A shrubby or tree-like cactus, to 2m tall in its native Mexico, with stems composed of thick, flat, rounded, greyish or bluish segments to 40cm across. 2-12 spines arise from each areole. Mature plants produce shallowly bowl-shaped, yellow flowers to 7cm across in summer, followed by spherical, red fruits; but neither flowers nor fruit are likely to be produced in the UK
0.5-1 metres
0.5-1 metres
| Season | Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | ||||
| Summer | ||||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Under glass, grow in sharply-draining, peat-free, loam-based compost with added sharp sand, or a proprietary peat-free cactus compost. Provide full light at all times and allow compost to dry before watering during growth period in spring, summer and early autumn and apply a balanced liquid fertiliser three or four times. Withhold water and fertiliser in winter when dormant. See houseplant cacti and succulent cultivation for further advice
Propagate by seed in spring. Separate and root stem sections. Handle plants using folded newspaper and dispose of it after use
No pruning required
May be susceptible to scale insects and mealybugs
Generally disease-free