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Echinopsis 'SIERRA SKYLINE' ISI 97-26; HBG 80612, Schick 1243-25.
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Description:
This delicate cultivar has fragrant
apricot to salmon frilled petals,
it is the result of more than 20 years of devoted work by cacti
enthusiast and hybridiser Bob Schick .
Stem: Semi
globular to shortly columnar, up to 10 cm in diameter and freely
pupping,
Central spines: Up to 20 mm long.
Flower: Up to 14 cm across. Inner petals obovate, obtuse and
prominently lacerate, inners dark apricot to salmon. Outers projecting
beyond inner and intermediate petals, mainly light purplish-pink.
Filaments: Dark terra cotta.
Anthers and
stigma: Cream coloured.
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Cultivation: These plants are summer
growers species that offer no cultivation difficulties. Grow them in
rich, airy, porous, growing medium which mainly consists of non organic
material such us clay, pumice, lava grit, and only a little peat or
leaf-mould. If potted, repot preferably in the spring, if their roots
become cramped. Generally, they should be repotted every other year in
order to provide fresh soil. However, this doesn't necessarily mean
they'll need larger containers. Fill about a quarter of the pot with
broken crocks, gravel, etc. to promote good drainage. After repotting,
do not water for a week or more. Water regularly in summer (but do not
overwater), and let their soil dry out between waterings, keep rather
dry in winter. No water should ever be allowed to stand around the
roots. Feed with a high potassium fertilizer in summer.
Exposure: Outside they need a bright exposure, full sun
or half shade in summer if the location is exceedingly hot or bright,
inside needs bright light, and some direct sun.
It can tolerate moderate shade, and a plant that has been growing
in shade should be slowly hardened off before placing it in full sun as
the plant will be severely scorched if moved too suddenly from shade
into sun.
Frost Tolerance: Light frost protection required for safe
cultivation, but many
of the hybrids very frost resistant if kept dry (The hardiness varies
from -5°C to -12° C depending on clone).
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Family:
Cactaceae (Cactus
Family)
Origin:
Garden origin (A
distictive cultivar created by
cacti enthusiast and hybridiser Bob
Schick
)
Conservation status: Listed in
CITES appendix 2.
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Flowers are
without equal
for
their delicate beauty.
Buds |
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Propagation: Easy to
propagate from cuttings. Most of the Echinopsis clones produce
shoots and can be reproduced exclusively by
cuttings. The cuttings will take root in a minimum temperature
of 20° C. Cuttings of healthy shoots can be taken in the spring and
summer, Cut them with a sharp, sterile knife, leave the cutting in a
warm, dry place for a week or weeks (depending on how thick the cutting
is) until a callus forms over the wound. Once the callus forms, the
cutting may be inserted in a container filled with firmed cactus potting
mix topped with a surface layer of coarse grit. They should be placed in
the coarse grit only; this prevents the cut end from becoming too wet
and allows the roots to penetrate the rich compost underneath. The
cuttings should root in 2 to 6 weeks.
How to Grow new hybrid from seeds: The reproduction by seed is
also possible but the offspring will not be identical to the mother
plant. The Echinopsis will produce several fruit with hundreds of seeds
each season. After the flower dies off and the pods are ripen it is
possible to collect them from under the dried flower. Then place the
seeds in some water to
soak overnight. Fill germination trays with a well blended mixture
of 60%
peat moss 40%
vermiculite and one to one part of coarse
sand or
pumice. Use a horse syringe to suck the small seeds and some of the
water into the syringe. With the syringe, distribute the seeds evenly in
the
germination tray, shaking the syringe so the seeds don't settle at
the bottom and all come out at once. Place then the trays in
filtered sun, cover with a glass sheet and keep the soil moist until
the seeds
germinate in approximately 2 to 6 weeks. They will look like small
green spheres, somehow red in bright light. Then gradually remove the
glass cover. When the small cacti start to sprout tiny spines, use a
pair of tweezers to transfer them from the propagation trays into 5 cm
pots filled with the same soil mix used in the germination trays. Allow
the small cacti to grow for about one/two year and then move the cacti
to 10 cm pots and allow them to grow further.
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