This is a nice cactus for a splash of unusual color in your arid garden. I have several in the ground as well as a few in planters. Her...Read Moree in AZ (9b) during 115 degree days it stands up just fine with no sunburn. Like PalmBob mentioned once mine get under about 30 degrees they get their tops protected to prevent them from scarring and then branching. After monsoon rains they seem to grow quite fast. These are readily available at nurseries in PHX but most are labelled with the azureus name instead.
This is a beautiful glaucous (bluish-silver) cactus with an elegant habit (growth form) that makes it look like a miniature blue Saguaro....Read More Even the spines are a pretty yellow hue, and are not designed to puncture skin. I like to pet them, personally. Not sure about its cold hardiness, but I'll be bringing it inside for January and February every year. After looking at these for years in stores and wanting one, I finally caved today and got a little 2" tall baby at a CVS drugstore, of all places, mainly out of pity. I have high hopes for this fella, and he will be going into one of my community cactus pots for the next few years. This species is allegedly quite tolerant of rain & humidity, which, if true, would make it one of the best cacti to keep in the Gulf South.
There are many columnar cacti that are blue, this one is a bluer one. The most 'common' names are "Facheiro, Facheiro Azul & Mandacarú d...Read Moree Facho".
This plant can reach from 7 up to about 30 feet or higher.
The subspecies 'pachycladus' has 5-12 high and broad ribs, Long central spines that can be distuinguished from radial spines. The areoles that bear flowers are extra hairy.
The subspecies 'pernambucoensis' has 13-19 lower thinner ribs, the radial & central spines are about the same length and not easily distinguishable from each other. The areoles that bear flowers are not very hairy.
according to recent literature, the proper name is now Pilosocereus pachycladus, and azureus is a synonym... and 10 years from now, it wi...Read Morell go the other way again? By the way, this cactus grows way taller than 6' ... up to 30' in its native Brazil
By the way, it is not cold tolerant to the mid 20s as Botany Bob asserts (actually, Botany Bob was me in a previous account)... all my Pilosocereus froze when it got down to 25F, though only the tops (protect with styrofoam cups and/or wrap tops with newspaper next time!). Made all my perfect solitary columnar plants into branching plants... not as nice, but I have noticed all Pilosocereus in southern California are branching plants with cold scars on them, so I am not alone.
I am not going to say this is a water-loving cactus, but summer watering only seems to make it grow faster, and it is exceptionally tolerant of high water exposure, at least when hot... not had one rot in winter rains, either, but I don't dare water it even more just to tempt fate.
This is one of the most spectacular columnar cacti that can be grown in the warmer, drier areas of the US. It is the most amazing turquo...Read Moreise/ sky blue color. The spines are relatively small and protrude along ridges that run up the plant from top to bottom. As Pilosocereus cacti age, they produce what is called a 'pseudocephalium', where the plant produces thick, soft tufts of orange/white hair (sort-of like that seen in 'old man cacti). This area of the cactus is where the flowers pop out (a relatively rare occurence, at least here in Southern California).
The cold tolerance of this species isn't known, but it can tolerate frost, and some freezing down to the mid 20s briefly, without any harm. Water requirement is minimal, as with most cacti, though it appreciates watering in the warmest months. Most Pilosocereus are from Mexico or Brazil... no information on this one's origin, but suspect Brazil, where the more colorful species grow.
Pilosocereus are excellent pot culture cacti, and therefore can be grown in most areas of the country, if protected from heavy summer rains and winter freezes.
This is a nice cactus for a splash of unusual color in your arid garden. I have several in the ground as well as a few in planters. Her...Read More
This is a beautiful glaucous (bluish-silver) cactus with an elegant habit (growth form) that makes it look like a miniature blue Saguaro....Read More
It is NOT hardy to 10f. If anything, It is more tropical than the common Cereus.
There are many columnar cacti that are blue, this one is a bluer one. The most 'common' names are "Facheiro, Facheiro Azul & Mandacarú d...Read More
according to recent literature, the proper name is now Pilosocereus pachycladus, and azureus is a synonym... and 10 years from now, it wi...Read More
This is one of the most spectacular columnar cacti that can be grown in the warmer, drier areas of the US. It is the most amazing turquo...Read More