Echinocactus horizonthalonius is native to Mexico (states of Aguascalientes, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Guanajuato, Nuevo León, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi, Sonora, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas) and the USA (Arizona, New Mexico and Texas)...
Echinocactus horizonthalonius, also called as devilshead, turk's head cactus, blue barrel cactus, eagle's claw, horse maimer, horse crippler, visnaga meloncillo, is a species of the genus Echinocactus. This species was described by Charles Antoine Lemaire in 1839.
IDENTIFY ECHINOCACTUS HORIZONTHALONIUS
Echinocactus horizonthalonius is native to Mexico (states of Aguascalientes, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Guanajuato, Nuevo León, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi, Sonora, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas) and the USA (Arizona, New Mexico and Texas). They grows on several types of soils, most often limestone in semi-deserts among dry bushes at altitudes from 600 to 1700 m above sea level.
It is a relatively small barrel-like, usually single cactus with light, gray-green to gray-blue or gray, with a flattened or hemispherical tip, deeply sitting in the substrate stem. With age, the stem becomes spherical or short-cylindrical, slowly grows, reaching 30 cm in height and 15-20 cm in diameter.
Around the stem, there are 5 to 13, most often 8, vertical or spirally twisting ribs. Their facets are broad, rounded, even or slightly narrowed between the rounded, covered with thick white hair at a young age areoles. This species has 5-10 (usually 8) spines per each areola, they are spreading or strongly curved, pink, gray, light brown or brown.
Echinocactus horizonthalonius blooms from the end of March to late May (occasionally on September) with pinkish-red, 5-7 cm in diameter, sometimes up to 9 cm flowers and red or pink, oblong, juicy or semi-dry, not opening or slightly opening through the basal opening fruits.
There is a monstrous form of this cactus, as well as varieties and cultivars: Echinocactus horizonthalonius subs. nicholii (light gray-green or bluish-green stem, and also having eight edges and growing to 50 cm in height and 20 cm across), Echinocactus horizonthalonius cv. Albinous (yellow stalk and contrasting gray-red spines), Echinocactus horizonthalonius cv. Sirotoge Suiheimaru (Japan cultivar with short spines).
ECHINOCACTUS HORIZONTHALONIUS CARE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Temperature:
The average temperature is 20-25 ° C from spring to autumn . You can increase the temperature to 30 ° C if there is a slowing or stopping of growth. In winter, you need to keep Echinocactus horizonthalonius with the minimum temperature of 0 ° C, although this cactus can withstand even -10 ° C.
Light:
This cactus needs the maximum amount of sun, it tolerates bright light well, but in summer it is better to lighten it slightly during the most hot time of the day.
Watering and humidity:
The plants are quite content with the natural humidity of the air. However, in the summer it is recommended from time to time to carry out finely dispersed sprayings, which will replace the loss of dew. They are easily affected by rot, so it is necessary to watering with caution. Watered in spring and summer only after the complete drying of the soil. In autumn, the amount of water is reduced, and in winter the plants are kept in dry mode.
Substrate:
This Echinocactus prefers a well drained mineral soil with the addition of some limestone. The optimal recipe for composition includes: 1 part of vermicomposting, 1 part perlite, 2 parts of river coarse-grained sand, 2 parts loam (light clay soil with an admixture of humus). Also add crumb of birch charcoal and small expanded clay. Such a soil will quickly saturate with moisture, and when dry it does not become solid, unlike peat mixtures.
Fertilizer and repotting:
Fertilizer is needed in the spring-summer period: once every 3-4 weeks . It is advisable to use balanced fertilizers for cacti. It is possible to replace complex minerals with a low nitrogen content.
Repot the plants only as needed. Young once in two years, adults - every five to six years. To watering they start one week after the procedure.
Some possible difficulties:
Decay of the root system causes of excess watering, using cold water: you needs to repot the plants immediately, pruning of damaged roots, and treatment with fungicides.
Wrinkling of the stem causes of lack of water: you needs to water the plant with sediment water, follow the recommendations for care.
Old spines are crumbling, new pale and thin causes of lack of lightning: you needs to move the plant to a brighter place, or more amount of light place.
Grow from seeds:
Cactus seedlings are very fragile on the first weeks and survival depends on how they are treated on that crucial stage; out of 100 of seeds in the wild only a few survive to an adult plant to produce seeds and start the cycle again. Obtaining a high percentage of adult plants from a batch of seedlings, depends on how each collector takes care of their seedlings.
Water for seedlings is the most important item to keep them growing for first few weeks. Generally, most seedlings, which are 1 week old will die after 3 days of dryness. 2 month-old seedlings can survive for 1 week if allowed to dry. 6 month-old seedlings can survive for 2 months if allowed to dry. 1 year-old seedlings can survive for 5 months if allowed to dry.
Planting instructions for 4”pot kit: First, clean with water and chlorine plastic pot, clear cover and label and wash with fresh water. Second, the soil can be sterilized for 2 hours at 120º C in an oven or a microwave but can be used without sterilization. Third, fill the pot with soil and spray with distilled, reverse osmosis or pure rainwater to let soil flatten at the top. Fourth, place to 1/8 to 1/4 inch layer of Dyna Rock or crushed sea shell extra fine on top to cover the soil making a layer between soil and seeds. Fifth, place seeds over the Dyna Rock and fine spray water the seeds well and cover with a clearcover.
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