About
Cleistocactus samaipatanus is a slender, columnar cactus characterized by its light green stems, which feature 14 to 17 distinct ribs adorned with rigid pale yellow spines measuring between 0.5 and 3 cm in length. As it matures, this cactus readily produces multiple upright stems from its base, reaching heights of up to 1.5 meters and achieving diameters of around 5 cm. The plant produces vibrant red flowers that can grow up to 5 cm in length and 2.5 cm in width. Its fruits are small, spherical, and reddish, typically measuring up to 1 cm in both length and width, and are covered in dense white and brown hairs.
About the genus
Cleistocactus consists of upright, column-like cacti characterized by ribbed, cylindrical stems that may branch over time. These plants are adorned with dense spines and produce tubular flowers.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, East-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H2
Plant details
- Plant type
- Cactus Succulent, Conservatory Greenhouse
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Height
- 1-1.5 metres
- Spread
- 0.5-1 metres
- Time to full height
- 10-20 years
- Suggested uses
- Architectural, Patio and container plants
- Native to
- Bolivia
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow under glass in a standard cactus compost, in full light. Provide low humidity. Water freely when in growth and keep completely dry at other times. Apply a dilute low nitrogen fertilizer fortnightly during late spring and summer
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed or stem cuttings
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite, glasshouse whitefly and mealybugs
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free