
early, it is simpler to use shoots. Exposure:
It likes strong sunshine but is tolerant and do well with
light shade during the hot Summer months, allow to dry between watering.
It should not be watered at all in winter.
Frost Tolerance: does not tolerate intense or
prolonged cold (hardy to -5°C if kept dry)
Photo of conspecific taxa,
varieties, forms and cultivars of
plants belonging to the
Echinofossulocactus obvallatus complex
(This
Taxon
has lots of synonyms
(like most Echinofossulocactus) whit several controversial varieties and subspecies):
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Cultivation and
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