Cleistocactus strausii - 10 Seed Pack - Exotic Cactus Succulent - Combined Global Shipping - NEW

Cleistocactus is a genus of columnar cacti native to mountainous areas of Peru, Uruguay, Bolivia and Argentina at altitudes of about 3000 meters. They are perennial cacti belonging to the family Cactaceae. The name comes from the Greek kleistos meaning closed because the flowers hardly open. The stems are tall and mostly slender and often many-branched with numerous ribs with closely set areoles and spines. The flowers are tubular and the tips hardly open with only the style and stamens usually protruding. This genus is widespread throughout much of South America and can be found growing in large shrubby clumps mixed in with other vegetation or clamoring over boulders. Several species are extremely popular in cultivation and are among the most common of cactus in nurseries worldwide; the two most popular of all being Cleistocactus strausii and Cleistocactus winteri.

Cleistocactus strausii commonly known as Silver Torch or Wooly Torch is a cactus with slender, erect, grey-green columns which can reach a height of 3 meter, but are only about 6 cm across. The columns are formed from around 25 ribs and are densely covered with areoles, supporting four yellow-brown spines up to 4 cm long and 20 shorter white radials.

The cactus prefers free draining soils, strong sunlight, but not high temperatures — in fact it can withstand hard frosts down to -10°C. In its natural habitat it receives plenty of water during the summer, but almost none over the winter. In cultivation, watering too much in winter often leads to root rot. They grow well in pots and their growth can be stunted by keeping them in small pots.

Older plants, over 45 cm tall, produce deep red, burgundy, flowers in late summer. The 6 cm long cylindrical flowers protrude horizontally from the columns. In common with other cacti in the genus Cleistocactus, the flowers hardly open, with only the style and stamens protruding. Cultivated plants often flower freely.