Echinopsis sanguiniflora Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
Origin and Habitat: Salta near the Bolivian border, northern Argentina.
Altitude: 2300-3500 metres above sea level.
Synonyms:
See all synonyms of Echinopsis sanguiniflora
Description: Echinopsis sanguinifloraSN|26075]]SN|26075]] (more often listed under its old name Lobivia sanguinifloraSN|26076]]SN|26076]]) is a small cactus with blood-red flowers mostly with whitish throats, sometimes not.
Habit: Solitary at first, later forming low clumps with few to several stems.
Stems: Flattened globose to globose, light to dark green, to 10 cm high and in diameter.
Roots: It has thick carrotlike taproots.
Ribs: 18, spiraling, obliquely notched. Spines dark at first, sometimes reddish below, becoming gray with age.
Areoles: Nearly circular white, felted.
Central spines: Several, often forming a cross, hooked or strongly curved, at least one to 8 cm long.
Radial spines: About 10, flattened against the stem surface or radiating, 0.8-1.5 cm long.
Flowers: Diurnal, funnel shaped, rising from the basal tubercles on the side of the plant, blood-red, often with whitish throats, to 5 cm long.
Blooming season: It flowers in mid spring on into summer and remain open for about three days. Sometimes it blooms profusely, especially on older plants.
Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
2) 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
3) David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. "The New Cactus Lexicon" dh books, 2006
4) Urs Eggli, Leonard E. Newton: "Etymological Dictionary of Succulent Plant Names." Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg 2010
5) Curt Backeberg, Frederik Marcus Knuth: “Kaktus-ABC. En haandbog for fagfolk og amatører” Kopenhagen 1936
6) David Hunt, Nigel Taylor (Hrsg.): “Notes on miscellaneous genera of Cactaceae.” In: Bradleya. 9: 8 1991,
7) Walter Rausch “Lobivia: The Day Flowering Echinopsidinae from a Geographical Distribution Point of View” Volumes 1-3 R. Herzig, 1975
Echinopsis sanguiniflora 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: Echinopsis sanguinifloraSN|26075]]SN|26075]] is a summer-growing species that offers no cultivation difficulties and regularly shows its small greenish flowers if we provide an adequate winter rest period.
Soil: The substratum must be very porous, slightly acidic, with good drainage.
Repotting: Repotting every 2-3 years. It will need a pot with sufficient depth to allow the tap root. As it is especially prone to rot under-pot in a smaller container filled with very porous compost. Use pot with good drainage.
Watering: Water regularly from March till October (but do not over-water), and keep perfectly dry in winter, at temperatures from 5 to 15 degrees centigrade. In the rest period no high atmospheric humidity!!Care must be taken with watering as they tends to become swollen and untidy in growth habit if given too much water and shade.
Exposition: They require as much sun and light as possible, and pure air availability. Tends to bronze in strong light, which encourages flowering and heavy spine production.
Hardiness: It is quite frost resistant if kept dry (hardy to -5° C or less for short periods of time) Keep drier and cool in winter. The fluctuations of temperature between the day and the night (especially the temperature reduction at night) and fresh soil, greatly contribute to the health of plants. They cannot tolerate stagnant heat.
Fertilization: During the growing season enrich the soil using a fertilizer rich in potassium and phosphorous, but poor in nitrogen, because this chemical element doesn’t help the development of succulent plants, making them too soft and full of water.
Pests & diseases: It may be attractive to a variety of insects, but plants in good condition should be nearly pest-free, particularly if they are grown in a mineral potting-mix, with good exposure and ventilation. Nonetheless, there are several pests to watch for:
- Red spiders: Sensitive to red spider mite. Overhead watering is helpful in controlling mites.
- Mealy bugs: Occasionally mealy bugs they develop aerial into the new growth among the wool with disfiguring results, but the worst types develop underground on the roots and are invisible except by their effects.
- Scales: Scales are rarely a problem.
- Rot: Rot it is only a minor problem with cacti if the plants are watered and “aired” correctly. If they are not, fungicides won't help all that much.
Propagation: Propagate by seed or shoots. Seeds germinate in 7-14 days at 21-27° C in spring, remove the glass cover gradually as the plants develops and keep ventilated, no full sun for young plants! The seedlings should not be disturbed until they are well rooted, after which they can be planted separately in small pots.
