Echinocereus reichenbachii
| Light | Bright light to full sun; tolerates strong direct sun |
|---|---|
| Water | Sparingly in growth; keep bone-dry through a cold winter rest |
| Soil | Gritty, very free-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Notably cold-hardy; survives hard frost when dry (roughly USDA zones 5–9) |
| Propagation | Seed; occasionally offsets on clustering forms |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Echinocereus reichenbachii, widely known as the lace cactus, is a cold-hardy hedgehog cactus of the North American Great Plains, prized for the neat, comb-like ("pectinate") spines that clothe its body in a lacy pattern and for its large, showy pink to magenta flowers. It is one of the hardiest cacti a hobbyist can grow, and a firm favourite with outdoor and rock-garden growers who want a cactus that can shrug off a real winter.
Description
Echinocereus reichenbachii forms a cylindrical to egg-shaped stem, typically a few centimetres across and up to 15–20 cm tall, growing solitary or slowly forming small clusters depending on the form. The body is closely ribbed and completely wrapped in short spines that lie flat against the stem in tidy combs along each areole — the "lace" that gives the plant its common name. Spine colour ranges from white through pink to brown, and the density and pattern vary considerably across the species' wide range.
Flowers are the great reward: large, funnel-shaped blooms in bright pink to magenta, often 5–8 cm across, usually with a darker reddish centre and a satiny sheen. They open over several days in late spring to early summer, usually clustered near the top of the stem, and are followed by small spiny fruits. Like other members of Echinocereus, the flower buds push out through the skin of the stem rather than from the growing tip.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to the south-central United States and adjacent Mexico, ranging across the Great Plains and into the desert grasslands — through states such as Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas and southward into northern Mexico. It grows in open grassland, rocky limestone outcrops and gravelly slopes, often nestled among grasses and low shrubs that give it a little shelter.
Because much of this range sees genuinely cold winters, wild plants are adapted to hard frost and even snow, surviving by staying bone-dry and contracting into the ground during the cold months. This natural cold-hardiness is exactly what makes the species so valuable to growers in temperate climates. Several regional variants and subspecies have been described across its range, reflecting the considerable variation in size, spination and flower colour.
Cultivation
Echinocereus reichenbachii is one of the easier hedgehog cacti to please, provided its two firm requirements are met: strong light and sharp drainage. Grow it in a gritty, mostly mineral mix in bright light or full sun; it colours up and flowers best when it gets plenty of sun and does not etiolate readily. Water thoroughly during the warm growing season once the soil has dried, then reduce steadily into autumn.
The key to its famous hardiness is a cold, completely dry winter rest. A plant kept bone-dry can tolerate hard frost, and this cold, dry dormancy is also what triggers the spring flush of flowers. Growers in cold climates often keep it in an unheated greenhouse, a cold frame, or even outdoors in a raised rock garden with overhead protection from winter wet — it is wet cold, not cold itself, that kills. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Seed is the usual method and germinates readily on a warm, gritty surface kept lightly humid; see Propagation — seed. Forms that cluster can also be increased by removing rooted offsets in the warm season and allowing the cut surfaces to callus before potting — see Propagation — offsets. Solitary forms rarely offer offsets, so seed remains the main route for those.
Common problems
- Rot — by far the biggest risk; caused by winter wet or a slow-draining mix. Keep the plant dry and cold in dormancy rather than damp and cold.
- Etiolation — too little light causes weak, elongated growth and poor flowering, though this species resists it better than many.
- Pests — red spider mites and mealybugs can hide among the dense combed spines; inspect the areoles regularly. See Pests and diseases.
- Corking — older stems may develop brown, corky patches at the base with age, which is natural and not a cause for alarm.
See also
- Echinocereus — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — seed · Propagation — offsets · Pests and diseases