Flowering Cactus glass tray

This spectacular Mary Eaton watercolor shows an Echinopsis cactus in blooming glory. Also known as the "Easter Lily cactus" and "Night-blooming Hedge-hog," we think it's out-of-this-world- literally! With it's spiny pod-like body and showy eye-stalk flower, it's as alien as anything in nature.
     "Echinocereus coccineus," a dicot, is a shrub (stem succulent) that is native to California. Echinocereus coccineus is a variant of the more widespread, generally larger but otherwise very similar echinocereus triglochidiatus, characterized by sprawling clusters, bright red/orange flowers with green stigma and rounded petals, low to medium spine cover and somewhat flabby stems. Clumps may have over 100 members, each up to 10 inches in length, and cover an area of several square feet. Echinocereus viridiflorus has several differences from most other hedgehog species; it is very frost tolerant, grows much further north, and has smaller flowers which appear along the stem rather than near the tip.
     In the potichomania process, the glass acts as both a foundation and protective finish, saving the step of varnishing. The original intent was to recreate Greek and Etruscan vases by simulating rare and expensive Sevrés porcelain.

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