E. cinerascens has very spiny semi-erect or
decumbent stems.
Some seedling take a
strong nice red colouration during the winter month. |
Description: Clumping semi-erect to decumbent cacti.
Stems: Soft, pale green (that redden in full sun and with
freezing climate), up to 30 cm tall, 4-10 cm in diameter; erect or
slightly prostrate as they age.
Ribs: 5 to 8 (-12) blunt prominent, slightly warty;
Spines: 1 to 4 (- 6) central spines, 2-4.5 cm long; 7-10 radials,
1-5.5 cm long.
Areoles: Circular largely spaced.
Flowers: Large pink to purple open petaled in abundance, up to 12 cm
in diameter usually with yellow or cream throat. They come from the
side areoles.
Fruit: Greenish spiny edible and delicious (tastes similar
to strawberries just like Echinocereus engelmannii and
Echinocereus
stramineus do)
Echinocereus cinerascens
comprises two forms:
-
E. cinerascens var.
cinerascens: (México Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Querétaro, San Luís
Potosí and Zacatecas) shortly cylindrical semi-erect , clumping with
largely spaced areoles.
-
E. cinerascens var
ehrenbergii (Mexico Hidalgo and Querétaro) clumping decumbent 4.
flowers pink to purple. Radial spines more numerous 10-12, centrals 1-4.
Flowers pink to purple.
Cultivation: Rot
easily it is sensitive to overwatering (rot prone)
needs a very good drainage to avoid rotting,
Keep drier and cool in winter. Need full sun. Cold resistant
above approx - 4C or less for short periods of time.
Propagation: Cutting as it branches freely from the base; Also can
be grown from seeds.
Photo of conspecific
taxa, varieties, forms and
cultivars
of
plants belonging to the
Echinocereus pentalophus
complex
(This
Taxon has lots of synonyms (like
most Echinocereus) with several controversial
varieties and subspecies):
|