Texas rainbow cactus

Texas rainbow cactus Echinocereus dasyacanthus

What is the plant

Echinocereus dasyacanthus is a member of the Cactaceae family. It is one of about 2000 total species in this family. The cactus is known as Texas rainbow cactus because of the subtle rings or bands of contrasting colors along the stem of the plant.

Echinocereus dasyacanthus is a low growing cactusunbranched or branching from the base, forming loose clumps of fewer than 20 stiff branches in old age, with its stem completely obscured by a layer of spines that can vary in colour depending on growing conditions. On some individuals, each year's new spines make a distinct band around the plant. The result is a stem with alternating bands of colour, vaguely suggesting a rainbow and similar to, but not as bold as, the Arizona Rainbow Cactus (Echinocereus rigidissimus). It is quite variable.

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Lighting

Full Sun

Hardiness zone

min 6a

Difficulty

Medium

Water
Water regularly from spring to autumn, but do not overwater (as the plant is rot prone), keep dry in winter.
Sunlight
The plant requires full sun or light shade and careful watering to keep plant compact with strong coloured spines. Tends to bronze in strong light, which encourages flowering and heavy spine production.
Fertilizer
Feed with a high potassium fertilizer in summer.

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Soil
The plant likes very porous standard cactus mix soil, but can become too elongated if compost is too rich.
Temperature
The plant is reputedly very cold resistant to frost if kept on the dry side prior to, and during, cold weather (hardy to -10°C, or less for short periods).
Container
The plant can be grown in any type of container with enough drainage holes.