Echinopsis question and id

[KeithG]

I have just been given what I believe to be an Echinopsis. I have some questions if you could be so kind;

1] Is it Echinopsis and (pushing it a bit) which species?
2] What to do about the babies - they seem a bit low to me?
3] Do I need to fret about the calloused areas at the bottom?

I've put a £2 coin in the first photo for scale.

[Marisa]

The calloused parts of the lower area, if they are hard to the touch, are not a problem. The plant is lignified in the older areas.

I do not see offspring a problem. You can cut and get a new plant or leave them.

Yes it seems Echipsosis but the last name for me is difficult to know even seeing flower, there are many hybrids.

It is my opinion, I hope that some more knowledgeable forero will help you.

[topsy]

HI,

Species could be a number, but when it flowers make a note of the flower colour and this may help, it could be E.multiplex or E.eyriesii.

I would get rid of the green glass around the base of the plant, would not worry about the offsets being low or mostly buried, and the corkiness around the base is merely a natural aging of the plant much as trees age and produce bark. If the plant becomes too big you can always remove the offsets and make more plants or you can pot on the whole plant and make a very nice clump which will give you more flowers.

When the plant begins to grow well in the spring and with the second watering I would give the plant a feed with Chempak 8, Phostrogen or even tomato fertiliser but half strength. Continue to feed on a monthly nasis through the growing period.

Hope this helps.

Suzanne

[Phil_SK]

corkiness around the base is merely a natural aging of the plant much as trees age and produce bark.

Continuing the analogy, the offsets are equivalent to branches. Much as you could remove a tree/shrub's branches and root them as cuttings, you could remove the Echinopsis's branches and start more plants though, as in trees, I think the branches/offsets add to the overall appeal. Having removed the green glass you might find the top of the soil doesn't have any roots in it and could be scraped away a bit after which the offsets might benefit from being swept with a stiffish paintbrush.

[rodsmith]

Looks like you could have buds forming from some of the upper areoles. If the plant is kept in a warm sunny position and given the treatment recommended in the posts above, you should get some flowers this year. If so, prepare to be amazed by their size.

[KeithG]

Thank you one and all for your replies

I knew that a species id was pushing it a bit but it was worth a punt. I will follow your advice. The glass beads are gone already as they were retaining more moisture than I was happy about and as a result I found another offset. I will remove one of the offsets (late spring maybe?) to keep as a backup and allow the rest to grow and bulk the pot up.

[KeithG]

First (rather slug damaged) bloom.............
Echinopsis by longk48, on Flickr

Echinopsis by longk48, on Flickr

[Brian]

A massive flower as predicted. Enjoy while it is out, often only last just a day, or night.

[ralphrmartin]

I'd call it Echinopsis eyriesii - while it might be a hybrid, it looks pretty close to the species itself.

[DaveW]

As Ralph says the form that used to be knows as Echinopsis eyriesii, now lumped into Echinopsis oxygona as evidently the "spineless" form (E.eyriesii) and the spiny form (E. oxygona or E. mulltiplex) often grow within a few feet of each other in the same population in habitat. Their flowers can also vary from white to pink.

There is the full description of their nomenclature and history in Graham Charles excellent article "Granny's Echinopsis" pages 27-34 in the free downloadable Cactus Explorer Journal in the link below:-

http://www.cactusexplorers.org.uk/Explo ... mplete.pdf