Scientific Name
Echinopsis pachanoi f. cristata (informal name)
Accepted Scientific Name
Echinopsis pachanoi (Britton & Rose) Friedrich & G.D.Rowley
Synonym(s)
Trichocereus macrogonus var. pachanoi f. cristatus (informal name), Trichocereus pachanoi f. cristatus (informal name)
Common Name(s)
San Pedro Cactus
Scientific Classification
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Trichocereeae
Genus: Echinopsis
Etymology
The varietal epithet "pachanoi" (pronounced "puh-KAH-no-ee") honors Professor Abelardo Pachano (1885–1958), a famous Ecuadorian who assisted the American botanist Joseph Nelson Rose🡕 on his expedition to South America.
The formal epithet "cristata" (pronounced "kris-TAY-tuh") means "crested" or "tufted" and refers to the crested (fasciated) growth of the plant.
Origin of Echinopsis pachanoi f. cristata
Echinopsis pachanoi f. cristata is a crested form of Echinopsis pachanoi. Although it is typically selected in cultivation, specimens of Echinopsis pachanoi with crested growth can also be found in its native habitat in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.
Description of Echinopsis pachanoi f. cristata
Echinopsis pachanoi f. cristata, also known as Trichocereus pachanoi f. cristatus or Trichocereus macrogonus var. pachanoi f. cristatus, is an odd, slow-growing cactus that forms spectacular mounds of fan-shaped, green to bluish-green stems. It can grow up to 3.3 feet (1 m) tall. The whitish areoles may produce up to 7 dark yellow to light brown spines, each up to 0.8 inches (2 cm) long.
Unfortunately, the crested form of Echinopsis pachanoi usually does not produce flowers.
How to Grow and Care for Echinopsis pachanoi f. cristata
Hardiness: USDA hardiness zone 8b to 10b: from 15°F (-9.4°C) to 50°F (10°C).
If you can grow cacti and succulents successfully, you can likely grow the Echinopsis species without too much trouble. Like many cacti, they prefer a drying period between waterings, even when slightly wilted. When you water, however, you should water deeply. The plant will noticeably plump up. The cactus mustn't be exposed to prolonged dampness and standing water. Never let your cactus sit in a dish of water. Lastly, ensure fertilizer during the growing season for the best results.
Echinopsis can be easily rooted from offsets, which tend to cluster around the base of the mother plant. Cut offsets close to the stem, at the narrowest possible place. When rooting cacti from cuttings, let the fresh cuttings dry out slightly on a paper towel, and cut the cacti at the narrowest point possible. After a few days to a few weeks, depending on the size of the cut surface, it should have dried out and formed a callous or slightly rough opening. Once the callous has formed, place the cutting in a rooting mixture of fast-draining cacti soil.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Echinopsis.
Links
- Back to genus Echinopsis
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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