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Easter Lily Cactus (Echinopsis oxygona)

Echinopsis oxygona is a succulent cactus that may be solitary when young but commonly branches from the base to form clustering or cushion-like growth; its stems develop from flattened-globose or globose forms into short cylinders.

LightEchinopsis oxygona takes full sun and can also grow in bright partial sun; some cultivation sources recommend avoiding the strongest afternoon exposure.
WaterIt is drought tolerant and does not require daily watering; the growing medium should drain well and overwatering should be avoided. Water should be reduced in winter, and it is reported to tolerate light frost better wh
TemperatureSources differ on its cold limit, with the minimum reported at about -8 °C; another limited-source account gives about -10 °C. It tolerates brief light frost. It is generally reported to rest cool and dry in winter. A si
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Overview

Echinopsis oxygona is a succulent cactus that may be solitary when young but commonly branches from the base to form clustering or cushion-like growth; its stems develop from flattened-globose or globose forms into short cylinders.

Origin and habitat

Sources differ on its native range, describing it as South American and mainly occurring from northern to northeastern Argentina, southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Sources also differ on habitat descriptions, which include lowlands and higher elevations, with rocky walls and outcrops in pampas grasslands and deciduous forests, as well as other plains and dry scrub environments. Its native range is reported to include subtropical and warmer lowland climates, with some areas described as having dry winters and wet summers.

Characteristics

Sources differ on mature size, with height reported at about 20–30 cm and spread at about 0–60 cm. It is relatively fast-growing for a cactus. Sources differ in their descriptions of maximum flower size; the flowers are large, funnel-shaped, fragrant, and mostly open at night or in the evening, with white, pink, pale red, or lavender coloring and long floral tubes. Sources differ on flowering timing, but flowering is described mainly from late spring through summer; mature plants grown without marked seasonal temperature differences may also flower at other times after watering resumes following a prolonged dry period, and the fruit is generally reported to be green.

Light

Echinopsis oxygona takes full sun and can also grow in bright partial sun; some cultivation sources recommend avoiding the strongest afternoon exposure.

Watering

It is drought tolerant and does not require daily watering; the growing medium should drain well and overwatering should be avoided. Water should be reduced in winter, and it is reported to tolerate light frost better when dry.

Temperature and dormancy

Sources differ on its cold limit, with the minimum reported at about -8 °C; another limited-source account gives about -10 °C. It tolerates brief light frost. It is generally reported to rest cool and dry in winter. A single source reports a USDA hardiness-zone range for the species.

Growing medium and mounting

Echinopsis oxygona needs a fast-draining mix; containers can use a cactus or succulent medium, and loamy or sandy soils with acidic, neutral, or alkaline conditions are also described as suitable.

Propagation

It can be propagated by removing suitably developed basal offshoots and planting them separately, or by seed.

Common problems

Mealybugs are reported to affect the flowers and plant surface. Overwatering is unsuitable, and the growing medium should not remain excessively wet for long periods. It tolerates heat and has some cold tolerance, although sources vary in their descriptions of low-temperature tolerance; light frost is described as tolerable under dry conditions.

Identification

Echinopsis oxygona has distinctly ribbed green to gray-green globose or short cylindrical stems that commonly cluster, with variable numbers and lengths of spines. Mature plants can produce fragrant, night-opening flowers that are very large relative to the plant and borne on long floral tubes.

Photos

Echinopsis oxygona
📷 Hazel · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Echinopsis oxygona
📷 Bruno R. Giozza · CC0 · source

Sources