Origin and Habitat: Garden origin ( produced cultivar)

• Stenocactus albatus f. cristatus hort.
• Echinofossulocactus albatus f. cristatus

• Stenocactus albatus f. cristatus hort.
• Echinofossulocactus albatus f. cristatus

• Stenocactus albatus f. mostruosus hort.
• Echinofossulocactus albatus f. mostruosus hort.

Description: Stenocactus albatusSN|6188]]SN|6188]] is a well-known in horticulture cactus species, that distinguishes from the type species for the denser and thinner white/yellow spines and yellowish flowers. The crested form Stenocactus albatusSN|6188]]SN|6188]] f. cristatus is rare and sought after by collectors, for its dense white spine covering.
Stem: Fan shaped, up to 5 cm thick, with pale green epidermis and white-woolly apex covered with spines.
Ribs: Slender with sharp, flat, undulating, depressed at 1,5 cm intervals where areoles appear.
Radial spines: About 10 to 25 bristle-like, silky, whitish to cream-coloured almost transparent, 1 cm long, and partially erect, from one to three may be missing from upper areoles.
Central spines: 4 much thicker, longer, and usually darker yellow to tan coloured, straight except for the uppermost one, which may reach 5 cm of length, flat, and often annulate, terete, porrect or curved backward.
Flowers: Small funnel-shaped 2 cm long with light yellow (or whitish), lanceolate perianth segments.

Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
2) Nathaniel Lord Britton, Joseph Nelson Rose “Cactaceae: Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family” vol. 4 The Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington 1923
3) James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey "The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass" Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug/2011
4) David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. "The New Cactus Lexicon" dh books, 2006
5) Hecht, Hans “BLV-Handbuch der Kakteen.” München ; Wien ; Zürich : BLV-Verl.-Ges. 1982
6) Guadalupe Martínez, J., Sánchez , E., Bárcenas Luna, R. & Gómez-Hinostrosa, C. 2013. Stenocactus vaupelianus. In: IUCN 2013. "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species." Version 2013.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 07 January 2014.

Cultivation and Propagation: Small growing and easy to to care in normal and very drained cactus compost and very willing to flower, Because of it’s small size makes a great potted plant specimen, great for beginning collectors, water sparingly and allow to dry between watering, needs good drainage. Watering should be curtailed during the winter months. Full sun but is tolerant and prefers light shade during the hot Summer months. And provide very good ventilation.
Frost Tolerance: It does not tolerate intense or prolonged cold (hardy to -5°C if kept dry)
Propagation: Grafting.