Care of the cacti Echinopsis candicans or Argentine Giant |
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The genus Echinopsis, family Cactaceae, comprises 150 species of cactus native to South America. Some species are: Echinopsis candicans, Echinopsis bruchii, Echinopsis aurea, Echinopsis atacamensis, Echinopsis ancistrophora, Echinopsis oxygona, Echinopsis chiloensis, Echinopsis subdenudata, Echinopsis chamaecereus, Echinopsis pachanoi, Echinopsis mamillosa, Echinopsis tarijensis, Echinopsis schieliana, Echinopsis spachiana, Echinopsis schickendantzii, Echinopsis rhodotricha, Echinopsis huascha, Echinopsis peruviana. Common name: Argentine Giant. This species is native to Argentina. They are cacti with a branched columnar bearing that reach 2 meters (6.56 feet) in height. The stem has 9-11 ribs, is light green in color and has white areolas with 10-14 yellowish radial spines and a central spine. The attractive scented flowers are large, white and open at night; they remain open in the early hours of the day. They bloom during the summer. They are easy to grow plants that are used in rockery, in groups in dry and sunny areas of the garden and in gardens of cacti and succulents. Echinopsis candicans prefers full sun exposure and high temperatures. In winter the temperature should not be less than 3 ºC (37.4 ºF). The soil can be a mixture, in equal parts, of coarse sand and leaf mulch. They are low maintenance plants that only need occasional watering in spring and summer; in winter do not water. Fertilize with a little compost in early spring. They do not need pruning. Sometimes they can be attacked by mealybugs. They are sensitive plants to excess humidity. They propagate by seeds sown in spring or by stem cuttings in summer or late spring. |
Images of the cacti Echinopsis candicans or Argentine Giant |
 Echinopsis candicans  Echinopsis candicans  Echinopsis candicans  Echinopsis candicans  Echinopsis candicans  Echinopsis candicans  Echinopsis candicans |