Echinocactus grusonii f. cristata
Echinocactus grusonii f. cristata, commonly called the crested golden barrel, is a fan-forming mutant of the familiar golden barrel cactus. Instead of the single spherical growing point of a normal barrel, the crested form has a growing point that has fasciated — stretched into a line — so the plant piles up into undulating, brain-like ridges armoured with the species' bright golden spines. It is grown purely for this sculptural, wave-like habit.
Care follows the parent species, Echinocactus grusonii; see that page for full details.
Description
A crest arises when the normal single growing point of Echinocactus grusonii fasciates and multiplies along a line rather than a point. The result is a solid, wavy fan or cluster of folded ridges, still clothed in the golden-yellow spines and dense crown wool that make the species so recognisable. No two crested plants are quite alike: some form neat symmetrical fans, others heap up into rippling, coral-like mounds as they age.
Crests are inherently unstable. A crested plant will often throw reversions — normal, round barrel heads that pop out of the ridge and, if left, can overpower the flat growth. Growers usually cut these off to keep the crest in character. Flowering is uncommon and, when it happens, sporadic along the crown line.
Cultivation
Grow the crested golden barrel exactly as you would the parent species: bright light, a very free-draining mostly mineral mix, thorough watering only once the soil has dried out completely, and a dry, cool winter rest. See Echinocactus grusonii and Watering for the full routine.
A few points are specific to crested plants:
- Watering the folds. The convoluted ridges trap water and hold it against the body. Water at the roots rather than over the crown, and give good air movement so the crevices dry quickly — trapped moisture is the main cause of rot in crests.
- Grafting. Many crested golden barrels are sold grafted onto a vigorous columnar rootstock, which speeds up the naturally slow growth and lifts the crest clear of the soil. Grafted plants grow faster and fatter but can look less natural than a plant on its own roots; both are fine to keep.
- Removing reversions. Cut out any round, normal heads promptly to stop them dominating the flat growth.
- Light. Give strong light to keep the spines golden and the growth tight; too little light etiolates the crest and dulls the colour.
Vegetative propagation is possible by cutting and rooting a section of the crest, or by grafting a piece onto rootstock; see Grafting and Propagation — cuttings. Crested plants do not come true from seed.
See also
- Echinocactus grusonii — the parent species
- Echinocactus — the genus overview
- Grafting · Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — cuttings