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peanut cactus (Echinopsis chamaecereus)

Echinopsis chamaecereus is a clustering cactus with many slender, finger-like stems that creep or trail and often form mats.

LightEchinopsis chamaecereus takes full sun.
WaterWater moderately during the growing period; during winter dormancy, give little or no water and avoid prolonged wetness. The winter watering interval is 30–90 days.
TemperatureIt rests cool and dry in winter. Sources differ on the minimum temperature, with about -7 °C reported; evidence for this value is limited.
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Overview

Echinopsis chamaecereus is a clustering cactus with many slender, finger-like stems that creep or trail and often form mats.

Origin and habitat

Sources differ on its native range, associating it with northwestern Argentina, particularly the Tucumán and Salta areas. Sources also differ on its wild habitat: some describe desert or dry scrub in northwestern Argentina, while others report that its actual vegetation habitat remains uncertain because it was not subsequently relocated in the wild.

Characteristics

Sources differ on mature height, which is reported at about 10–15 cm. Mature spread is 10–50 cm. The funnel-shaped flowers are described by sources as orange-red, scarlet, or red to orange; the supplied sources do not directly describe the flower color of the cultivar 'Westfield Alba'. Flowering occurs from late spring through summer; the fruit is generally reported to be dark red and spherical, containing small black seeds.

Light

Echinopsis chamaecereus takes full sun.

Watering

Water moderately during the growing period; during winter dormancy, give little or no water and avoid prolonged wetness. The winter watering interval is 30–90 days.

Temperature and dormancy

It rests cool and dry in winter. Sources differ on the minimum temperature, with about -7 °C reported; evidence for this value is limited.

Growing medium and mounting

Use a well-drained medium, such as loam or a sandy medium; a loam-based medium with added coarse grit is also recommended, and the medium may be acidic, neutral, or alkaline.

Feeding

A balanced liquid fertilizer is generally reported to be suitable during the growing season.

Propagation

It can be propagated from seed, offsets, or stem segments, and detached offsets readily root after contacting soil.

Common problems

Possible pests include mealybugs, scale insects, and mites. It is generally reported to have no significant disease problems. Cold or excessively wet winter conditions can encourage rot, and stem segments detach readily, so care is needed during repotting. It has some drought tolerance, while cold tolerance depends strongly on dry conditions and winter wetness increases the risk of rot.

Identification

The slender stems are finger-like or peanut-shaped, with ribs and many short, pale to white spines; they readily form dense clusters and gradually creep.

Photos

Echinopsis chamaecereus
📷 el cajon yacht club from el cajon, san diego · CC BY 2.0 · source
Echinopsis chamaecereus
📷 xulescu_g, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC BY-SA · source

Sources