Vintage Flowering Cactus Print (1893) | Botanical Illustration of Cact

Ready-to-hang: Includes hanging kit, ready to hang directly on the wall.
Frame Material: Durable pine wood.
Frame Measurements: 20-25mm (0.79"-0.98") thick, 10-14mm (0.4"-0.6") wide.
Paper Weight: 200 gsm (80 lb), thickness: 0.22 mm (8.7 mils).
Paper Finishing: Matte, smooth, non-reflective surface.
Protection: Shatterproof plexiglass protects the poster.
Sustainable Paper: FSC-certified materials or equivalent.

This is a beautiful vintage botanical plate from the German publication Familie der Cacteen (The Family of Cacti), dated September 16, 1893. The illustration meticulously renders three different species of cacti from the collection of the Basel Botanical Garden. On the left are two varieties of Mammillaria (pincushion cactus), while the right side is dominated by a stunning Echinopsis (Easter lily cactus) producing a dramatically large, long-tubed pink flower. The artwork is a classic example of 19th-century scientific illustration, prized for its delicate coloration and precise detail.

Historical Tidbit

This print was created during the height of the 19th-century "cactus craze." Exotic plants from the Americas were enormously popular in Europe, and cacti, with their strange, architectural forms, were particular objects of fascination for Victorian collectors. The greatest challenge and prize for these collectors was getting a cactus to bloom. The spectacular flower of the Echinopsis shown here is famous for blooming at night and often lasting for only a single day. To capture such a fleeting and magnificent event in a detailed illustration was therefore not just a scientific record, but a documentation of a major horticultural triumph.

Our sturdy wooden framed posters come ready to hang and are printed on heavyweight white matte paper with a smooth, luxurious finish—designed to stand the test of time: