E. horizonthalonius is one of the true heavyweights of the Echinocactus genus when it comes to presence. In that group, Shoheimaru is, as the name implies, the smallest and flattest, with the shortest and most modest spines of them all. That said, it's hard to tell them apart when they're young. Like Taiheimaru, their spines appear alternately and sparsely at first, but as they grow, they line up in neat vertical rows, creating a striking visual contrast between the white skin and the spines. Once they reach this size, you can clearly see how Taiheimaru's spines are indeed larger and more dramatic, while Kohēmaru’s are shorter and subtler, giving it a more reserved appearance. Try to imagine this final form as you care for your plant—it'll take about 20 years to get there, though! This is a very old cultivar, and has long been known under the scientific name moelleri, but if you check any scientific database, you can't actually find any official record of this name. There is, however, a variety name, E. horizonthalonius var.moelleri (a variety of Taiheimaru). Probably, the variety name gradually started being used as a species name somewhere along the way, a bit like a game of telephone.

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  6,600JPY