Leucostele chiloensis (formerly Trichocereus) | Quisco. Chilean candelabra cactus
€159,00
Leucostele chiloensis (Colla) Schlumpb
🌱 Morphology
A large-sized columnar cactus, usually branched from the base or at a certain height, which can exceed 8 m in mature specimens. The stems are erect, green to bluish-green, with approximately 12–16 well-defined ribs. The areoles are large and woolly, provided with numerous radial and central spines, initially yellowish or brownish and progressively turning grey. The central spines can reach several centimeters. Old specimens develop a robust, corky trunk, acquiring an arborescent appearance.
🌍 Distribution, habitat and family
Species endemic to central and northern Chile, especially widespread throughout the Coquimbo and Valparaíso regions and drier inland areas. It grows on hillsides, ravines and xerophilous scrublands, from areas near sea level up to approximately 2,000 m, tolerating marked seasonal aridity. It belongs to the Cactaceae family, subfamily Cactoideae and tribe Trichocereeae. The name Trichocereus or Echinopsis chiloensis, still widely used in horticulture, are synonyms although they are not the currently correct names.
❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 8b
Tolerates minimum temperatures of up to −7 ºC when dry and with well-acclimatized specimens. Adult and established specimens can withstand considerably more intense cold episodes if the soil remains dry.
☀️ Lighting
Requires direct sun and very intense radiation throughout the growth period. Insufficient lighting causes weaker stems and excessively elongated growth. As a reference, a DLI PAR of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ is recommended during active growth.
💧 Growth cycle and irrigation
Winter dormancy. During winter, it is kept practically dry, especially when temperatures drop. In spring and summer, it can receive abundant and spaced waterings, allowing the substrate to dry out completely between them. In dry climates, it tolerates regular watering during the growth phase, but drainage must be excellent.
🌸 Flowering
The flowers appear laterally on the areoles of mature stems. They are large, white, fragrant and nocturnal, with numerous narrow tepals and a long floral tube covered with hairs and small scales. They can reach approximately 12–15 cm in diameter. Flowering is concentrated in spring and summer and is especially spectacular in adult specimens.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with high assimilable calcium content and low nitrogen levels, such as Desert CHOICE® Cactáceas, is recommended, applied once a month during watering. Before flowering, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Floración.
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a technological square pot and with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
13x13 cm pot
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