Mother-in-law's seat (Echinocactus grusonii)

The Echinocactus grusonii is a very thorny plant

El Echinocactus grusonii it is one of the most popular cacti. And it is that although it has very sharp thorns - and quite dangerous if they are not handled with suitable gloves - it is very decorative. It is not that it produces pretty flowers, but that it has a very peculiar bearing.

As it also does not need much care, it is a most interesting species to grow in a garden that is not too rainy (but not dry). Know what care you need to receive to be healthy.

Origin and characteristics

The Echinocactus grusonii is a highly commercialized plant

El Echinocactus grusonii, known as mother-in-law's seat, golden ball, golden barrel or hedgehog cactus, is a succulent cactus endemic to Mexico, specifically from Tamaulipas to the State of Hidalgo. Although it is very well known and commercialized, sadly is in danger of extinction in its natural habitat.

It is a plant with a more or less spherical globular shape, which generally grows alone but sometimes basal shoots sprout from the adult specimens. It can reach more than 1 meter in height, but for this he takes his time which is not a problem since his life expectancy is more than 100 years.

It has a bright green body, with a flattened apex, and 21-37 straight, prominent and thin ribs.. These are not seen in the young specimens, which are divided into conical tubers. The areolas are first yellow, then whitish and finally grayish. From them sprout 8-10 radial spines that measure more than 3cm long, and 3-5 central ones that measure more than 5cm long. These are strong, ridged and straight.

Flowers they sprout from the areolas, measure between 4-7cm in length by 5cm in diameter, and have yellow outer petals on the inside and brown on the outside; and the internal ones are yellowish. They last about 3 days.

What are their cares?

The spines of the Echinocactus grusonii have very sharp spines

If you want to have a copy, we recommend that you provide it with the following care:

Location

Place your Echinocactus grusonii outside, in full sun. Of course, keep in mind that if in the nursery they had it in semi-shade or protected from the sun in some way, you should get used to it little by little and gradually since otherwise it would burn right away.

Inside the house it cannot be, unless it is in a sunny interior patio.

Earth

  • Flower pot: universal culture substrate mixed with perlite in equal parts. It cannot be grown for long in a container, except if it is a large pot, the kind that measure more than 60cm in diameter.
  • Garden: it is very adaptable. He prefers those that have good drainage, but in the town where I live they are often planted in the soil with calcareous soil that does not drain as it should and grows well.

Irrigation

The frequency of irrigation will vary depending on the year, as well as the weather. Because, While in summer it is advisable to water about 2 times a week, the rest of the year we will water every 10-15 days. In winter you have to space out the waterings more, leaving them at one per month.

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The Echinocactus grusonii can take suckers

From early spring to late summer It is recommended to pay with specific fertilizers for cacti following the indications specified on the product packaging. We will use liquid or granulated fertilizers if it is in a pot so that the substrate does not lose the ability to filter the water.

Multiplication

El Echinocactus grusonii multiplies by seeds in spring-summer. The way to proceed is as follows:

  1. The first thing we will do is fill a 10,5cm diameter pot with universal growing substrate mixed with perlite in equal parts.
  2. Then, we water it conscientiously so that it is well moistened.
  3. Afterwards, the seeds are placed on the surface, ensuring that they are slightly separated from each other.
  4. They are then covered with akadama, pumice or other similar small-grained sand.
  5. Finally, it is watered again, this time with a sprayer, and the pot is placed outside, in semi-shade.

Thus, the first will germinate in 2-3 weeks.

Pests

You can be attacked by the following:

  • Mealybugs: either cottony or limpet-like, they feed on the sap of the cactus. They can be fought with anti-mealybugs.
  • Aphids: they are parasites of about 0,5cm yellow, green or brown that also feed on sap. They can be fought with yellow sticky traps that we can get No products found..

Rusticity

The adult and healthy specimens, with dry soil, they are capable of resisting up to -7ºC as long as they are specific frosts. If they are young, it is better not to leave them outside if the temperature drops below -4ºC since they could suffer serious damage.

What uses does it have?

The Echinocactus grusonii is a very decorative cactus

It is used only as ornamental plant. Whether it is grown in a pot or in the garden, it is a very decorative cactus that, as we have seen, does not need much to be good.

And you, do you have a Echinocactus grusonii? What did you think of the article?


6 comments, leave yours

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  1.   Jaime Méndez said

    A nice globular cactus. But click, it's nice.

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hi Jamie.
      You are absolutely right in the world heh heh 🙂

      Not even gloves protect against those thorns. But it's what you say, it's nice.

      Greetings.

  2.   Jessica guzman said

    Hello, the post is very interesting. I have had a Cactus Grussoni for about 3 years in a pot. In recent months I see a purple color on the base of his body and I also notice it somewhat dry. I water it every 15 days so there are no stations here. What I see is that he is asking for a transplant, but it turns out that I only have available the substrate for cacti, which is a mixture of soil and water. I don't know how good it is to use this type of substrate for this type of Cactus. I appreciate if you can help me. Greetings from Colombia.

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hi Jessica.

      For the cactus to do well, it needs a soil that does not get too watery or compacted too much, since if it does, its roots can rot.
      If you only have that soil, look to get construction sand (gravel), perlite, or similar, and mix it with the soil at 50%. In this way, you echinocactus grusoni it will look great in its new pot.

      Greetings.

  3.   Pink said

    how is its root, I must change its place in the garden, and I would like some indication to transplant it.

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello rosa.
      The roots of this cactus are superficial, not very long. Of course, I recommend digging trenches around the plant to a depth of at least 40cm, so that it can come out with the greatest number of roots intact.
      A greeting.