Echinopsis Species, Argentine Giant

I don't have any personal experience with this plant yet. I did buy a small one, in a 1" pot at the garden shop at Desert Botanical Garde...Read Morens last year. They were trying to sell out most of the plants in the shop because the building was to be taken down and replaced by a restrurant. The garden shop will re-open later in a different location. My purchase is still in the pot I bought it in. I know where I want to plant it but must first remove a small tree. Waiting for cooler weather. The plant will grow here in Scottsdale. There is a mature plant growing in a yard near my home. I like it's spreading habit and the large blooms.

This plant is very common in the yards of the residents of the Northwest Valley. I can see on outside my office window. There are a numbe...Read Morer in the neighborhood, and they are seen regularly in Sun City, Westbrook Village, and surrounding areas. Easy to take a cutting and plant, and then one only needs patience. In fact, I realized that I recently transplanted one from my brother's home, and it had buds, so I went into the back yard and discovered one in full blossom. Amazing plants.

For the past 7 years, the cactus was originally growing about 3 feet from it's present location. After marking one side, several of my n...Read Moreeighbors helped me transplant it to a place where it could spread out more. This was in December when it was moved.

Shortly after it was moved several more 'babies' popped out around the long trunk. Three potential flowers came out 3rd week in March, and in one week 2 of the flowers peaked. They lasted 2 days and then shriveled up. They were 8 inches from top to bottom. They had no scent.

This cactus resembles the 'torch cactus' but not as tall and does not stand as straight. It tends to lean on one side and forms pups on ...Read Morethe other side. It eventually forms a large clump 4'-6' across. The main stem can be up to 6"-8" across and 3'-4' tall. The stem is medium green in color on the shaded side and yellowish green on the sun baked side. The flowers are bright white on the inside and pink on the outside. They are very large(8"-11" across) and can be profuse. I have a 2 1/2' tall plant that had 13 flowers at one time! The fragrant of the flowers is very strong--perhaps one of the strongest in the cacti family. If you leave the cactus in the house and if it has a couple of flowers, the whole house will be lightly scented. If you have a dozen of blooms, it can be sickening. The flowers open at night and close in the mid afternoon. It can stay open for two or more days if the weather is cool and/or cloudy. It usually blooms in late spring, but can be a early as mid March, and sometimes in September. Easy to grow.