Echinopsis 'Flying Saucer'

[Paul in Essex]

This has impressed me a lot. Not only are the flowers startlingly attractive, not only are the flowers enormous 20cm across, but the plant itself must be tough as nails. It has spent the past two years outside and last winter was, as we all know, a rough one - no visible damage on the plant at all with no cover. picture from about a month ago.

[el48tel]

Thanks for sharing.
It's beautiful

[edds]

That's fantastic Paul - I must be braver with my plant as I haven't got it to flower yet in a pot.

[Tony R]

Wonderful, Paul!

[ralphrmartin]

Be careful that a secret government agency doesn't confiscate it to determine what advanced alien technology enables its amazing performance...

[Paul in Essex]

The truth is out there.

[Elizabeth]

That is a spectacular success. I had the plant at one point and found it shy to flower in the greenhouse.

[Patrick]

wow, I wish I'd have some cacti flower in my garden, so far without exception they all do worse in the ground than in pots!

[Paul in Essex]

On one of the USA-centric forums one theory is that they need adequate root space to flower properly and a decent cool period in winter. What you say, Patrick, seems to go against that. I wondered if it was because it is growing in a completely mineral subtrate - no organics at all, just the rubble - but have no firm idea. it has just made a couple of small offsets at the base so I look forward to a spectacular display in a few years with all the stems flowering!

[Elizabeth]

I think there's truth in the root space theory. Certainly when I see the results achieved by some US growers of Trichocereus hybrids planted out in the garden. Of course, their climate is also different from ours...