Cactus ID Help?

[Stewy]

Hi, my Mum's Cactus has just started to flower and I was wondering what kind of Cactus it is?

She always thought it was "Queen Of The Night" but that is 7 Ribbed where as my Mum's is 12 Ribbed, any one know what it could be please?

Ta,

Stew

[mrs fish]

I don't know what it is but what beautiful flowers.

[Stewy]

Yeah, they really are nice Mrs Fish and they have a lovely scent too, any Cacti experts out there? I can post more pics if needed to help ID.

Stew

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by Stewy

Yeah, they really are nice Mrs Fish and they have a lovely scent too, any Cacti experts out there? I can post more pics if needed to help ID.

Stew

Hi Stew, if they are scented they are most likely Echinocereus hybrids. There are many Echinocereus varieties and even more hybrids. Looking at your photo I am 99% sure they are hybrids. They are definitely not Queen of the night whose flowers start to open at dusk and have just about finished by midday the next day.

I used to grow and show cacti winning many prizes, they have some of the most beautifull but short lived flowers of any plant.
Roger

[Stewy]

Thanks for the input Roger, I'll do a bit of research and see what I can come up with.

Stew

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by Stewy

Thanks for the input Roger, I'll do a bit of research and see what I can come up with.

Stew

Sorry Stew, I gave you the wrong name I should have said Echinopsis rather than Echinocereus.
Roger

[Stewy]

Ta Roger, I take it being a hybrid then there will be no common name for it?

The flowers are starting to die

Stew

[mrs fish]

Has it flowered before? I wondered if cacti were flowering more this year due to good weather.

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by Stewy

Ta Roger, I take it being a hybrid then there will be no common name for it?

The flowers are starting to die

Stew

Hi Stew, it will be very difficult to put an exact name to it as there are many different Echinopsis that are all very similiar in growth habit and flower colour. Also there are quite a lot of Echinopsis that have been hybridised with plants from the genera Lobivia to introduce differing flower colours, Note Lobivia is an anagram of Bolivia where many of these plants originate from. If I were taking a guess, and this is going on the habit and flower colour of your plant and the fact you say it smells I would say either Echinopsis eyriesii or Echinopsis multiplex.

Roger

[GerryNick2]

Hi Stewy

Being an avid collector of cacti (4000 at last count) I can advise on the latest position with regard to your cacti name.

Without going into the details of spine count etc. the one in the photo could have any one of 4 names:-

Echinopsis eyriesii
Echinopsis multiplex
Echinopsis tubiflora
Echinopsis oxygona

A new lexicon of cacti has just been published, the last publication was in 1976 so there has been a lot of rationalisation of cacti names since then.

It has now been decided that all four of these are in fact the same species and the adopted name is Echinopsis Oxygona.

So stick a label in the pot with Echinopsis Oxygona written on it and you will be up todate with the latest line of thought.

It is a South American species and in its natural habitat it is quite wide spread and can be found in S.Brazil, Uruguay to NE.Argentina.

In terms of history this cacti was first discovered and named in 1830 (as Echinocactus oxygona).

Yes there have been many hybrids over the years but the flower on yours matches well with the native plant.

Flowers usually only last a day,two at most. To encourage flowers you need to observe the rest period all cacti need. Stop watering end September, keep dry through winter and recommence watering in April.

Gerry