''Echinopsis oxygona'' is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
in the cactus
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Cactaceae, native to South
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
,
Uruguay
Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
and northern
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
. Its features include: many robust spines, spherical shape, and a large flower, with sharply pointed lavender or white petals, and a fine faint scent.
Cultivation
''Echinopsis oxygona'' is known for having huge, showy flowers at the ends of long tubes which are connected to the cactus. The flower has a sweet smell. The flower opens in the evening and wilts the next afternoon on hot days. It grows well in full sun, or light shade. These cacti can stand strong heat, and even temperatures as low as . Usually these are outdoor plants. They are used to the dry, desert climate, so they do not need to be watered every day.
In cultivation in the UK this plant has received the
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity.
The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...
's
Award of Garden Merit
The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions.
History
The Award of Garden Merit ...
.
Propagation
On cool days it will last longer. Usually, the cactus will start to have small offsets appear at its base. These can be plucked off and transplanted into a different pot for further growth into a mature cactus. Usually, the cactus will bloom in mid summer.
Size and growth
When buds, plants are quite small, but can grow quite fast when young. When in a pot, the cactus may grow up to one foot. Otherwise, the cactus may grow even taller. Usually, these cacti may live for very long periods of time.
File:Replanted Echinopsis oxyyona with young buds.jpg, Replanted plants with young offsets
File:Echinopsis oxygona top view.jpg, Top view
References
oxygona
Cacti of South America
Flora of Brazil
Flora of Argentina
Flora of Uruguay
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