Peanut Cactus

Peanut Cactus Echinopsis chamaecereus

What is the plant

Echinopsis chamaecereus is a species of cactus from Argentina. Synonyms include Chamaecereus silvestrii and Lobivia silvestrii. It is called the "peanut cactus". The cactus is known for its vivid red flowers, often produced in prolific quantities.

The peanuts cactus, Echinopsis chamaecereus is a very popular cactus with many crowded finger-like stems. Echinopsis chamaecereus young shoots somewhat resemble peanuts. With increasing age, however, the shoots of this cactus lengthen into cylindrical finger-like stems which are pale green, very soft and segmented lengthwise by 8 to 10 narrow, low ribs with broad, shallow indentations in between. The main stems are about 15cm (6 inch) long and 2cm (0.8 inch) in diameter and they tend to lie on the surface of the potting mixture with many much smaller branches distributed among them. Deep scarlet, cup-shaped flowers about 2.5cm (1 inch) wide are produced from the areoles in early summer. Individual flowers last about a day, but the flowering period extends for two to three weeks and Echinopsis chamaecereus will produce numerous blooms during early spring to early summer period under favourable conditions.

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Humidity

Dry

Lighting

Full Sun

Temperature

20°C - 35°C

Hardiness zone

min 10a

Difficulty

Easy

Hibernation

Cold Period

Water
A peanut cactus is susceptible to rot. During a growing season, water your peanut cactus whenever a top 5 cm (1 inch) of soil dries out, but during a winter you can mostly leave it alone. It only needs winter watering if it is not being kept cool, at temperatures at or below about 40 degrees fahrenheit (5 celsius).
Sunlight
Grows it's best and fastest with full sun exposure, but it can do well in partial shade.
Fertilizer
Most cacti and succulents don't need a specific blend. They grow healthy and happy when fed with a highly diluted all-purpose fertilizer. However, a low-nitrogen content, water-soluble fertilizer is best suited for the job. Use a 5-10-10 blend or 10-10-10 fertilizer diluted to 1/4th strength.

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Soil
Mix together three parts potting soil, three parts coarse sand or gravel, and two parts perlite or pumice. Don't use a potting soil mix that contains fertilizers because the fertilizer can burn cacti roots and cause leggy growth.
Pruning
Trim out dead and damaged leaves any time, pinching off or cutting off each of those leaves at its base. Avoid cutting into a plant's main stems or its crown, which is where its leaves and roots meet.
Temperature
During the active growth period normal room temperatures (65°F/18.3°C - 75°F/23.8°C) are suitable. At other times this cactus will withstand temperatures down to freezing (although such an extreme is not advisable); ideally it should be given a winter rest in the coolest available position – no higher that about 7°C (45°F).

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Container
Plants that don't like a lot of moisture will need a drainage hole for moisture to escape and for airflow to circulate through the pot. Another important function of drainage holes is to allow water to flush the soil of excess salts from fertilizers. Terracotta containers are a good choice for cactus gardens. They let water evaporate faster than other materials. Terracotta containers are a good choice for cactus gardens. They let water evaporate faster than other materials.
Popularity
8,666 people already have this plant 1,906 people have added this plant to their wishlists