Accepted Scientific Name: Ferocactus echidne (DC.) Britton & Rose
Cactaceae (Britton & Rose) 3: 136. 1922 [12 Oct 1922] Britton & Rose
Ferocactus echidne f. monstruosus Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
This cultivar shows many growing variations, with different crested, monstrous and normal shapes. This plant is very rare in collection and highly priced.
Origin and Habitat: Garden origin (Nursery produced cultivar)
Synonyms:
See all synonyms of Ferocactus echidne
Description: It forms large low clusters of firm, rubbery-textured green tangled, monstrous stems.
Stem: The stem surface is naked or with a variable quantity of spines or woolly areoles, and the plant looks more like some non-cactus succulent than a cactus. Sometimes it will have a normal "patch" and remain mostly monstrous. The ribs (if present) are slender acute and not clearly tuberculated, but the monstrous areas are bumped and strangely corrugated.
Spines: Amber coloured, thin aciculate.
Central spine: 1 erect 2-5 cm long.
Radial spines: 4-9 radiating shorter than the central.
Flowers: Not known.
More...Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Ferocactus echidne group
Ferocactus echidne (DC.) Britton & Rose: (v. echidne) It has flattened globose stems and central spines less than 4.5 cm long. Distibution: It is widespread throughout the range of the species.- Ferocactus echidne f. monstruosus hort.: It forms large low clusters of firm, rubbery-textured green tangled, monstrous stems. This cultivar shows many growing variations, with different crested, monstrous and normal shapes.
- Ferocactus echidne var. rafaelensis (J.A.Purpus): Stem flattened, globular, bluish, the flowers at first yellow-orangish take red-violet tones as they age (Same as: E. echidne v. rhodanthus?) Distribution. Minas de San Rafael, Sierra de Alvarez, San Luis Potosí
- Ferocactus echidne var. rhodanthus G.Unger: Stem ribbed up to 15 cm tall and 9 cm in diameter and central spine up to 6 cm long. Petals orange to brik-red with darker red-violed midribs. Distribution: Hidalgo (Barranca de Tolantongo, Barranca Xilitla), San Luis Potosi ( Ciudad del Maiz)
- Ferocactus echidne var. victoriensis (Rose) G.E.Linds.: This variety has more cylindrical stems with longer central spines (usully more than 4.5 cm long). Distribution: It is found Near Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas.
Ferocactus echidne f. monstruosus Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
Ferocactus echidne f. monstruosus Photo by: Cactus Art
Ferocactus echidne f. monstruosus Photo by: Cactus Art
Ferocactus echidne f. monstruosus Photo by: Cactus Art
Ferocactus echidne f. monstruosus Photo by: Valentino VallicelliSend a photo of this plant.The gallery now contains thousands of pictures, however it is possible to do even more. We are, of course, seeking photos of species not yet shown in the gallery but not only that, we are also looking for better pictures than those already present.
Read More... Cultivation and Propagation: It is a fairly easy plant to grow both grafted or on its own roots. Use very draining soil, water during the aestival growth cycle (this plant need plenty of water) But needs to be avoided wetting the bodies of these plants while they are in sunlight. A wet cactus in the sun light can cause sun burning which can lead to scars or even fungal infections and death. Needs full sun but during the summer it is best to keep the plants outside partially shaded where the temperature can rise to over 30 C with no harm to the plant. Furnish good drainage and use a an open and free draining mineral compost that allows therefore roots to breath. Keep dry at 10°C in winter, but can tolerate sporadic light frost. Feeding may not be necessary at all if the compost is fresh then, feed in summer only if the plant hasn't been repotted recently. Do not feed the plants from September onwards as this can cause lush growth which can be fatal during the darker cold months.
Propagation: By vegetative propagation grafting or stem cuttings from adult plants.
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