 Description: The typical
San Pedro cactus (Trichocereus pachanoi) is a multi-stemmed
“organ-pipe cactus” with light green stems (slightly glaucous when
young, dark green in age) that that forms a small tree 3 to 6 meters
tall by 1,8 m spread, with several branches, usually extending from the
base.
The rare crested form can also get very big making a spectacular
specimen.
Cultivation: Trichocereus pachanoi is
very easy to grow and cold hardy as low as -12°C (or less). It needs a
fertile, well drained soil mix. Water the plants well and allow them to
dry before watering again. This species seems to do better with a little
more water than most cacti. In fact, its cultivation requirements are
really more like 'normal' plants than most other cacti. During the
growing season fertilize them monthly with a balanced fertilizer
Sun Exposure: Outside
full sun, but during hot summers the cactus are subject to sun
burning, so grow them in light shade. Inside they
need bright light, and some direct sun.
During winter months, put them in a cool luminous
place and encourage them to enter winter dormancy by withholding water
and fertiliser over the winter, as they will
etiolate, or become thin, due to lower levels of light. They are
susceptible to fungal diseases if over-watered, but are not nearly as
sensitive as many other cacti, especially in warm weather. They tend
characteristically towards black rotted spots unless watering is
moderate and only in hot weather. If kept
damp through cold periods, they will invariably suffer.
T. pachanoi produces good amounts of growth each year if kept
well fed and watered throughout the warmest months, particularly if it
has been acclimatised to accept full sun. |
