The columnar cactus is native to South America
The home of the columnar cactus is South America. There it grows in predominantly rocky terrain. It stores water in its trunks and tolerates dry periods well. None of the many species of columnar cactus is hardy. You must therefore always overwinter them indoors.
also read
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Identify columnar cactus
There are numerous very different looking types of cereus. However, unlike leaf cacti, they have some in common characteristics.
Column cacti always grow upright with only one or more trunks. Some species are hairy, others armed with thick, strong thorns.
The flower shapes range from drooping long white-red flowers to red, upright ones blossoms.
The columnar cactus rarely blooms in indoor culture
For a columnar cactus to bloom, it must be several years old. If it is kept exclusively in indoor culture, it almost never sets flowers. Only when it is given a break in winter does it occasionally form flowers.
In most of the species of columnar cactus kept here, the flowers only open at night and close again in the morning.
Known species of the columnar cactus
| offered. Surname | shape | colour | Ribs | blossom | Flower color | particularities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cereus jamacaru | single stem | bluish green | 6 – 10 | up to 20 cm long | white-greenish | long, pointed thorns |
| Cereus peruvianus | single stem | bluish green | 5 – 8 | up to 15 cm long | white-pink | few sharp thorns |
| Cephalocereus senilis | multi-stemmed | white hairy | 20 – 30 | short, standing | Red | also called Greisenhaupt |
| Cleistocactus strausii | multi-stemmed | green | 25 – 30 | tubular protruding | wine red | also called silver candle |
| Cereus peruvianus | multi-stemmed | green-bluish | 9 – 10 | 12 to 15 cm | reddish tips | also called rock cactus |
Tips
Not all columnar cacti have long thorns. In some species, however, these are very pronounced, while others have very soft, small spines. Therefore, be careful, especially if children and pets are part of the family.
