€15,90

Espostoa mirabilis F.Ritter ·

🌱 Morphology
    Shrubby or arborescent cactus 2–4 m tall, with a short trunk that branches out to form a characteristic candelabra shape. The branches are erect, cylindrical, about 9 cm in diameter, with 16–25 ribs and areoles provided with numerous fine, needle-like, reddish to brownish spines, which can number up to 40 per areole. An apical cephalium, about 3–4 cm wide and formed by abundant wool, develops at the tips. The flowers are white to pink and the fruits are red.

🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Species endemic to the Marañón River valley in northern Peru, especially in Amazonas, Cajamarca, and La Libertad. It grows on rocky slopes and in dry scrublands, at an altitude of approximately 500 to 1,500 m. It belongs to Cactaceae, Cactoideae.

❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 8a
Tolerates minimum temperatures of down to −7 ºC when kept dry and with well-acclimated specimens. Its good cold resistance is related to the mountainous nature of part of its habitat; however, the combination of intense cold and damp substrate should be avoided.

☀️ Lighting
Requires direct sun and very intense light, with a DLI PAR greater than 25 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ to maintain compact growth. Acclimation to direct sun should be gradual.

💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter rest. Watering is drastically reduced during winter, keeping the substrate dry in low temperatures. In spring and summer, watering is resumed abundantly but spaced out, allowing the substrate to dry out completely between waterings.

🌸 Flowering
Blooms from 6–7 years of age under suitable conditions. It can produce several blooms during the same season, mainly between May and September. The flowers, about 5.5 cm long, appear associated with the cephalium and are white to pink.

🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with a high content of assimilable calcium and low nitrogen levels, such as Desert CHOICE® Cactaceae, is recommended, applied once a month during watering. Before flowering, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Flowering.

This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a high-tech square pot with substrate activated by mycorrhizal fungi.

 📏 The sizes of our basic collection xerophytes are as follows:

S -> 9cm x 9cm

M-> 14cm x 14 cm

L->16cm x 16 cm

* As this is an online purchase, the appearance of the specimen sent may vary slightly from the product image. The plant's measurements are specified in the photo description, but this may also vary slightly because it is a living being! Each of the Desert CITY plants has unique characteristics.

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