Haageocereus acranthus | Lima Pitahaya
€21,20
🌱 Morphology
Do not eat...Columnar cactus with an upright habit, having green stems that can grow straight or slightly arched and reach 1–2 m in height, occasionally more, with a diameter of about 7–10 cm. It features 12–14 ribs, slightly tuberculate towards the apex. The areoles, set very close together, are yellow to dark brown and covered in yellowish wool. It develops a very robust central spine, usually solitary and pointing downward, 2–4 cm long, occasionally up to 6 cm, accompanied by about 20–30 yellowish radial spines that can be arranged in several series.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Endemic to Peru, especially the arid valleys of the central coast and the "lomas" (fog oasis) systems near Lima, with populations extending into the inter-Andean valleys. It is found at approximately 100 to 2700 m elevation in deserts, dry scrublands, stony slopes, and cactus formations. It belongs to the Cactaceae family, Cactoideae subfamily, and Trichocereeae tribe.
❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 9b
It tolerates minimum temperatures down to −4 ºC if kept dry and the specimens are well-acclimated, although it is preferable to avoid prolonged frosts and, above all, the combination of cold and humidity.
☀️ Lighting
It requires very intense lighting and direct sun to develop a compact habit and abundant spines. As a guideline during active growth, a DLI PAR of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ is recommended.
💧 Growth cycle and irrigation
Winter dormancy. During the cold period, it should be kept dry, especially when temperatures are low. In spring and summer, growth resumes and it should be watered abundantly but infrequently, allowing the substrate to dry out completely before the next watering. It is sensitive to excess moisture.
🌸 Flowering
Large flowers, tubular to funnel-shaped, about 7.5–9.7 cm long, generally greenish-white, white, or slightly pinkish. They are nocturnal, rich in nectar, and appear near the ends of the stems. In "lomas" populations, visits by bats and hummingbirds have been documented, among other floral visitors.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with high levels of assimilable calcium and low levels of nitrogen is recommended, such as Desert CHOICE® Cacti, 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 technological square pot and with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
12x12 cm pot
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