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Variegation: A variegated plant has sectors, patches or stripes
with two or more different colours, even distinct shades of green.
Plants with variegated stems or leaves are often
attractive and
highly prized.
In most species the
stems or leaves are normally green, and variegated epidermis is an
uncommon
mutation, termed a
chimera. A chimeral variegation is due to losing the ability to
produce
chlorophyll in some of the plant’s
tissue, so that this tissue is no longer green. Tissues lacking
chlorophyll are usually white or pale yellow coloured (due to
carotenoid
pigments) or red (due to
betalain or
anthocyanin pigments) contrasting with the normal green tissue.
There are several forms of variegation, depending on the tissues that
have been affected. The variegation in some forms is unstable. The
extent and nature of the variegation can vary, and sometimes the plant
will return to the green form. In others it is stable and does not
change under normal conditions. Because the variegation is due to the
presence of two kinds of plant tissue, propagating the plant must be by
a
vegetative method of
propagation that preserves both types of tissue in relation to each
other.
Cultivation: Variegated
echinofossulocacti are regarded as choice and difficult in cultivation,
but
despite that
they are
relatively easy to care for, and flower. But be aware that
they cannot tolerate prolonged exposure to direct sunlight
(especially during the hottest summer days), so grow them in half-shade
or under filtered sun. They are sometime seen as grafted plants, but
many grow well on their own roots, too.
On the contrary,
the
albinos can survive only if grafted on a strong green base.
Use mineral well-permeable substratum with little organic matter (peat, humus). Water
sparingly from
March till October, and keep perfectly dry in
winter
at temperatures from 5 to 15 degrees centigrade.
(In general these plants are more tender and cannot endure
freezing temperatures). In
the rest period no high atmospheric humidity!!
Propagation: Almost usually by seed. Plants are often
grafted onto column-shaped cacti.
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