March 2010 Acanthocalycium violaceum
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 11:17 pm
Acanthocalycium violaceum (K. Schumann) Backeberg
Growth Habits: Grows up to 6 inches [15cm] dia and 2 feet [60cm] tall usually solitary, sometimes offsets with age in cultivation.
Scientific name: Acanthocalycium spiniflorum.
Common names: None.
Synonym: Echinopsis violacea, Echinocactus spiniflorum, Echinopsis spiniflora, Lobivia spiniflora, Acanthocalycium spiniflorum, Acanthocalycium violaceum
Etymology: from Greek akantheis (meaning prickly) and kalyx (meaning buds), which refers to the spines on the floral tubes.
violaceum refers to the flower colour.
Origin: Argentina (Cordoba)
Light: Full sun, needs bright sunlight to keep it compact with strong spines.
Compost: A free draining standard cactus mix.
Water: Water in spring to autumn allowing soil to dry well between waterings, keep dry in winter.
Flower: Violaceum form has lilac flowers,spiniflorus has flowers white to pink.
Min temp: Frost hardy to about -12c but is best kept frost free to prevent marking the body.
Cultivation: Easy to grow plant, grows best in a greenhouse in full sun.
References. http://www.cactus-art.biz
http://www.desert-tropicals.com
Comments. The plant has a very distinctive flower tube and i have included an image of the flower buds to illustrate this.
Image showing flower buds.
Growth Habits: Grows up to 6 inches [15cm] dia and 2 feet [60cm] tall usually solitary, sometimes offsets with age in cultivation.
Scientific name: Acanthocalycium spiniflorum.
Common names: None.
Synonym: Echinopsis violacea, Echinocactus spiniflorum, Echinopsis spiniflora, Lobivia spiniflora, Acanthocalycium spiniflorum, Acanthocalycium violaceum
Etymology: from Greek akantheis (meaning prickly) and kalyx (meaning buds), which refers to the spines on the floral tubes.
violaceum refers to the flower colour.
Origin: Argentina (Cordoba)
Light: Full sun, needs bright sunlight to keep it compact with strong spines.
Compost: A free draining standard cactus mix.
Water: Water in spring to autumn allowing soil to dry well between waterings, keep dry in winter.
Flower: Violaceum form has lilac flowers,spiniflorus has flowers white to pink.
Min temp: Frost hardy to about -12c but is best kept frost free to prevent marking the body.
Cultivation: Easy to grow plant, grows best in a greenhouse in full sun.
References. http://www.cactus-art.biz
http://www.desert-tropicals.com
Comments. The plant has a very distinctive flower tube and i have included an image of the flower buds to illustrate this.
Image showing flower buds.