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Echinopsis oxygona
Also called Red Easter Lily Cactus, Easter Lily Cactus
Echinopsis oxygona is a globe-shaped to short-columnar cactus from South America, grown for its large, night-opening, sweetly scented flowers. It needs full sun or light shade and sparse watering, with the main risk being overwatering.
Echinopsis oxygona, also known as Eyries cactus, Easter lily cactus or sea-urchin cactus, is a species of flowering plant in the cactus family Cactaceae, native to south Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and northeastern Argentina. Some species that have been described separately, including Echinopsis eyriesii and Echinopsis tubiflora, are now considered to be synonymous. The features of the species include a large flower, with sharply pointed lavender or white petals, and a sweet scent.
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 −10 °C (14 °F). Usually these are outdoor plants. They are used to the dry, desert climate, so they do not need to be watered every day.
In the 19th century, Echinopsis oxygona was extensively hybridized with other Echinopsis and Lobivia species, giving rise to a number of cultivars with large colourful flowers.
Echinopsis oxygona, native to Southern Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Entre Ríos Province, Argentina, thrives in lowland environments, reaching altitudes of up to 1,000 meters above sea level. In these areas, there is a tropical and continental climate, characterized by arid winters and humid summers. The annual precipitation in these regions amounts to approximately 1,500 mm, sustaining an average annual temperature range of 25–30°C, rarely dropping below zero degrees.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Echinopsis oxygona by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
