Espostoa melanostele subs. nana | Andes Silver Cloud
€15,90
Espostoa melanostele subsp. nana (F.Ritter) G.J.Charles
🌱 Morphology
Columnar cactus with a much more compact habit than the type subspecies, with basal branching and stems reaching approximately 1.5 m in height and 5–8 cm in diameter. It has 16–22 low, rounded ribs, densely covered by areoles. Each areole produces numerous pale yellow radial spines, up to 8 mm long, while the outermost ones gradually transform into long white hairs 2–4 cm long, creating the appearance of a wool-covered column. The cephalium is white or pale yellow.
🌍 Distribution, habitat and family
Subspecies endemic to Áncash, Peru, especially in the Santa River valley, where it grows in desert environments and dry scrubland between 1,300 and 2,200 m altitude. It belongs to Cactaceae, Cactoideae, Trichocereeae. The currently accepted and correct name is Espostoa melanostele subsp. nana; Espostoa nana and Pseudoespostoa nana are historical synonyms.
❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 8b
Tolerates minimum temperatures down to −9 ºC when dry and with well-acclimatized specimens. Resistance increases when kept completely dry during cold spells.
☀️ Lighting
Requires direct sun and very intense light, with an indicative DLI PAR of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ during growth. Good lighting promotes compact development and abundant hairiness.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter dormancy. During winter, it is recommended to keep the substrate dry with low temperatures. In spring and summer, resume watering abundantly but spaced out, allowing the substrate to dry out completely before watering again.
🌸 Flowering
It blooms upon reaching maturity, near the age of 20. The flowers are white, about 5–6 cm long, and appear associated with the cephalium, mainly during the warm season. It can produce several flowers throughout a season; the fruits are greenish and fleshy.
🌿 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 when 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 with 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 measurements of the plant are specified in the photo description, but this may also vary slightly, because, it is a living thing! Each of the plants at Desert CITY has unique characteristics.
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