Chunky Echinocactus seedlings

[Roy]

Hi Phil,
straight from the horses mouth. The plant in habitat. Erioscyce umandeave. At that time still reffered to as Phyrrocactus. This plant I believe looks more typical than the photo in the NCL and is very similar to David Hunts photo in Eriosyce by Fred Katterman 1995 page 44.[attachment 2147 nn.jpg]

[Colin Walker]

Hi Roy,

Gorgeous habitat shot - not sure about the Eriosyce though!!!!!!!!!!

[Roy]

.....they were mostly football size and were growing at the very well known site at the top end of the Quabrada del toro, Salta Argentina.
This one seems to have had damage to the growing tip and developed multiple heads.
Can't remember which part of the country you live but I am giving a talk on Argentina at Huddersfield on Monday and Nottingham on March 6th if you are in that area
[attachment 2148 nnn.jpg]

[Phil Hocking]

As this plant grows at very high altitude, would the seeds benefit from stratification? I have had zero germination sowing them straight into a warm environment. Should I put the pot outside for a few weeks of frost action?

Somerset Phil

[Colin Walker]

Hi Roy,

I live in Bedfordshire, 4 miles from the OU in Bucks., but my local branch (and that of Tina, David K, Bob, and Trevor - not Aussie Trevor BTW!), is Northants & MK, that meets in Northampton.

So Huddersfield is a heck of a way north, whilst Nottingham is still a good drive away.

[Roy]

Hi_Phil,
I had no success growing any seed so I cant advise you on that one. Be careful about what you read into snippets of information. This site was at 2720m which is not exceptionally high for this part of the world.
They were growing in a disused field and were only one of many cacti.

Reffering to the field notes it was recorded that Lobivia chrysacantha, Opuntia mandragona, Gymnocalycium spegazzinnii,
Parodia steumeri, Tricocereus pasacana, Opuntia boliviana and Opuntia sulphrea, were also growing in this area.These are of course just the ones we found in a very limited time period.
Before Colin mentions it these are not the up to date names but it should be noticed that some of the same people who are now telling us to call them something different are the very same people who were telling us they were the correct name at the time.
Not all plants were identified in habitat, I was the least knowledgeable of the group but some plants were thought to be as many as six different plants before the final notes were recorded.
Gps references might seem to be very accurate but they are sometimes deliberately altered to protect sites.

[Guest]

Phil,

You have done well to get them growing, I would graft them as every one I have seen on it's own roots has failed except thos in habitat.
In habitat they grown high up in rocks and seem to survive in the grit and eroded rock in the cracks.
I think they enjoy the view because they are always in the best position for a view. Look at the first picture at to see what I mean

Bob

[Roy]

Hi Bob,
back onto polycephalus. They don't always grow high up or on cliffs this one just to the north of Stovepipe Wells is probably around about sea level and on the Death Valley Washes that only slope very gently
[attachment 2149 p1.jpg]

[Roy]

...this seedling is certainly well drained but there is a fair bit of compost.
[attachment 2150 ddd.jpg]

[phil]

Hi Roy nice photo. I like habitat pictures that put the plant clearly in its location it's almost like being there!