Echinocereus grow and care – cactus of the genus Echinocereus also known as Hedgehog cactus, Echinocereus perennial plant with easy care used as ornamental plant for the shape of the stem and flowers, it’s drought tolerant, can grow in desert, mediterranean, subtropics, temperate, dry tropics climate or as houseplant and growing in hardiness zone 4-12a.
What is the best way to start growing?
Plant / Seeds / Vegetative Reproduction
How to propagate: Daughter plants mostly need to take care when pull it from the ground you take all the roots, take a plastic spatula or something harder depend the soil and uncover the roots, dig around the plant and better to use air blower machine or wash it with stream (but let it dry after)
Cutting – better to take all the cactus and cut it for pieces or else it’s just looks cut in the middle, cut with sterile knife after this let the cut part to stay on the shade to heal it’s might take few weeks and even months, put it on the soil with support (stick or something that won’t fall) cover lightly and lightly from the side and water it small amount of water.
Is it necessary to graft or use vegetative reproduction? No
Difficulties or problems when growing: Spines
Planting season: Spring to summer in hardiness zone 4-9, spring to autumn in hardiness zone 10, possible all the year in hardiness zone 11
Pests and diseases: Snails, slugs, virus
Pruning season: All year
How to prune:
No special requirements
Size of the plant: 5-30 cm (2-12 inches)
Growth speed in optimal condition: Slow growing
Water requirement: Small amount of water, do not over water and let it dry
Light conditions in optimal condition for growing: Full sun / Half shade / Full shade will never bloom with a lot of light and prefer some sun
Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant? Yes (with light)
Growing is also possible in a pot / planter /flowerpot / containers: Yes, container or clay pot that will be 20-50% bigger (not need deep because the root shallow) for good drainage that important use in the bottom of the container with little rocks like: gravel, lava rocks or pebbles, soil should be cactus potting mix, make holes in the container for good drainage,
Switch the soil after few years:
Removing the cacti from their pots, take paper and put slowly the plant on the paper, possible to “help” the cactus with the hands better to cover with papers or plastic wrap, after that prepare again the “little rocks” in the bottom, put part of the cactus potting mix, take the plant with and locate it in the new place, if it’s small take the soil mix with spoon and organize it (not to get the spines in hands) if it’s bigger use small garden shovel and squeeze the soil that the cactus will be stable and won’t fall, sometimes when it’s not stable better to add some stick that will hold the cactus.
Blooming information
Bloom season: Spring / Summer
General information about the flower Pink, red, purple, orange, or yellow multi-petals flowers
