Family: Cactaceae
Habitat: Mexico and a few areas of Central and South America (especially Brasil)
Cultivation: Cephalocereus is very cultivated, but it’s really delicated, so it’s easy to find it grafted on more tough species.
Curiosity: Cephalocereus is related to Pilosocereus. Its stem is covered in thick, white bristle, especially in Cephalocereus senilis, the most widespread species.

KEY FEATURES

Cephalocereus genus is made of may species of columnar, slow-growing cacti, native from Mexico but widespread also in Brazil.

Cephalocereus have columnar stems, bluish or greyish-blue, divided in 8 ribs and filled with spiny areoles. Their main feature are actually the white or grey bristles which cover thickly the entire plant, especially at the top of its stem, the “Cephalo” (head), which gives the name to the genus.

Cephalocereus are really long-lived plants. They need decades to reach maturity, even 40 or 50 years, depending on the species. Blossomings occur during June and July, they flower overnight and slightly rare to see because they last just one night.

VARIETY AND TYPES

Here below are some species of Cephalocereus. Try to check our online shop in the section “Cephalocereus” to find them!

• C. albispinus
• C. alensis
• C. aleusis
• C. apicicephalium
• C. arrabidae
• C. atroviridis
• C. aureispinus
• C. aurisetus
• C. backebergii
• C. bahamensis
• C. bakeri
• C. barbadensis
• C. blossfeldiorum
• C. bradei
• C. brasiliensis
• C. braunii
• C. brooksianus
• C. californicus
• C. catingicola
• C. chrysacanthus
• C. chrysomallus
• C. chrysostele
• C. claroviridis
• C. collinsii
• C. colombianus
• C. columbianus
• C. columna
• C. columna-trajani
• C. cometes
• C. cuyabensis
• C. dautwitzii
• C. delaetii
• C. dybowskii
• C. euphorbioides
• C. exerens
• C. fluminensis
• C. fricii
• C. fulviceps
• C. gaumeri
• C. glaucescens
• C. glaucochrous
• C. gounellei
• C. guentheri
• C. guerreronis
• C. guntheri
• C. hapalacanthus
• C. hermentianus
• C. hoppenstedii
• C. hoppenstedtii
• C. johansenii
• C. kanukuensis
• C. lanuginosus
• C. lehmannianus
• C. leucocephalus
• C. leucostele
• C. luetzelburgii
• C. machrisii
• C. machrissi
• C. macrocephalus
• C. maguirei

TIPS FOR GROWING

Here below are some tips to cultivate your Cephalocereus:

Sun Exposure:
Leave these plants in a sunny spot. The abundance of direct light helps the pant to develop its typical bristles. Younger plants can be put in a partially shaded position.
Temperature:
They love high temperatures, they cannot bear temperatures below 8-10ºC.
Watering:
Water every 3-4 days in Spring and Summer and reduce the frequence of watering interventions in Autumn until Winter, when you should stop completely to water your Cephalocereus. These plants are really sensitive to rottenness, also more than other cacti. In Summer, if possible, vaporize the plant.
Substrate:
Choose a well-draining substrate: a cactus mix is okay.
Repotting:
Repot every 2-3 years, choosing deep pots.
Propagation:
Propagation is made generally through seeds, seeding in sandy, humid substrates, but also stem cuttings can be used: it’s more easy through seeds.