Echinopsis tubiflora
| Light | Bright light with some protection from the harshest afternoon sun |
|---|---|
| Water | Regular in the growing season, letting the mix dry between waterings; keep dry and cool in winter |
| Soil | Fast-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; roughly USDA zones 9–11 |
| Propagation | Offsets (very easy); also seed |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Echinopsis tubiflora is a globular, freely clustering cactus from northern Argentina, prized for its large, long-tubed white flowers that open at night and fill the air with a soft scent. An old and easy-going garden plant, it was one of the species reached for again and again in the early days of Echinopsis hybridizing, and its blood runs through many of the free-flowering hybrids grown today.
Description
Echinopsis tubiflora begins as a solitary green globe and, with age, offsets generously to build up a dense clump of heads. Each stem is more or less spherical to shortly columnar, ribbed with prominent, straight ribs bearing woolly areoles. The spines are relatively short and stiff, with a few longer central spines set among shorter radials, ranging from pale to dark and often darker at the tips.
The flowers are the main event. They arise from areoles on the sides of the stem and open into long, slender-tubed trumpets, typically white, carried on a hairy tube that can be strikingly long relative to the bloom. Flowers open in the evening and through the night, are lightly fragrant, and last a day or two before fading — a classic pattern among the night-blooming echinopsis that hints at moth pollination in habitat.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to northern Argentina, where it grows in dry scrub, grassland and rocky ground. Like many echinopsis, it favours gritty, well-drained soils and tolerates a wide swing between hot days and cool nights, along with a pronounced dry season that it rides out in dormancy.
Cultivation
This is an undemanding and forgiving cactus, well suited to beginners. Grow it in a free-draining, mostly mineral mix in bright light, giving a little shade only from the fiercest summer sun. Water regularly through the warm growing season, letting the mix approach dryness between drinks, then keep the plant dry and cool over winter — a cold, dry rest both prevents rot and encourages a strong flush of flowers in spring and summer. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Its steady clumping habit means plants fill a pot quickly, so an occasional move to fresh mix keeps them vigorous. Because it is so tough and so willing to bloom, E. tubiflora is a good rootstock and a good parent for anyone experimenting with crosses.
Propagation
The easiest route is by offsets: heads pulled or cut from a clump root readily once the cut surface has callused. The species also grows well from seed, which is how new hybrids are raised, and larger cuttings can be struck in the same way as offsets (see Propagation — cuttings).
Cultivars and hybrids
More than a named-cultivar plant, E. tubiflora is historically important as a parent. Its large, long-tubed white flowers and robust, obliging constitution made it a favourite in early hybridizing, and it stands behind many of the modern free-flowering Echinopsis hybrids that pair its shape and vigour with the vivid pinks, reds and oranges of related species. See the Echinopsis genus page for an overview of the hybrid groups.
Common problems
- Rot — the main risk, almost always from overwatering or a slow-draining mix, especially in a cool winter; stems soften and discolour from the base.
- Etiolation — too little light draws the body pale and thin and spoils the neat globular form.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff in the areoles and among the roots) and red spider mites (fine webbing, bronzed skin) are the usual offenders; see Pests and diseases.
See also
- Echinopsis — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — offsets · Propagation — seed · Pests and diseases