About me

About me
🌿 I've been gardening ever since a child, when I spent time with my father in his vegetable garden. But my fascination with Echeverias started in the 1980's, when my father gave me a pot with five Echeverias, which turned out to be E. imbricata. At first I wasn't much interested in them and planted them in some obscure corner of the garden and completely forgot about them. How great was my surprise when, a couple of months later, I noticed that they had spread and made a beautiful display - I was hooked!

Thursday 17 July 2014

Peanut cactus (E. chamaecereus)


The common name of 'Peanut cactus' comes from the peanut-like offsets that this cactus provides generously along the stems. These offsets can be detached and planted immediately.

Echinopsis chamaecereus is a small clumping cactus, about 4 inches (10 cm) high. If the stems become longer than this, they tend to lay down on the ground or hang from the pot – grown in more shade than it prefers Peanut Cactus will sprawl and hang quite nicely over the edges of a pot. They therefore look great in hanging baskets. But don't water this cactus too much - it causes the mother plant to rot away, leaving the offsets stranded or falling off if they're hanging over the edge - rather err on the side of giving too little water.




The Peanut cactus grows well in the shade, but tends to form long, hanging ropes, which are easily controlled by just cutting them off and planting them again.


The beautiful flower of the Peanut cactus.



In full sun, the Peanut cactus tends to be more clumpy, but I have two that are in full sun that have still sent out long, hanging ropes. If your cactus is used to shade, introduce it to sunlight gradually as they easily get burnt.

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