Echinocereus reichenbachii

RHS Plant Profile
black lace cactus

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black lace cactus RHS 1960

Other common names

cob cactus, lace cactus, merry widow cactus

Award of Garden Merit
Cactus Succulent Conservatory Greenhouse

A cactus with erect, cylindrical, ribbed, spiny stems to 35cm in height, bearing broadly funnel-shaped rosy-purple flowers 6-9cm across in spring and early summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
10–20 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H2
Drought Resistance
Yes

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Cactaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Columnar upright
Genus
Echinocereus can have deeply ribbed cylindrical or globose stems, sometimes forming clumps, and large funnel-shaped flowers
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
NE Mexico, SW USA

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow under glass in a peat-free, loam-based potting compost with added extra grit. Water moderately when in growth, not at all when dormant. Apply a balanced liquid fertiliser 2 or 3 times in the growing season. See houseplant cacti and succulent cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by seed

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to mealybugs and scale insects

Diseases

Generally disease-free