Echinopsis chiloensis - (Syn: Trichocereus chiloensis)

Quisco
Size
ex 1L pots
Availability: In stock
£29.99
Quick Overview
  • Chunky columnar cactus
  • Chalky brown spines and white flower
  • Full sun with little water
  • Hardy outdoors in mild areas or stunning houseplant
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Echinopsis chiloensis is a medium to large growing columnar cactus with chunky upright growth that branches usually from the base but occasionally higher up on the trunk. It is endemic to north-central Chile from roughly inland of La Serena in the north to around Talca to the south, growing on coastal valley slopes and steep mountains at elevations from about 500-2000 metres above sea level.

It forms stout trunks with chalky brown spines and when mature it produces spectacular white flowers. These are followed by edible fruit which are readily consumed by birds, mamals and ants ensuring a wide seed dispersal. Because of this is it widespread and relatively common throughout northcentral Chile yet is rarely seen in collections.

Echinopsis chiloensis needs full sun and a well-drained substrate. It is cold tolerant and hardy to about -8C and can be grown outdoors in warmer more favourable regions of the UK if you know what you are doing. It is far from the hardiest outdoor cactus and probably shouldn't be considered by someone who is just beginning to grow cacti outdoors in the UK. It will need a very free-draining soil ideally on a steep rocky gradient to match the arid slopes of its native range. Watering should stop from around early to mid-October and not start again until the sunnier warmest days of early Spring, usually mid to late March. It should be kept dry overwinter and fleeced in extreme sub-zero temperatures.

Before you work up to planting Echinopsis chiloensis out in the garden, it does make a stunning houseplant and is ideal in a large terracotta container in a sunny conservatory. It is also fine in an unheated glasshouse and kept fleeced throughout the winter.


Additional Information

Order Caryophyllales
Family Cactaceae
Sub-Family Cactoideae
Synonyms Cactus chilensis, Cactus chiloensis, Cereus chiloensis, Cereus chiloensis var. brevispinulus, Cereus chiloensis var. eburneus, Cereus chiloensis f. eburneus, Cereus chiloensis var. flavescens, Cereus chiloensis var. fulvibarbis, Cereus chiloensis var. heteromorphus, Cereus chiloensis var. lamprochlorus, Cereus chiloensis var. panhoplites, Cereus chiloensis var. poselgeri, Cereus chiloensis var. pycnacanthus, Cereus chiloensis var. quisco, Cereus chiloensis var. zizkaanus, Cereus coquimbanus, Cereus fulvibarbis, Cereus panoplaeatus, Cereus pycnacanthus, Cereus quintero, Cereus zizkaanus, Echinocereus chiloensis, Echinopsis chiloensis var. eburnea, Eulychnia eburnea, Trichocereus chiloensis
Geographical Origin Chile
Cultivation Full sun sun. Warmth. Well-drained substrate. Requires little water but responds well to regular watering in the growing season. Keep totally dry in winter. Outdoors in mild areas but fleece in cold spells. Fab houseplant
Eventual Height 1.3m
Eventual Spread 1m
Hardiness Hardy to about -8C. Ok in mild more southerly areas with a sheltered south-facing xeric garden. Will take mild frost and snow if kept dry in a well-drained substrate. Cover with several layers of fleece in seriously cold weather. Great houseplant
Echinopsis chiloensis - (Syn: Trichocereus chiloensis)
Quisco
Size
ex 1L pots
Availability: In stock
£29.99
You could receive 20 Palm Points for writing a review for this product.
Add to My Wishlist Add to Compare Email to a Friend
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