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 Description:
Small cactus, usually
solitary, or heavily clustering.
Stem:
Flattish, egg-shaped or slightly elongated, up to 12 cm tall, 9 cm in
diameter, bright green to dark green or almost black.
Areoles:
5-7 mm
apart.
Ribs:
17-20 (or more).
Root:
Tap
root.
Radial
spines: 10-14 Thin, reddish.
Central spines: 0 - 4
whisker-like, twisted, asymmetrical, more or less long, interlaced up
and
disorderly
curved
up
to 3 cm long
(This taxon comprises both individuals with or without central spines).
The length of these spines greatly depends on sun exposure and
plant's age.
Flowers:
Pretty, shining, small up to
5 cm long, unscented, somewhat bell-shaped-bulgy,
dark
orange-red or crimson that appears almost black when starting to open.
The stamen's filaments are dark red, and bear cream-white contrasting
anthers. The stigma lobes are greenish.
Blooming
season (Europe):
The greater part of flowers appears in spring in the first flowering,
but the plant can erratically produce some flowers in summer too.
Fruit: Globular, 5 mm in diameter,
with little brown wool, up-drying.
Seed: Globular, small grained.
Cultivation: 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.
(seldom produces offsets)
Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and
cultivars of Lobivia (Echinopsis) saltensis.
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