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Escobaria dasyacantha ssp. chaffeyi
SB839 from the Saltillo area of southern Coahuila, Mexico.
Forms elongated balls
often so densely swathed with fine cream-brownish spines that it has a
soft hazy appearance.
Description: E.
chaffeyi is a small nipple Cactus forming solitary (or rarely with 2-5
branches) elongated ball densely covered with cream-brownish spines with
darker tip.
Stems: It is globular in its youth although it tends towards
cylindrical with age, 4.5-15 tall, 3-6 cm wide
Tubercles: 7-8 × 3-5mm, moderately soft, concealed by the
numerous spines.
Radial Spines: 21-31 per areole 6-10 mm long; interlacing
cream-brownish, bristly with dark pink, red-brown to nearly black tips
26-42 per areole;
Subcentral spines: Several, appressed;
Central spines: Inconspicuous one to 9 per areole, short,
spreading, straight, longest spines 12-17 mm.
Roots: Diffuse or whit a short taproot.
Flowers: Nearly apical that form a ring round the top of the
stem, 15-30 mm, The flower colour is rather variable, pale-pink, brik-red,
straw, brownish-purple or rarely light green with a darker pinkish to
brown or brownish green midstripes.
Blooming: March-may.
Fruits: Bright red, clavate, cylindric, or narrowly ellipsoid,
13-35mm long not very succulent; floral remnant strongly persistent.
Cultivation:
Easy to cultivate in a very gritty substrate with
much drainage (very rot-prone). Water regularly in summer, but do not
overwater (very rot prone), it prefer a completely dry place during
winter . An unheated greenhouse would be perfect. it is hardier than one
would suppose - winter hardiness estimates I've read range from -13C to
-17C. Full sun to light shade.
Propagation: Seeds (no
dormancy requirement, they
germinate best at 25°C in spring ) or usually by
offsets (readily
available),
or occasionally
grafted. |
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