🌱 Morphology
 The classic one... Globose to shortly cylindrical cactus, initially solitary but with a marked tendency to produce numerous basal offsets and form large, compact clusters. The stems are bright green to grayish-green, approximately 5–25 cm in diameter, with 11–18 straight, rounded, and well-defined ribs. The areoles, slightly sunken, feature highly variable radial and central spines: generally 3–15 radial and 1–5 central, ranging from short and barely visible to robust and several centimeters long. This spination variability has historically led to plants being described under other names, although Joël Lodé integrates them into Echinopsis oxygona.

🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Native to southern Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina, where it grows from low-lying areas up to approximately 1000 m, in grasslands, deciduous forests, rocky outcrops, and cliffs. It belongs to the Cactaceae family, Cactoideae subfamily, and Trichocereeae tribe. Nomenclature follows Joël Lodé, Taxonomy of the Cactaceae (2026), volumes III–VI.

❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 8b
Tolerates minimum temperatures down to −9 ºC in dry and well-acclimatized specimens. Cold resistance depends especially on the substrate remaining completely dry. Cultivation sources place it in USDA 8b–11b.

☀️ Lighting
Requires intense lighting and can be grown in full sun, although in very hot summer climates it may appreciate some protection during the central hours of the day. As a general guideline during active growth, a DLI PAR of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ is recommended.

💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter rest. It is a relatively active and fast-growing species for a cactus. During spring and summer, it is recommended to water abundantly and allow the substrate to dry completely before the next watering. In autumn, reduce inputs progressively until keeping it dry during the winter. During the cold period, excess humidity considerably reduces its resistance.

🌸 Flowering
Produces some of the most spectacular flowers among globose cacti: large, funnel-shaped, nocturnal, and highly fragrant, they arise laterally on long tubes covered in small scales and hairs. They can reach approximately 20–22 cm in length and up to 20 cm in diameter. Their coloration varies from white to pink, purplish-pink, or lavender. They usually open at dusk and, on hot days, may wilt the following day. A well-developed adult plant can produce numerous flowers simultaneously.

🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with high assimilable calcium content and low nitrogen levels such as Desert CHOICE® Cactáceas is recommended, applied once a month during watering. Before flowering, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Floración.

This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a technological square pot and with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi.

S -> 9cm x 9cm

M-> 14cm x 14 cm

* As this is an online purchase, the appearance of the sent specimen may vary slightly from the product image. The photo description specifies the plant's measurements, but this can also vary slightly because, it is a living being! Each of the plants at Desert CITY has unique characteristics.