All the information and photos in cactus art file are now available also in the new the Enciclopedia of Cacti. We hope you find this new site informative and useful.

Echinofossulocactus vaupelianus forma cristata.
 

Description: E. vaupepelianus has a woolly, spiny apex; the ribs are slender ribs deeply notched wavy and corrugated; Areoles are at first covered with white felt. The beautiful crested form is very rare in collection and highly priced.
Spines: Centrals 1 or 2 (to 4), growing one above the other, which of variable length up to7 cm. long. They are sharp and needlelike, sometimes flattened, pointing upward at first and then outward, brownish-black at their apex and somewhat reddish lower down. Radials (10 to) 15 to 25 slender, almost transparent white, 1-1.5 cm long straight or slightly curved, and radially arranged, overlapping each other above the ribs.
Flowers: The flowers are 2 (2,5) cm. long, often remain squeezed between the apical spines, and have pale yellow, creamy-white or pink segments with a darker mid-stripe.
 

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Scientific name: Echinofossulocactus vaupelianus (Werdermann) H. C. Whitmore 1934
Forma cristata

Origin: Garden origin (Nursery produced cultivar)

Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 2.

Synonyms:

• Echinofossulocactus vaupelianus (Werdermann) H. C. Whitmore 1934
  = Stenocactus vaupelianus (Werdermann) F. M. Knuth 1935, (Mexico)
  = Echinocactus vaupelianus Werdermann 1931
  = Echinofossulocactus vaupelianus  (Werdermann) Tieg. and Oehme
  = Ferocactus vaupelianus (Werdermann) N. P. Taylor 1980
• Echinofossulocactus albatus (A. Dietrich) Britton et Rose 1922
  = Echinocactus albatus A. Dietrich 1846
  = Stenocactus albatus (A. Dietrich) F. M. Knuth 1935
  = Brittonrosea albata,
• Stenocactus rectispinus,
   

Cultivation:   It is a fairly easy plant to grow both grafted or in its own roots. During the summer it is best to keep the plants outside where the temperature can rise to over 30 C with no harm to the plant. Furnish good drainage and use a an open and free draining mineral compost that allows therefore roots to breath. They like only a short winter's rest and should be kept almost completely dry during the winter months, If the soil is allowed to be dry for too long root loss could follow but equally the same result would occur if the plants are both wet and cold. From March onwards the plant will begin to grow and watering should be increased gradually until late May when the plant should be in full growth.
Water regularly during the summer so long as the plant pot is allowed to drain and not sit in a tray of water. During hot weather you may need to water the plants more frequently so long as the plant is actively growing. From late September watering should be reduced to force the plant to go in to a state of semi dormancy, by October you should be back in to the winter watering regime.
Need full sun avoiding only the harshest summer sun, if kept too dark they may become overly lush and greener and could be prone to rotting due to over watering.
Feeding may not be necessary at all if the compost is fresh then, feed in summer only if the plant hasn't been repotted recently. Do not feed the plants from September onwards as this can cause lush growth which can be fatal during the darker cold months.

Propagation: By vegetative propagation grafting or stem cuttings from adult plants.

Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms an cultivars:

• Echinofossulocactus vaupelianus
• Echinofossulocactus vaupelianus forma cristata
• Echinofossulocactus albatus  with wooly apex, dense white radial spines, yellow (or tan) central spines and yellow or whitish flowers is now included as a synonym of E. vaupelianus.
• Echinofossulocactus albatus forma cristata

All the information and photos in cactus art file are now available also in the new the Enciclopedia of Cacti. We hope you find this new site informative and useful.