Easter Lily Cactus

Easter Lily Cactus (Echinopsis 'Scoullar') is a small clumping cactus grown for flowers that look far too large for the plant carrying them. The body stays around 30cm tall and 40cm across, and through the warm months it throws long trumpet shaped blooms that open wide and vivid for a day or two at a time. It asks for sun, sharp drainage and almost nothing else.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers out of all proportion. Each bloom opens on a long tube and can be wider than the cactus itself, which is the reason to grow an Echinopsis.
• It thrives on neglect. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant and content in poor soil, so a forgotten pot on a hot balcony suits it.
• It fits anywhere. At 30cm by 40cm it works on a windowsill, in a rockery pocket or in a bowl beside the front door.
• Bees work the flowers. The wide open blooms are a genuine nectar source for bees and butterflies while they last.

Where it works best

Pots and balconies. A shallow terracotta pot with a cactus mix is the classic setting, and the hot balcony that cooks other plants is where this one performs.

Rockeries and small gardens. Set it into a free draining pocket between rocks in a subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean or arid garden, where reflected heat works in its favour.

Growing Easter lily cactus in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, all day if you can manage it. It handles light frost only, so in cold inland and southern districts keep it in a pot that can move under eaves for winter. Wet cold does far more damage than dry cold.

Soil. Sharp drainage matters more than fertility. Use a cactus and succulent mix, or open up potting mix with coarse sand and gravel. In the ground, plant on a raised mound and top with gravel rather than organic mulch.

Water and feed. Soak it, then let the mix dry right through before watering again: roughly every two to three weeks in summer, and almost nothing from late autumn to early spring. A low nitrogen liquid feed once or twice in spring encourages flowering.

Pruning. None. Remove spent flowers to keep it tidy, and repot every three or four years into fresh gritty mix.

What to expect when it arrives

This cactus is sold as tube stock, so it arrives as a young plant, small enough to hold in one hand and not yet at flowering size. Potted straight into a free draining mix it usually needs a season or two of good sun before the first flowers appear.

Cacti travel better than almost anything else we send, since there is no soft foliage to bruise. Leave it dry for a week after it arrives, then begin normal watering. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full cactus collection
• Low maintenance cacti for a front garden
• Plants for rockeries and gravel gardens
• Succulents that handle real heat

Common questions

How long do the flowers last?

Each bloom opens for a day or two, often overnight into the following morning. A healthy plant produces several flushes through spring and summer, so the season runs longer than a single flower suggests.

How much sun does it need?

As much as you can give it. Full sun produces the strongest growth and the most flowers, while in shade the stems stretch, stay soft and stop blooming.

Can I leave it outside in winter?

In subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid gardens, yes. Where frosts are hard or winters are wet, move the pot under cover and keep it dry until spring.

How often should it be repotted?

Every three or four years into fresh gritty mix is plenty. It flowers better when slightly snug, so resist moving it into a much larger pot.