Xerophyte

Habit

These cacti grow rapidly and usually forms big clumps up to 60 cm in diameter.

Central Spines

1-5, sometimes absent, thick, needle-like 5-30 mm long, eventually up to 40 mm long.

Description

Echinopsis oxygona, the “Easter Lily Cactus”, is known for having gorgeous, night-blooming, pink flowers at the ends of long tubes often as large or larger than the whole plant, it is very popular. The flower has a sweet smell. It is very variable.

Note

This plant has been widely crossed with other species of Echinopsis and the number of cultivars seems unending. The flowers are lovely and are available in an assortment of bright colours ranging from magenta, red, orange, to yellow, and much sought-after by Cactophiles everywhere.

Flowers

Usually from areoles halfway up the side of the plant, white, pink, pale red to lavender, funnel-shaped, fragrant with long tubes 15-22(-30) cm long, 5-10 cm in diameter, the tube slender, nearly cylindric, its scales numerous and small

Blooming Season

This species blooms from late spring to all summer long. The flower last only one day in full beauty, they open at evening and start to wither the next afternoon on hot days. On cool days they will last longer.

Spines

Very short to 2,5 cm long and stout, hard, blackish, yellowish-brown or horn coloured with dark tips, spreading and more or less curved.

Ribs

11-18, straight , broad at base, rounded on back .

Stem

The stems is depressed globose, globose to elongate, eventually short cylindrical, clustering from near the base, green passing to greyish green or somewhat glaucous, (5-)10-15(-25) cm in diameter up to 30 cm high.

Fruits

Fruits green, to 4 cm long and 2 cm in diameter.

Areoles

About 1 cm apart.