Echinocactus
- Description
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Echinocactus is the barrel cactus genus of the Cactaceae family. It is native to Arizona, Texas, and Mexico. The genus is known for its rounded, ball-like shape that may elongate with age. Many cultivars exist with unusual knobby or fasciated growth.
These plants grow best in full sun, but they can tolerate a little bit of shade. They prefer dry soil and low humidity and need a good cactus mix with extra grit for drainage. It can be easily grown as a houseplant in a container, and it is tolerant to a wide array of conditions.
Quick ID:
- Ball-like or barrel-like shape
- Clearly defined rows of vertical ribs with long, sharp spines
- Wool-like fuzz at the top of the stem where the flowers emerge
- Funnel-shaped flowers with numerous petals
VIDEO Created by Laura Barth for "Houseplants, Succulents, and Cacti", a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Echinocactus
- Family:
- Cactaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Houseplant
- Perennial
- Succulent
- Habit/Form:
- Columnar
- Rounded
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Appendage:
- Spines
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Very Dry
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Shape:
- Funnel
- Flower Petals:
- more than 20 petals/rays
- Flower Description:
- Flowers emerge from the top of the plant, the buds forming a ring. The brightly colored flowers are usually funnel-shaped with numerous petals.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Insignificant
- White
- Leaf Feel:
- Prickly
- Leaf Shape:
- Acicular
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- This plant has spines, which are modified leaves, that are long and recurved. They can be densely packed.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The apex may grow a wool-like fiber, creating a ring where the flowers emerge.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Heat
- Problems:
- Spines/Thorns
