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Origin and Habitat: Garden origin (Nursery produced cultivar)
Synonyms:
Echinocactus grusonii f. monstruosus cristatus hort.
= forma monstruosa cristata
Accepted name in llifle Database:
Echinocactus grusonii Hildm.
Deutsche Gärtn.-Zeitung 5(3): 27 (-28). 1886 Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 1: 4. 1891
Accepted name in llifle Database:
Echinocactus grusonii var. albispinus Y.Itô
Cactaceae [Itô] 503, without type. 1981
Accepted name in llifle Database:
Echinocactus grusonii var. albispinus f. cristatus hort.
Accepted name in llifle Database:
Echinocactus grusonii f. cristatus hort.
= cristata
Accepted name in llifle Database:
Echinocactus grusonii var. horridus Y.Itô
Cactaceae [Itô] 505, without type. 1981
Accepted name in llifle Database:
Echinocactus grusonii var. intermedius hort.
Accepted name in llifle Database:
Echinocactus grusonii var. intermedius f. cristatus hort.
Accepted name in llifle Database:
Echinocactus grusonii var. intermedius f. variegatus hort.
Accepted name in llifle Database:
Echinocactus grusonii var. intertextus Y.Itô
Cactaceae [Itô] 505, without type. 1981
Synonymy: 5 Accepted name in llifle Database:
Echinocactus grusonii var. intertextus f. cristatus hort.
= cristata
Synonymy: 3 Accepted name in llifle Database:
Echinocactus grusonii f. monstruosus hort.
= monstruosa or mostruosa
Accepted name in llifle Database:
Echinocactus grusonii var. setispinus f. minor cristatus hort.
= cristata (Nursery produced cultivar)
Accepted name in llifle Database:
Echinocactus grusonii f. setispinus hort.
( = Echinocactus grusonii "setispina" )
Synonymy: 2 Accepted name in llifle Database:
Echinocactus grusonii var. subinermis Y.Itô
Cactaceae [Itô] 505, without type. 1981
Synonymy: 5 Accepted name in llifle Database:
Echinocactus grusonii var. subinermis f. cristata hort.
Synonymy: 2 Cultivars (1):
ENGLISH: Crested Monstrous Golden barrel cactus, Crested Monstrous Golden ball cactus, Crested Monstrous Mother-in-law's-seat, Crested Monstrous Mother-in-law's-cushion
Description: E. grusonii mostruosus criastata is a rare nice form covered by white wool with short yellow spines. The crests are quite unstable, hence the rarity of this plant in cultivation.
Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Echinocactus grusonii group
Echinocactus grusonii Hildm.: It produces slowly growing barrel-shaped stem up to 90 cm (180 cm) in height and spread. The stem is pale green and heavily ribbed with very numerous areoles and golden yellow spines.
Echinocactus grusonii var. albispinus Y.Itô: It looks just like a regular "Golden Barrel" but the spines are glassy-white instead of yellow.
Echinocactus grusonii var. albispinus f. cristatus hort.: crested form with spines all white instead of yellow.
Echinocactus grusonii f. cristatus hort.: This is a wavy crested form with golden-yellow spines. It can also get very big making a spectacular specimen.
Echinocactus grusonii var. intermedius hort.: This plant differs from the common Golden Barrel Cactus for the spines that are stout but intermediate in length between the standard from and the short spined type "subinermis" (syn: brevispinus).
- Echinocactus grusonii var. intermedius f. cristatus hort.: Strong crested form with stout spines that are intermediate in length between the standard from and the short spined type "subinermis" (syn. brevispinus).
Echinocactus grusonii var. intermedius f. variegatus hort.: Yellow and green, variegated plants with short, spines that are intermediate in length between the standard from and the short spined type "subinermis" (syn. brevispinus).
Echinocactus grusonii var. intertextus Y.Itô: (a.k.a "Krauskopf" or "tortulispinus") This plant differs from the common Golden barrel cactus for the spines, that are yellowish-white, sparse, flattish, curved to almost crinkled backward and very irregular, 2 to 6 cm long.
Echinocactus grusonii var. intertextus f. cristatus hort.: Crested form with characteristich curved spines, that are flattish, almost crinkled backward and very irregular.
Echinocactus grusonii f. monstruosus cristatus hort.: Crested form of the mostrose cultivar covered by white wool with short yellow spines. The crests are quite unstable
Echinocactus grusonii f. monstruosus hort.: Free offsetting small form covered by yellowhish-white wool with short yellow spines. The rib structure is not yet apparent, and they have pronounced tubercles making them look superficially like Mammillarias.
Echinocactus grusonii var. setispinus f. minor cristatus hort.: This is the tiniest crested form. A dwarf form covered by touch friendly spines and looking quite dissimilar to the standard species.
Echinocactus grusonii var. setispinus f. minor mostruosus cristatus cv. Scarascia: The plant forms lots of tiny monstrous wooly heads, that time by time begin to crest.
Echinocactus grusonii f. setispinus hort.: This cultivar has very thin acicular spines, that become longer as the plant ages.
Echinocactus grusonii var. subinermis Y.Itô: (a.k.a. "cv. TOGENASHI KINSHACHI", "inermis" or "brevispinus") This is very short spined mutantant. Except for the spines it is identical in shape and size to the standard species.
Echinocactus grusonii var. subinermis f. cristata hort.: This is the crested form of the short-spined Golden Barrel. This crest can also get very large

Echinocactus grusonii f. monstruosus cristatus Photo by: Cactus Art

Echinocactus grusonii f. monstruosus cristatus Photo by: Cactus Art

Echinocactus grusonii f. monstruosus cristatus Photo by: Cactus Art
The gallery now contains thousands of pictures, however it is possible to do even more. We are, of course, seeking photos of species not yet shown in the gallery but not only that, we are also looking for better pictures than those already present. Read More...
Cultivation and Propagation: Frost tender but cold hardiness increases with improved drainage, so keep plants as dry as possible in winter. Provide the plant with extremely well-drained soils, as plants are subject to crown and soft rot if they remain too moist. They grow best in full sun or half shade, which will help maintain the lustre of the spines and plants compact. They are prone to mealy bug and red spider mite.
Propagation: From cuttings (but it is difficult to grow this plant on its own roots), or preferably by grafting.
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