About
A spherical ribbed cactus, up to 8cm across, with an evergreen stem with up to twenty ribs along which are star-shaped clusters of up to ten recurved spines, and flowering stems, held above the main stem, with white or pink-tinged white flowers, 10-16cm across, in spring or early summer.
About the genus
Echinopsis can have spherical or cylindrical, heavily ribbed and spiny stems, with funnel-shaped flowers in spring or summer
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeLoam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureWell-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH2
Plant details
Plant typeCactus Succulent
HabitClump forming
FoliageEvergreen
Height0.1-0.5 metres
Spread0-0.1 metre
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesPatio and container plants
Native toBolivia, NW Argentina
Care notes
CultivationGrow in a cool frost-free greenhouse (minimum temperature 2-7ºC) in very free-draining compost, such as peat-free John Innes No. 2 with at least an equal amount of grit or fine gravel, in bright, filtered light, and water moderately while growing, but keep dry from mid-autumn until early spring; for more advice, see houseplant cacti and succulent cultivation
PruningNo pruning required
PropagationPropagate by division from offsets
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to mealybugs
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free