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L. principis is one of the most distinctive, and
fascinating cacti.
With its long glaucous-green tubercles, tipped by equally long papery
spines, it is unlike anything else.
It is slow-growing and has a large, tuberous taproot.
Older plant forms a short cylindrical shaped stem.
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Photo
and © copyright by
Andrea
B. (Bologna, Italy)
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Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and
cultivars of Leuchtenbergia principis:
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Family:
Cactaceae (Cactus
Family)
Scientific name: Leuchtenbergia principis
W. J. Hooker 1848
Common name: Agave Cactus
Origin: North-central
Mexico (San Luis Potosi, Chihuahua)
Although occurring over a rather large area, these cacti are sparsely
scattered and can be difficult to localize.
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Description: Solitary, or slowly offsetting it is very
slow-growing but can eventually grow up to 70 cm high, with a
cylindrical stem which becomes bare and corky at the base with age. It
has long, slender, bluish -green triangular tubercles 6-15 cm long, with
purplish-red blotches at their tips. The axils are woolly, the areoles
is at the tip of the tubercle; The tubercles are topped with papery
spines, making the plant resemble an agave; central spines1-2, up to 4
10 cm long ; radials 8 to 14, up to 5 cm long; old, basal tubercles dry
up and fall off.
Flowers arise from the areole at the tip of the tubercles on
mature plant (at least 4-5 years old) they are large, funnel-shaped,
fragrant, yellow, 5-10 cm wide. They are followed by green smooth fruit.
When ripe the bottom of the fruit open and release several hundred large
seeds.
Leuchtenbergia (like the Astrophytums) flowers
intermittently throughout the warm months from spring to autumn.
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The long papery spines resemble to old blades of grass and help
the plant in nature to camouflage in the desert grassland making them
remarkably hard to spot.
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Leuchtenbergia is a monotypic genus (having only a single
species). However, despite its very different appearance it is closely
related to Ferocactus and hybrids have been created between these two
genera. This hybrid are known with the name
Ferobergia.
◄ Left:
Ferobergia
(Leuchtenbergia principis x
Ferocactus fordii) |
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Cultivation: It grow easily from seed in cultivation. Despite being
revered by many collectors, they are not too difficult. The
Leuchtenbergia has a strong tap root and should have a deep pot to
accommodate it. Water carefully, lack of water will make the tip of the
tubercles yellow. Too much water will make it rot. Keep dry at minimum
temperature of 5° C in winter although will tolerate brief periods to -8
degrees. Sun Exposure: Full sun to light shade.
Propagation: Seeds.
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