Summer is here, and everything is slowing down. This includes our cacti — there are far fewer flowers now than in previous months.
I’m finally getting around to posting these photos taken in June. I know it’s a bit late, but they’re too pretty not to share.
There isn’t much text in this post, it’s 90% photos. Lean back and enjoy!
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| Echinocereus rigidissimus var. albiflorus, the white-spined and white-flowering form of the Arizona rainbow cactus. The flowers are such a pure white, they positively glow. |
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| Astrophytum asterias ‘Super Kabuto V-Type’ |
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| Astrophytum ornatum |
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| Echinopsis ‘June Noon’ |
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| Mammillaria longimamma |
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| Echinopsis ‘For Norma’ |
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| Echinopsis ‘Tondelayo’ |
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| Echinopsis ‘Southern Belle’ |
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| Echinopsis ‘Napaea’ |
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| Echinopsis ‘Flying Saucer’, third round of flowers |
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| Unidentified lobivia hybrid |
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| Acanthocalycium spiniflorum f. violaceum |
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| Echinopsis ‘Flatty Cake’, 14 flowers open at the same time |
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| Echinopsis ‘Flatty Cake’ |
Most of the cacti above have set fruit, which is now ripening. If I wanted to, I could collect thousands of seeds – literally. But what would I do with them? I have enough to do as it is.
I did, however, collect seeds from my two favorite echinopsis hybrids. They were pollinated by the bees during the
May megabloom, and with so many other echinopsis in flower at the time, it’s impossible to know who the pollen parents were. In fact, it’s conceivable that each flower received pollen from a different echinopsis. You know those bees; they can be pretty frantic as they buzz back and forth.
Here’s the first hybrid I collected seeds from, Echinopsis ‘Super Apricot’:
 | | Echinopsis ‘Super Apricot’ |
 | | Echinopsis ‘Super Apricot’ |
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And here’s the second one, Echinopsis ‘Pink Stripes’, my favorite out of all the cacti that have flowered this year:
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| Echinopsis ‘Pink Stripes’ in the early morning shade |
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| Echinopsis ‘Pink Stripes’ |
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| Echinopsis ‘Pink Stripes’ |
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| Echinopsis ‘Pink Stripes’, same flower later in the day in full sun. It’s amazing how much the colors appear to change. |
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| Echinopsis ‘Pink Stripes’ |
I lightly fertilize all my echinopsis hybrids after each wave of flowers. I use an organic 3-4-5 bloom fertilizer (
Espoma Flower-Tone), and I’ve been very happy with the results.
© Gerhard Bock, 2025. All rights reserved. To receive all new posts by email, please subscribe here.
I've never seen the all white bloom on AZ rainbow cactus before, it's lovely. 'Flatty Cake' is so exuberant. I hope that the bees united the 'Super Apricot' and 'Pink Stripes' - it will be exciting to see what comes from the seeds in any case. I need to be better about fertilizing, the payoff is worth it.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen Echinocereus rigidissimus var. albiflorus before. I have the pink one; however, I don't understand what I do wrong. I've tried at least 4 plants and they end up getting skinny and misshapen and I discard them. It isn't the water because I water as I do my other cactus. Maybe I'll try the white one and see what happens! I love the Echinopsis 'Super Apricot'. I am determined not to get any more Echinopsis though. They have to be covered here all summer and I hate that. Your flowers are so wonderful, Gerhard!
ReplyDeleteYou've had tremendous success with your flowering cacti, Gerhard. I'm very impressed! You could go into a side business selling the plants if you collected seeds but I can only imagine how long they take to reach their bloom state from seed. That Astrophytum asterias is unique and, in that case, I'm as appreciative of the plant as its flowers.
ReplyDeleteWow the blooms keep on coming. Must be hard to choose a favourite but Pink Stripes is lovely. Southern Belle is a close runner up. It will be interesting to see what the seeds you collected look like in bloom. How long will they take to go from seedling to flower? The Astrophytum's are pretty special too.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, they are beautiful, indeed. I smiled as I viewed your photos and read your post. Those hybrids are really special--the colors and the forms. I mean, I don't have a favorite, but those are special for many reasons. :)
ReplyDelete