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Lobivia ferox
(Syn: Echinopsis ferox)

CACTUS ART
NURSERY

Cultivation and Mail Sale
of Cacti and Succulents.


The flowers of this plant are usually white, but they can be of almost any colour.
 

Description: Very large and spiny cactus, solitary or branched. The body is almost concealed by the spines.
This is a very variable species especially in shape and  and length of  spines and in flowers colour. Since the various forms are connected by intermediates it is
extremely  difficult  to recognize infraspecific taxa.
Stem: Bluish-green, spherical at first and later sort of cylindrical, and it may grow 25 cm tall and 10-40 cm in diameter.
Ribs: 25 to 50 ribs deeply incised between the tubercles, which are approx. 2 cm long.
Spines: Radials are hard to tell from the central spines. Each areole bears approx 4 to 15 spines ranging from slender to thick, conical with a wider base, and irregular in length, the longest up to 8 cm or more. They are flexible and curved upward, and those on new parts of the plant have occasionally a hooked tip. Their colour varies from yellowish to brown when young, but later grey.
Flowers: Lateral or basal, 7-10 cm. long, funnel-shaped, and have a slender, curved tube covered with long white hairs. Perianth segments are short and white, but can be of almost any colour.
Fruit: Globular, dark green with flowers remnants.

NOTE:  The fruit has a whitish mucilaginous pulp  and is edible with a fresh and agreeable taste
 


Lobivia ferox is a very variable species (especially in shape and  and length of  spines and in flowers colour) with many intermediate forms and several controversial  infraspecific taxa.


Lobivia ferox DJF 288 Humahuaca, Jujuy, Bolivia


Lobivia ferox WR 209 Oruro Bolivia


C
ultivation:
It is a summer-growing species that offers no cultivation difficulty.  Water regularly in summer (but do not over-water).  It needs good drainage and very porous soil. Keep rather dry in winter.  Feed with a high potassium fertilizer in summer. It is quite frost-resistant if kept dry (hardy to -5° C). Outside full sun or afternoon shade; inside it needs bright light, and some direct sun.

Propagation: Direct sow after last frost (it seldom produces offsets)
 


 

Photo gallery: Alphabetical listing of Cactus and Succulent pictures published in this site.

Photo gallery LOBIVIA


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Family: Cactaceae (Cactus Family)

Scientific name: Echinopsis ferox (Britton &Rose ) Backeberg
In: Blätter für Kakteensforschung 3: 4, 1934

Origin:  NW Argentina ( Salta y Jujuy, at about 2000 m), Western Bolivia (department of Oruro. Chuquisca: N Camargo, at about 3000 m) NE Chile: Región I: Altiplano of Tarapacá Province of Iquique 3.700 y 4.000 m.

Habitat: Growing from fissures in rocks and on gravelly outcrops, mainly on volcanic substrates but also in other stone formations from 1800 to 4000 m in altitude, mostly on N, NE and E faced slopes, with 10 to 30% of inclination in open areas or under scrubs.

Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 2.

Synonyms:
  • Echinopsis ferox (Britton & Rose) Backeberg 1934
    = Lobivia ferox Britton & Rose 1922 (Basionym)
    = Pseudolobivia ferox (Britton & Rose) Backeberg 1942
  • Lobivia ferox var. longispina
  • Lobivia longispina Britton & Rose 1922
    = Echinopsis longispina (Britton & Rose) Werdermann 1931
  • Echinopsis potosina Werdermann 1931
    = Pseudolobivia potosina (Werdermann) Backeberg ex Krainz 1942
    = Lobivia potosina (Werdermann) H. Friedrich 1974
  • Lobivia claeysiana Backeberg 1937
  • Lobivia hastifera Werdermann 1938
  • Lobivia aureolilacina Cárdenas 1961
  • Lobivia backebergiana Y. Itô 1962
  • Lobivia pachyacantha Y. Itô 1962
  • Pseudolobivia wilkeae Backeberg 1962 (n.val.publ.)
  • Echinopsis lecoriense Cárdenas 1963
    = Pseudolobivia lecoriense (Cárdenas) Backeberg 1966
  • Lobivia horrida F. Ritter 1963
  • Lobivia pictiflora F. Ritter 1966
  • Lobivia varispina F. Ritter 1980;
  • Lobivia ducispauli Fric.
  • Lobivia ferox var. camargensis Ritter
 
 


 


Lobiva ferox Culpina


Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of Lobivia (Echinopsis ferox).
(This taxon has lots of synonyms (like most Lobivia) whit several controversial varieties and subspecies):

Home | E-mail | Plant files | Mail Sale Catalogue | Links | Information | Search

All the information and photos in cactus art file are now available also in the new the Enciclopedia of Cacti. We hope you find this new site informative and useful.