Echinopsis calochlora: Care and Propagation Guide

Belonging to the Echinopsis genus of the Cactaceae family, Echinopsis calochlora is a cactus plant that is native to Brazil. It is a perennial plant that either grows as a singular clump or a group of clumps, with each clump having a round shape with multiple green sections and notches.

These notches additionally have white-brown spines. Tall-stemmed white flowers shaped like a bunch also tend to bloom open at night.

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How To Care For Echinopsis calochlora

Echinopsis calochlora plants come in all shapes and sizes. They can also have flowers of many different colors in the same plant due to hybridization.

Most cacti only flower once a year, but Echinopsis calochlora plants can bloom all year round if the temperature stays at a minimum of 21 degrees Celsius. That is, provided they are cared for properly. Here’s how to take care of your Echinopsis calochlora plant:

Light

Sunlight is great for all plants, especially plants like Echinopsis calochlora which thrive during the summers.

However, too much sunlight can end up burning your plants. Watch out for discoloration on the edges of the plant. Reduce the exposure to sunlight and let the plant sit in shady areas if you see any signs of sunburn.

Watering

Watering depends largely on the season. The plants will be blooming in the summers and will require more water. They start becoming dormant once the temperature starts falling, so water them conservatively during the winter and fall.

How often you water your Echinopsis calochlora also depends on the soil, pot design and size. Pro tip—stick a pencil in the pot to check water saturation in the soil. If the pencil comes out dry or with very little water, it is time to water the plant.

Whenever you water the plant, make sure to fill the pot completely so that the soil is saturated with water.

Soil

Fast draining soil is ideal for Echinopsis calochlora plants. Water retention can be harmful to the roots of the plants. It can end up damaging or killing the plant.

Add pebbles to the soil to help drainage and use sand to make a fast-draining top layer for the plant. The Echinopsis calochlora cacti have shallow roots, so the size of the pot doesn’t matter.

If you’re thinking of growing your Echinopsis calochlora plant in the ground instead of a pot, you need to be extra careful with the watering. While it isn’t harmful to the plant, planting it in your garden or backyard does have some disadvantages.
For example, if temperatures drop very low in your area, the water in the cactus will freeze up. If the cactus is in a pot, you can move the pot indoors to prevent this. If your cactus is planted in the ground, there is no way to avoid it.

Fertilizing

You can use a fertilizer two to three times during the growing season of the Echinopsis calochlora plant. Liquid fertilizer with a balance of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is ideal for cacti.

Avoid fertilizers during the dormant period.

Pests and Diseases

Thankfully, the Echinopsis calochlora cacti are not prone to many pests or diseases. The main enemy of an Echinopsis calochlora plant is root or stem rot.

This is caused by high water retention. Make sure that the drainage of the pot is up to scratch and that you don’t overwater the plant.

How to Propagate Echinopsis calochlora

Propagating Echinopsis calochlora plants can be easy or hard depending on the exact species. However, if you take care of a few tips and make sure to propagate during the growing season, you are guaranteed to have a decent yield.

There will be offsets clustered at the base of your Echinopsis calochlora plant. Let them grow to an inch or more in length before cutting them. Always cut at the narrowest part of the offset.

Let the offsets dry out on a paper towel till the wounds dry out or form callouses. Next, place them in a soil mix identical to that of the mother plant (preferably a fast-draining soil).

The plant should take root in a few weeks. Once this happens, repot the plant. There you have it! A new Echinopsis calochlora sapling propagated from your plant.