Growth Habits: Solitary or slowly clumping, cylindrical stems, 4-8 inches tall (10-20 cm), 1.2 to 2.4 inches in diameter (3-6 cm); (12-)20-23 obtuse ribs; areoles oval, young areoles carry the more brightly coloured spines; 1 to 6 short central spines; 16 to 30 pectinate radials, 0.4 inch long (1 cm). Some plants characteristically grow bands of colour. This plant of mine, which is about 5 years old has uniform colour all over the plant.
Scientific name: Echinocereus pectinatus var. rubrispinus
Common names: Rainbow candle cactus
Synonym: Echinocactus pectinatus, Echinocereus pectinatus var. saltilloenis, Echinocactus pectiniferus, Cereus pectinatus, Echinocereus pectinatus
Etymology: The generic name "Echinocereus" derives from the Greek word Echinos meaning "porcupine or hedgehog", "sea urchin” referring to the spines that cover the plant,. and the Latin word Cereus meaning "large wax candle" (the name of a columnar cactus Genus). Pectinatus, from the Latin word pecten, meaning comb and adjective atus, meaning possessive of or likeness of. Rubrispinus, having red coloured spines.
Origin: South Western United States and parts of Northern Mexico
Light: The plant will accept full sun quite readily.
Compost: A rich free draining compost is ideal.
Water: Give water on the cautious side. A good drench and then allow the compost to become almost dry. Do not water in long periods of dull weather.
Flower: Echinocereus arguably carry some of the most spectacular flowers of all cacti and this plant is no exception. See the inset on the photograph.
Fruit: Typical hairy fruit, as with the flowers, quite large in relation to the plant.
Min. temp: Most books give a minimum temperature around the 50°f. (10°c.) but personally I have found many of the Echinocereus genus to be able to stand much lower temperatures than that, as long as the compost is perfectly dry. I have left them in a cold greenhouse that will hover just above freezing with no ill effects, but to be safe I would say 45°f is adequate.
Cultivation: Not a difficult plant to grow as long as you can give it plenty of sunshine and are not too heavy handed with the watering can. The genus will almost always reward you with superb flowers, that are enormous in relation to the size of the plant. Again the books will tell you that they are relatively slow growing, but under my own growing conditions I find they move along reasonably quickly. I think that this tends to prove that there are no hard and fast rules for living things, which of course includes cacti and all succulents.
Habitat: These plants grow among the rocks in the grasslands at heights of 4,000 to 5,000 feet. They get plenty of sunshine, clean air and though in winter they may sometimes have a covering of snow, the conditions are cold but dry.
Comments: I have always had a few Echinocereus in my collection. They are the epitome of many people’s idea of exactly what a cactus should look like. But they are not my favourite genus, so many are too much alike, but that is only my own personal taste (sincere apologies to all Echinocereus lovers, but we all have our favourite genus. Mine as many of you probably know is Astrophytum). However the variety rubrispinus is a really striking plant and not at all difficult to grow, even though it does have an exotic look about it. I am really proud of this particular one as the colour is exactly as seen in the photograph, it has not been enhanced or doctored in any way. A fitting plant for the Christmas month.
flowering image added by hob
