Flowers: Spring to Summer

Height: 12 inches

Hardiness Rating: 11

Germination: Easy

Aftercare: Easy

Description: Spectacular flowering cacti including E.p. rigidissimus, 4in cerise blooms and colourful spines; E. dasyacanthus, huge canary yellow flowers; E. fendleri, large magenta pink; E. melanocentrus, satin pink; E. stramineus, large purple flowers; E. fitchii, huge pink flowers. All bloom freely and fairly quickly. Hardy if kept dry in winter.

Sowing Instructions: Sow in trays, pots, etc of good seed compost in a propagator or warm place to maintain an optimum temperature of 75-80F (25-27C). Sowing Depth: Surface sow and do not exclude light. Sow at any time of year. Use a good cactus compost and sprinkle the seeds lightly with gravel so as not to bury them completely. Seal the seed and container inside a polythene bag until germination, when a further light sprinkling of gravel can be given to support the seedlings and lessen damping off.

Growing Instructions: Prick out into 5cm (2in) pots, then 8cm (3in) and 15cm (6in) pots as required and water carefully until established.

Aftercare Instructions: Keep compost dry through the winter. Overwinter at a temperature of 5C (40F).