Lophocereus marginatus (ex. Marginatocereus) | Mexican organ pipe cactus
€7,95
Lophocereus marginatus (DC.) S.Arias & Terrazas
🌱 Morphology
Columnar cactus with a shrubby or arborescent habit, generally sparsely branched and capable of reaching 3–5 m in height, exceptionally more. The dark green stems have 5–6 very prominent ribs, up to 4 cm high, with narrow edges. The areoles are oblong, large, and very close together, eventually merging to form a continuous line along the rib. The spines, generally not differentiated into radial and central, are straight, acicular, and flexible, white or grayish with a dark apex. In the apical fertile zone, the areoles become denser and the spines longer.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Endemic to Mexico, with a wide distribution across the central and southern states of the country, especially in Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Querétaro, Oaxaca, Puebla, Jalisco, and other territories with a warm and dry climate. It inhabits xerophilous scrublands and tropical deciduous forests, in stony and sandy soils, from low elevations to mountainous areas. It belongs to the Cactaceae family, Cactoideae subfamily, and Echinocereeae tribe. In the taxonomy of Joël Lodé 2026, it remains in Lophocereus; Marginatocereus marginatus, Pachycereus marginatus, and Stenocereus marginatus are names used previously.
❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 9a
Tolerates minimum temperatures of up to −6 ºC when dry and with well-acclimatized specimens. In cultivation, it is advisable to protect it from prolonged frosts accompanied by humidity.
☀️ Lighting
Needs direct sun and very intense radiation. High exposure promotes compact columnar growth and the formation of a dense, characteristic spine covering. During active growth, a DLI PAR of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ is recommended as a reference.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter rest. During the cold months, it is recommended to keep it practically dry. In spring and summer, it tolerates deep, spaced waterings, allowing the substrate to dry completely before watering again. Its fibrous root system benefits from a highly draining and aerated substrate.
🌸 Flowering
The flowers appear in the fertile zone, frequently grouped in pairs, and are tubular, about 2.5–4 cm long. They present greenish-white tones with reddish or pinkish shades and can open both during the day and at night. The fruits are globose, up to about 4 cm in diameter, fleshy, reddish-yellow, and covered with small deciduous areoles; they contain shiny dark brown to black seeds.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with high content of assimilable calcium and low levels of nitrogen is recommended, such as Desert CHOICE® Cactáceas, applied once a month when watering. Before flowering, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Floración.
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a technological square pot with the 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 sent specimen may vary slightly from the product image. The plant measurements are specified in the photo description, but this may also vary slightly because it is a living being! Each of the plants at Desert CITY has unique characteristics.
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