Trichocereus peruvianus ‘Althea’ x Trichocereus ‘Flying Saucer’

Overview

This is a very interesting Trichocereus hybrid, bringing together Trichocereus peruvianus ‘Althea’ with Trichocereus ‘Flying Saucer’, a well-known flowering Echinopsis / Trichocereus hybrid.

The plant shown has a strong, tidy columnar form already, with broad ribs, bright green skin, and neat golden spination. It is not showing the heavy blue wax of mature ‘Althea’ at this stage, but seedlings from peruvianus lines can develop more character as they gain size and harden off.

The real interest here is the pairing. ‘Althea’ brings collector-grade peruvianus genetics, while ‘Flying Saucer’ adds ornamental hybrid influence, especially around flower potential. As with any seed-grown cross, the final mature expression will vary, but this one has a solid frame and good early structure.

Genetics & Parentage

Trichocereus peruvianus ‘Althea’

‘Althea’ is widely grown as a highly regarded peruvian clone, often associated with Ikaros / Icaro-style Peruvian genetics. It is valued by collectors for its blue tone, strong growth, and clean peruvianus character. Clone history can vary slightly depending on grower circles, so it is best treated as a named collector clone rather than overclaimed beyond that.

Trichocereus ‘Flying Saucer’

‘Flying Saucer’ is a famous flowering hybrid, commonly listed under Echinopsis or Trichocereus depending on the grower. It is known for large, showy reddish-pink flowers, with mature blooms reported up to around 10 inches across. One source describes it as a hybrid involving an unidentified Soehrensia species and Trichocereus schickendantzii, bred by Hans Britsch of Western Cactus Growers.

Together, this cross combines columnar Trichocereus collector genetics with a serious flowering hybrid background. That makes it one for growers who enjoy watching a seedling mature into its own phenotype, rather than just buying another predictable clone.

What to Expect

• Growth rate: Moderate to strong once established, especially in a warm greenhouse
• Mature form: Columnar Trichocereus hybrid, likely to remain upright and ribbed
• Colour: Currently rich green, with potential for more glaucous or hardened colour as it matures
• Spines: Golden to straw-coloured spines, neat but fairly assertive for its size
• Difficulty: Easy to grow if kept bright, airy, and in a free-draining cactus mix

Grower Notes

Grow this in strong light with good airflow. In the UK, it will do best in a greenhouse, conservatory, or bright protected growing space.

Use a gritty, mineral-heavy cactus substrate and avoid keeping it wet for long periods, especially outside the active growing season. During spring and summer it can take regular watering once the pot has properly dried. In winter, keep it much drier and protected from frost.

Because this is a seed-grown hybrid, flower colour and mature body expression cannot be guaranteed. That is part of the appeal here, the plant has a known parentage, but the final expression is still its own thing.