Echinocereus popularity

[Spikylover]

I've been growing a packet of mixed echinocereus seeds someone got me as a gift and i fell in love with this genus which got me to wondering why aren't echinocerei more pouplar in mass cultivation (as oposed to echinopsis)? They are easy to grow, compact, beautiful looking and some are very hardy. In my opinion their flowers rival that of echinopsis species with beautiful colors even without the need for hybridization. I really like the green stigmas. And i believe flowers last longer than that of echinopsis (?).
Is there something i'm missing as to why they aren't popular (in mass production)? Anyone cares to educate a newbie?
And now that i think about it, why are south American species way more popular than NA species aside from the matter of taste? NA species seem to me to be hardier and stronger and not as fussy (not all of them of course).
Pictured are echinocereus x lloydii, dasyacanthus, triglochidiatus and subinermis.

Regards,
Rachel.

[ElieEstephane]

I don't think it's a matter of south vs north and the southern species being more popular. The south is much more diverse. You have parodias, rebutias, sulcos, echinopsis, lobvias, piloscereus, oreocereus, haageocereus, espostoa, gymnocalycium, copiapoa, eriosyce and so many more. In the north, it's not as diverse with opuntias, mammillarias, thelocactus, pachycereus, stenocereus... some are massive species that are not suitable to greenhouse/apartment growers. Even most southern columnars with a few exceptions aren't as big as northern ones and thus more manageable.
As for echinocereus in mass production, it's out there but i think it's a matter of trends. I have seen several echninocereus species from european producers but in much smaller numbers.

[7george]

I think Echinocerei are slower growing and much less wet-tolerant than most of the mass produced cacti and succulents. That makes them less profitable for many big producers. And maybe these would be hardy enough for conditions in Lebanon but not so much in Europe where mass production is aimed for. Many plant nurseries in USA offer those for sale in great variety.

[DaveW]

A friend of mine specialises in Echinocereus. They are quite popular in the UK but plants do go in fashions. Notocactus is also not as popular as it used to be and that is S. American. In fact I believe for indigenous species Mexico holds the record, though many are in one or two very large genera. Many Echinocerus are "tough as old boots" and stand cold. Both my friend and I grow them in cold greenhouses in the UK though there are one or two that are tender. They also grow quite easily from seed which is freely available.

I am having the "disappearing picture problem" if I put more than one in the same post, so here they are singularly.

Echinocereus apachensis

apachensis.jpg (111.62 KiB) Viewed 876 times

[ElieEstephane]

I am having the "disappearing picture problem" if I put more than one in the same post, so here they are singularly.

The site is currently being moved to a new server and the move should be complete this week and a few glitches are expected. However, posting without previewing seems to work.

[DaveW]

Echinocereus berlandieri (E. pentalophus or procumbens are often found under this name by mistake, but they have white centres to the flower not red as E. berlandieri does)

berlandieri.jpg (116.29 KiB) Viewed 874 times

[DaveW]

Echinocereus knippelianus, one of the miniature species.

knippelianus2.jpg (98.6 KiB) Viewed 873 times

[DaveW]

Echinocereus moricallii

moricalli.jpg (71.54 KiB) Viewed 872 times

[DaveW]

Echinocereus fendleri ssp. rectispinus

rectispinus.jpg (84.23 KiB) Viewed 872 times

[DaveW]

Echinocereus topiensis

topiensis.jpg (51.42 KiB) Viewed 872 times

[DaveW]

Echinocereus viridiflorus ssp. standleyi (an almost brown flower)

viridiflorus standleyi.jpg (115.39 KiB) Viewed 872 times

[Spikylover]

Elie thanks for clarfying. I will pm you about some local questions.
George hopefully the Lebanon situation is temporary. Syria is much hotter, sunnier and drier. I'm confused now since producers offer a variety of super slow species and a variety of non hardy species. So why not echinocereus...
Dave these are some amazing pictures! They wet my apetite
Thanks everyone

[DaveW]

Echinocereus viridiflorus (the name means "green flowered")

viridiflorusSB167.jpg (91.37 KiB) Viewed 870 times

[7george]

I also have some plants of the genus that hope will survive our winter outdoors and some grown inside. But these are all got from friends, ordered online or grown from seeds and seldom available in casual local stores.

[DaveW]

6 of those above I grew from seed. Only the berlandieri and topiensis were either given me or bought as plants. Most of the seed was from ADBLPS or Mesa Gardens that year. Plants shown were about 4 years old from seed at the time.

http://adblps-graines-cactus.com/index_EN.html

http://www.mesagarden.com/