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TheCardon cactus – Pachycereus Pringlei [ pak - ee - KER - ee - us ] [ PRING - lee - center ] is aflowering cactusbelonging to the cactus mob Cactaceae .
It ’s the tallest cactus in the world and native to Northwestern Mexico in the states of Baja California , Baja California Sur , Sonoran Desert of Sonora , and Southern Arizona .
Potted Mexican Giant Cardon
It ’s part of the columnar cacti family from the Sonoran Desert which includes the saguaro ( Carnegiea gigantea ) .
Many of these cacti originate to a much more doable size of it and are often cultivated in the American Southwest and in areas like San Diego , CA .
It ’s popular as a houseplant due to its gentle - to - manage - for nature and unparalleled coming into court .
The Pachycereus Pringlei ( S. Watson ) Britton & Rose goes by several common names :
Synonyms : Pachycereus calvus and Pilocereus pringlei .
Mexican Cardon Cactus Care
Size And Growth
Pachycereus pringlei s is the tallest growing cactus in the domain with a increase capacitance of a staggering 63 ’ feet with a trunk diameter of 39″ inches .
But the grandiloquent cactus ever measured was an armless Saguaro cactus .
Your Mexican Giant Cardon cactus has a slow growth rate , and the size of the plant will variegate depending on the eld .
When the plant reach out maturity , it will grow flowers about 3 ” inches long .
Flowering And Fragrance
Elephant cactus blooms during the spring once it hit maturity .
The blank peak and around 3 ” in long .
The fuzz growing from the areole conceals the base of the efflorescence .
The plant will grow spiny yield luxuriously in pectin – a substance used to make jellies .
In the past , Seri used the fruit for solid food , to make walls , and for ritual .
Related : How To Care For San Pedro Cactus
Light And Temperature
Because these plants rise good in desert conditions , make certain they get enough sun and hotness .
When grow them indoors , rank them next to a windowpane that gets plenty of promising light .
If planting outdoors in full Sunday be sure to make the transition slowly , so your plant gets time to acclimatize to the sun .
young plants should be grown in dribble light , move them outside once they are mature .
The ideal temperature for Pachycereus pringlei is above 32 ° degrees Fahrenheit ( 0 ° speed of light ) . There minimal cold USDA hardiness zona is -9a 25 ° degrees Fahrenheit ( -4 ° coulomb ) .
Watering And Feeding
This is a drought tolerant works with miserable watering requirements .
You should irrigate it passably until it ’s well established . After that , this plant can survive on much less water .
desist from overwatering your plant as too much water can make irreversible equipment casualty .
The Mexican Giant Cardon does not have a great need for fertiliser .
However , flow it with a cactus fertilizer from time to time if you feel like your flora needs a boost .
Soil And Transplanting
This giant cactus can grow even in the absence of filth . Its unique symbiotic relationship with bacterium intend it can gain nutrients from the rocks and carry them on to the works .
As such , filth may not be necessary to develop your Pachycereus cactus . However , if you want to practice soil , any well - draining cactus potting grunge will do .
Repotting your Pachycereus is essential to keep it growing .
If you never repot your works , it may break off growing . It ’s best to repot every 3 – 4 year , in good order at the terminal of wintertime .
This will give your plant a probability to reclaim before the grow season begins but it ’s ok to transplant your cactus at any fourth dimension of the twelvemonth .
Once you ’ve transpose your cactus , waitress for 1 – 2 weeks before you irrigate it to obviate the risk of rotting the plant .
How To Propagate Elephant Pachycereus Pringlei Cactus
Pachycereus cactus , like other cactus species and succulent industrial plant , will disseminate through cuttings .
polish off a arm from your cactus and , once the cut ’s heal , position it in your potting commixture .
Cuttings with properly dried ends will take root faster than others .
Pachycereus Cactus Pest Or Disease Problems
Elephant Pachycereus cactus is susceptible to a fungous disease roll in the hay asbotrytisand pests such asmealy bugsand jot .
Suggested Uses For Pachycereus Pringlei Cactus
Because of its bang-up overall appearance and low water indigence , like theTotem Pole cactus(Lophocereus schottii var . atrocious ) , it ’s an excellent works for xeriscaping your garden .
to boot , it is attractive and easy to wield addition as a houseplant .
