Soehrensia formosa (ex. Lobivia) | Andean llama
€7,95
🌱 Morphology
Giant of the Andes... Cactus with an imposing habit, initially solitary, although with age it can branch from the base and form groups. The stems are globose, ovoid to cylindrical, light green to bluish-green in color, and can reach approximately 1.5 m in height and 25–50 cm in diameter. It features between 27 and 50 rounded ribs, deeply marked by grooves and tubercles. The dark areoles are very close together and produce between 9 and 15 radial spines, along with 2–9 yellowish, reddish, or brownish central spines, some of which are up to 20 cm long.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Its distribution encompasses northwestern Argentina, Bolivia, and northern Chile, where it inhabits dry, rocky environments of the Andes, reaching altitudes of over 4,000 m. It belongs to the Cactaceae family, Cactoideae subfamily, and Trichocereeae tribe. The name used follows the classification by Joël Lodé in Taxonomy of the Cactaceae, volumes III–VI, 2026. Its historical names include Echinocactus formosus, Lobivia formosa, Trichocereus formosus, and Echinopsis formosa.
❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 7b–11b
It tolerates minimum temperatures of down to −15 ºC in dry, well-acclimated specimens protected from persistent humidity. Its origin in the Andes explains its high cold resistance.
☀️ Lighting
It requires a very bright exposure, preferably in full sun. High light intensity promotes compact growth, well-developed spination, and abundant flowering. As a guideline during active growth, a PAR DLI of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ is recommended.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter rest. During spring and summer, it undergoes active growth and it is recommended to water abundantly, allowing the substrate to dry out completely between waterings. In autumn, water intake is progressively reduced until it is kept completely dry during the winter. For specimens from high-altitude areas, dry cold is much more favorable than the combination of low temperatures and humidity.
🌸 Flowering
It produces large, broadly bell-shaped flowers, approximately 6–9 cm in length and diameter, which appear near the apex and open during the day. Their coloration is extraordinarily variable, from red and orange-red to orange and yellow, creating a spectacular contrast with the bluish-green body and spination. The fruits are globose, green, and up to about 3 cm in length and 4 cm in diameter.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with a high content of assimilable calcium and low nitrogen levels, such as Desert CHOICE® Cactaceae, is recommended, applied once a month during watering. Before flowering, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Flowering.
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a technological square pot with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi.
9x9 cm pot
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