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Cactus Succulent

Cereus validus

A tall, columnar cactus ultimately reaching 4m, with deeply ribbed, dull bluish-green to grey-green stems, set with clusters of long spines. Large, red and white, cup-shaped flowers appear in early autumn, opening at night

Synonyms

Cereus forbesii

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Ultimate height

2.5–4 metres

Time to ultimate height

20–50 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

H1C

Botanical details

Family: Cactaceae
Native to the UK: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Columnar upright
Potentially harmful: Handle with care due to prickly spines. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Genus: A genus of around 33 species of large, columnar cacti, native to South America with ribbed and spiny stems. Large, funnel-shaped flowers bloom at night, mainly white but sometimes appearing in pink, purple, yellow, green and (rarely) cream
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow under glass in a standard cactus compost, in full light. Water freely when in growth and keep almost dry at other times. See houseplant cacti and succulent cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by seed in early spring or root cuttings of young branches in late spring or early summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Houseplants
Patio and container plants
Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to mealy bugs and scale insects

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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