Echinopsis mamillosa

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Since 4 Aug 2013

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Echinopsis mamillosa Gürke
Monatsschr. Kakteenk. xvii. 135 (1907)
Family: CACTACEAE

Echinopsis mamillosa (Easter Liily Cactus)
It forms an attractive large-growing fresh green body with relatively short spines. The flowers of are truly beautiful.

Origin and Habitat: Tarija, Bolivia.

Synonyms:

Echinopsis mamillosa Gürke

See all synonyms of Echinopsis mamillosa

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Accepted name in llifle Database:
Echinopsis mamillosa Gürke
Monatsschr. Kakteenk. xvii. 135 (1907)
Synonymy: 9

Echinopsis mamillosa Gürke
Echinopsis kermesina (Krainz) Krainz
Echinopsis kermesina var. cylindrica Y.Itô
Echinopsis mamillosa var. flexilis Rausch
Echinopsis mamillosa var. kermesina (Krainz) Friedrich

Pseudolobivia kermesina Krainz

Echinopsis mamillosa subs. silvatica (F.Ritter) P.J.Braun & Esteves

Echinopsis silvatica F.Ritter

Echinopsis ritteri Boed.

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Description: Solitary spherical to columnar cactus, 10-25cm in diameter and 7-30 cm tall or more, depending on the variety. There are a number of varieties that differ with flower color, dimension and spination.
Stem: Large and globular, with many ribs divided into low rounded tubercles.
Flowers: Up to 20 cm long, 10 cm wide. Typically the species has white nocturnal flowers to attract moth pollinators. Large, but the flowers may be white with rose colored tips, purple or deep red. The flowers of this species are characterized by relatively short floral tube scales and unusual seeds.
Blooming season: This species will produce flowers in the summer when only 8 cm in diameter. The blossoms open at night and last about 24 hours.
Remarks: This species (and particularly the carmine flowered variety kermesina) is often used in hybridization, and is an important component of some modern Echinopsis hybrids, lending its large showy flower structure to these hybrids.

Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Echinopsis mamillosa group

Echinopsis hystrichoides F.Ritter: It is a very spiny species. The spines are particularly strong and very ornamental.
Echinopsis mamillosa Gürke: Produces large-growing fresh green body with relatively short slightly curved spines. The flowers of are truly beautiful white and nocturnal.
Echinopsis mamillosa var. flexilis Rausch: Produces long white or pink flowers, plants sometimes with longer centralspines.
Echinopsis mamillosa var. kermesina (Krainz) Friedrich: The variety "kermesina" differs from the white-flowerd Echinopsis mammillosa for the pink to carmine coloured flowers.
Echinopsis mamillosa subs. silvatica (F.Ritter) P.J.Braun & Esteves: The subspecies 'silvatica' sometimes reaches 30cm high, and the majority of spines are straight.

- The feature that seems to distinguish Echinopsis mammillosa from other Echinopsis plants is the succulent, claw-like bracts on the flower tube that in some clones are curled like pig's tails. Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli

Echinopsis mamillosa Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli

Echinopsis mamillosa Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli

Echinopsis mamillosa Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli

Cultivation and Propagation: The Easter Lily Cactus is a summer grower species that offers no cultivation difficulties. Water regularly in summer (but do not overwater ). It needs good drainage and very porous soil. Keep rather dry in winter. Feed with a high potassium fertilizer in summer. It is quite frost resistant if kept dry (hardy to -10° C). It needs a bright exposure, full sun or half shade in summer.

Propagation: Direct sow after last frost, or offsets if any.

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Cite this page: "Echinopsis mamillosa" Text available under a CC-BY-SA Creative Commons Attribution License. www.llifle.com 14 Nov. 2005. 24 Feb 2025. </Encyclopedia/CACTI/Family/Cactaceae/1610/Echinopsis_mamillosa>