Echinopsis - cactus for beginners.
Echinopsis - a bright representative of the cacti family. His homeland - South America.
Differs in large, bright colors. Very popular with amateur flower growers. Even a beginner will cope with its content, as this look is quite unpretentious.
Features of the genus
Translated from Greek his name means hedgehog. At the beginning of development, these cacti really look like thorny hedgehogs curled up in a ball.
Echinopsis have fleshy stems and a powerful root system. Roots are located close to the surface. They have very large flowers, located on a long pubescent stem. Some have a pleasant aroma.
Bloom different species from early spring until late autumn. Each flower lives in full bloom just a day or two.
Number of colors on the plant comes up to 20-25 pieces. They form a red or yellowish fruit in the form of a ribbed keg or ball.
They grow very quickly, the first flowers appear already in 3 years old. Varietal grows slower.
Kinds:
- Airiesa
Dark green Echinopsis, globular in young and short-cylindrical in adult specimens.Height is 20-22 cm, diameter about 15 cm.Areola white-yellow, rounded. The spines are long. Flowers elongated, white and pink.
- Chilean
Tree-like, branch at base. Stem cylindrical, elongated. Ribs with pronounced bumps, low. Pale yellow, one to two centimeters long. Central thorn - 4-7 cm. Flowers are large, about 14 centimeters in length. - Pampana
Stem globose, 5-7 centimeters in diameter. Spines curved to 5 centimeters long. The flowers are red. - Shile
The height of the stem is 5-6 centimeters. About 14 ribs.Areoles and white spines. Flowers are fiery-red, erect.
- Klingera
Stem spherical at the top, cylindrical at the base. Spines long, grayish, located on light pubescent areoles.Flowers with multi-tiered petals, snow-white with dark tips.
- Are thinking
Stem short, rounded, with pronounced ribs. The spines are small. The flowers are purple-white. - Sharp edged
Spherical, somewhat elongated stem, diameter is 20-25 cm, length 15 cm. It is covered with pointed ribs with large areoles. Flowers are purple-red. It blooms at night, in May and June. - Mammillosis Kermesina
The exquisite form of Echinopsis cactus, single stem, about 30 centimeters. The areoles are rounded with yellow styloid spines. Pink flowers grow in tiers. - Trumpet color
Green, initially spherical, then cylinder-shaped stem. The spines are brown, black at the tips. It blossoms in large, funnel-shaped, white flowers on a twenty-centimeter foot. - Antsistrofa
A green small stem in the shape of a flattened ball. Covered with pronounced tubercles and hooked spines. Flowers are white. - Subdenudata
It differs from other species by the absence of spines. Spherical flat stem 20 inches tall, 10 centimeters in diameter.Flowers 10 centimeters. Blooms at a young age.
- Golden
The stem is spherical at the beginning of growth and cylindrical in an adult. Pronounced ribs covered with centimeter spines.The flower is yellow-orange. Maintains small frosts.
- Bakeberga
Rounded-cylindrical stems, height up to 7 centimeters. Flowers are bright pink. - Bridges
It grows in groups of 4 to 6 trunks. High about 40 centimeters stalks, with a diameter of 10-13 centimeters. Flowers are white. - Chametserus
Forms numerous stems hanging from the edge of the pot. It blooms in spring with bright orange flowers. Cold resistant. - Bright green echinopsis
Spherical stem diameter about 9 centimeters. Rare radial, numerous central needles. - Kokimban
Cylindrical, elongated stem. In nature, it grows up to one meter. Forms thick thickets.
The height of the stem is 5-6 centimeters. About 14 ribs.
It differs from other species by the absence of spines. Spherical flat stem 20 inches tall, 10 centimeters in diameter.A photo
Below are photos of Echinopsis cactus
Home care
Echinopsis freely available in the store. When buying, inspect it; there should be no signs of rot or pest damage.
Lighting and temperature content
Echinopsis love the light, choose for them the most illuminated place in the apartment. They feel great in direct sunlight. But they need to be accustomed to this gradually so that there are no burns.
Growing temperature from 22 to 27 degrees. In the summer it is advisable to bring it to the balcony, because there is an opportunity to reduce the night temperature. The difference between day and night temperatures is favorable for development.
During the autumn cooling, the temperature of the content is gradually adjusted to 10-12 degrees. Some Echinopsis are frost-resistant and can tolerate lower temperatures to minus marks.
Humidity and watering
This species quietly tolerates dry air and low air humidity.
Watering in the summer is plentiful. In the autumn, the amount of moisture is gradually reduced, and in November it is stopped. Renew only after a period of rest. In the winter they keep in a cold room; there is enough moisture in a powerful stalk until spring.
The frequency of watering and the amount of fluid depends on age. Young small specimens are watered frequently, adults are much less likely.
But in any case, the golden rule is: better not to drink than to drink.
Soil and transplant rules
This type of substrate requires a high content of gravel and sand. You can use a ready-made store designed for succulents. You can add humus.
Transplant spend at the end of winter (February). But not often. This is usually done through the season, from dry to dry land, and not watered after the procedure. 7-10 days.
Be sure to have in the capacity of the drainage. Capacity for transplanting take a little more than the previous one.
IMPORTANT. Do not plant Echinopsis in a too large and deep container - it will not bloom. The pot should be such that there is little room for root growth and at the same time close.
Top dressing
Fertilize echinopsis monthly during growth and flowering. Use a special cactus fertilizer. Ensure that there is no excess of nitrogen in the dressings, the roots may rot from it.
IMPORTANT. Do not overfeed echinopsis. He will begin an excessive formation of children, and the forces for flowering will not remain.
Pruning
Actually pruning called the process of removing the kids can not be named. From Echinopsis just remove the extra shoots.
If you allow excessive formation of shoots, it will not bloom.
This pruning is carried out with an elongated corky base. In January, long before the vegetative period, it is necessary to cut off the brown narrowed part of the stem with a sharp knife and sharpen it slightly.
Cut the stem put on the edge of the pot for drying. Hold for about seven days, then put in a bowl with water so that the cut does not reach the surface of the liquid.
To do this, use a stand made of cardboard with a hole the size of the base of the stem in the middle. After some time, the roots will seem.
As soon as this has happened, we plant the billet in the prepared slightly moist soil substrate. Do not rush immediately, it can be done only when the sprout takes root.
Content in winter
In winter, the cacti comes a period of peace. At this time you need to keep them. at a temperature not higher than 10 degrees.
The mistake is to install echinopsis for the winter in a dark place.
With a lack of light, it will stretch and lose its normal shape. If there are no conditions for cold wintering, put it on the window sill and separate it from the heat with a protective screen.
One way to ensure low temperatures is to use a square aquarium. It is placed on its side, a pot is placed in it and the open side is pushed towards the window. Thus, your Echinopsis is in the cold, and at the same time it is accessed by light.
During the rest period, the adult plant is not watered; young, small specimens can be moistened, but not more than twice in all time.
About when you need to resume watering, your favorite will tell you the greening of the crown.
Breeding
The easiest way - breeding kids. They are overgrown with adult specimens.
The children are separated by loosening and placed, slightly buried in the soil.
They quickly take root. Before planting, they are dried for 6-7 days. Landing is recommended in a mixture of leaf soil and sand. You can add peat to it to improve aeration properties.
Seed method - a chance to get a copy with brighter colors than the mother.
Seeds are pre-soaked in warm water. For sowing take flat shallow dishes. The first layer is poured drainage, then a layer of soil. The surface is slightly crushed, but not too much to prevent moisture stagnation.
Spread the seeds over the surface, sprinkle them with sand. Then moistened with a spray bottle. Crops covered with glass or film and placed in a damp dark place until germination. Dishes are regularly ventilated, but do not allow drying.
At emergence of shoots placed in a bright warm place and grow as usual. Picks should be carried out when the seedlings reach the size of a large pea.
Diseases and pests
Diseases echinopsis almost not exposed. The main problem is the rotting of the roots or base of the stem due to improper watering.
Sometimes inexperienced cacti growers take the brown base of the stem for a disease. Do not be afraid.
This is not a disease, but age sampling, natural for an adult plant. If you do not like this look, you can deepen the brown part.
The main pests of echinopsis - scythes and spider mites.
The presence of spider mites can be seen on a white patina on the stem. The sign appears in the form of brown specks. Washing them with soapy water and spraying fungicides helps fight them.
Mealybugs can also harm Echinopsis. These whitish insects settle on the stems and suck the juices out of them. Remove it mechanically with a brush dipped in alcohol solution. This is followed by treatment with poison.
If you notice this, remove it from the pot. Shake the ground and rinse the roots in a solution of potassium permanganate. Plant in a new pot. Stem treat with insecticides.
Children for breeding is recommended to take a copy that has already blossomed once.- In winter, you need to create harsh conditions: cold and dry content.
- Right away after a period of rest to begin plentiful watering and the strengthened top dressing within a month.
- Regular removal of unnecessarily formed children is necessary so that the cactus do not waste their strength on their rearing.
- You can not rotate the cactus while budding, otherwise it will fold them. The buds are laid on the dark side, and this side does not need to be turned to the light.
Children for breeding is recommended to take a copy that has already blossomed once.In the video we can see how Echinopsis blooms.
//youtu.be/RbEYdC0OTos
Observance of these simple rules will create conditions for laying flower buds. And one day your pet will give you a beautiful, albeit short flowering.
