Xerophyte

Description

Echinocactus grusoniiSN|3345]]SN|3345]] Hildm Deutsche Gart-Zeitung 5(3) 27 (-28). 1886 Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 1 Ferocactus gracilisSN|11980]]SN|11980]] HEGates Cact Succ J (Los Angeles) 4 323, fig. 1933Variegated Echinoferocactus Variegated plants are very rare in cultivation and some of these variegated plants are very priced by collectors. All variegates are mutants. Something has gone wrong with the cellular structure of the growth tip (apical meristem) of the plant. As a result of this mutation, chlorophyll is missing from some or all layers of the plant epidermis. The odd variegate appears in many seedling batches in a small percentage (especially among hybrid seeds) and are generally separated from normal plants. Variegated plants grow slower and are generally smaller than non-variegates of the same species. Coloured areas are also generally weaker, and more susceptible to fungus, sunburn and other defects. A large well grown variegate Echinoferocactus is truly an achievement. These are harder to grow well than they appear.