Espostoa lanata

RHS Plant Profile

Peruvian old man cactus

Other common names

cotton ball

Cactus Succulent

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A columnar cactus with 20- to 30-ribbed stems, densely clothed in a white wool. In its native Peru it may reach 6m tall, but will only attain a fraction of that when grown as a pot plant

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

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): H2

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Cactaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Columnar upright
Genus: A genus of 16 species of cacti from southern Ecuador and Peru, grown mainly as houseplants. They have tall, columnar stems covered in fuzzy, soft white hairs which hide circles of sharp spines. Bell or cup-shaped flowers are generally white, rarely red, and bloom at night and the sweet, juicy fruits are edible
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: S. Ecuador, Peru

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in cactus compost in a sunny position. Water moderately during the growing season and keep almost dry in winter. See houseplant cacti and succulent cultivation for further information

Propagation

Propagate by sowing seed at 21°C in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Houseplants
Patio and container plants
Low Maintenance
Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to mealybugs

Diseases

May be susceptible to root and stem rots if overwatered