Rose Quartz Cactus Bloom

x Echinopsis 'Rose Quartz'

I have several of these Echinopsis hybrid cultivars in various colors. They stay small and do well in pots. The 'Rose Quartz' is usually the first to bloom, followed by 'Fire Chief'--a brilliant orange--then 'Johnson's Gold'--gold/yellow-- and finally, 'Lollipop'--a pure red.

'Rose Quartz' is one of the dozens, or maybe hundreds, of cultivars of the Chamaelobivia. Chamaelobivia is a hybrid of Chamaecereus and Lobivia. Chamaelobivia is known as an Echinopsis hybrid because both Chamaecereus and Lobivia are now classified as Echinopsis. The flowers on these cultivars are reminiscent of Echinopsis flowers. The original hybrid has an interesting history that I wrote about in a previous post. I also spent a good part of that post on a rant about cacti reclassification and the resulting confusion to collectors. Most people don't really care about the history of the hybrid or the botanical names, but I love to know these things and find all the name changes very frustrating.

Regardless of the name issues, my goal is to acquire a 'Westfield Alba' cultivar, which has a beautiful white flower. It's hard to find, and I may have to order it from England, which seems ironic since I live in cactus country!