Cactus in bloom
Echinopsis 'Romance' flower
The South-American natives, Echinopsis, are not the most attractive cacti. They are often slightly off color with yellow or brown patches instead of a healthy green, they do not have particularly interesting spines and yet I cannot help but always have a few around. So what is their appeal? Why when space is limited to I feel the need to keep them in the collection?
Echinopsis 'Romance'
I guess from the photos the answer is obvious…though the flowers only last for a day or two, they are spectacular. Not only are they huge and intensely colored but they are structurally beautiful too. It is easy to see the reproductive parts – Echinopsis have two sets of stamens – those forming a ring just above the petals and those in the throat of the flower. The stigma is in the very center.
Echinopsis 'Romance' stamens and stigma
Echinopsis are very commonly cultivated so there are hundreds to choose from with flower colors ranging from whites, yellows and oranges through to pinks and deep reds.
Though this particular plant Echinopsis ‘Romance’ is part of our back up collection, there are many cultivars on display in the Cactus and Succulent House located in the Rock Alpine Garden. Seeing one in bloom is not guaranteed as they really do only bloom for a day at varying points throughout the year but if you do get to see one you will not be disappointed.
August 7, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Holy wow that’s beautiful!
August 8, 2009 at 9:44 am
Are any of them hardy in our climate, or are they all inside plants?
August 10, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Unfortunately they are inside plants in Denver – there is some hope of finding one or two of the straight species (as opposed to the hybrids like the ones discussed above) that might be hardy in the right microclimate so we keep trying them in Dryland Mesa, but so far no luck.