Synonyms:

Cleistocactus hyalacanthus
Cereus hyalacanthus
Cleistocactus compactus
Cleistocactus hyalacanthus
Cleistocactus hyalacanthus subsp. tarijensis
Cleistocactus jujuyensis var. fulvus
Cleistocactus strausii var. fricii
Cleistocactus strausii var. jujuyensis
Cleistocactus tarijensis
Echinopsis nothohyalacantha
Pilocereus jujuyensis
Pilocereus strausii var. fricii

Habitat:

C. jujuyensis is native to Argentina Northwest, Bolivia. The forma mostruosa has garden origin.

Description:

C. jujuyensis f. mostruosa is a rare cactus belonging to the Cactaceae botanical family. The plant cluster from the base and can reach very considerable size. The stem is erect, columnar, dark green. The stem usually is crossed by horizontal lines that are formed by the fusion of its areoles. The areoles are woolly and the spines are bristly. Blooming occurs during the summer when the plant has reached maturity, that is, after a few years (about 7-8 years of age). The buds are borne at the apex of the stem and the flowers are tubular, orange-red in color.

Cultivation:

This is a slow growing plant, easy to cultivate. The plant needs a full light sun exposure but is recommended to avoid direct sun-light in the hottest periods. The plant does not like temperatures below 10°C so it needs to be placed indoors in the coldest periods. The soil should be mixed with pumice, clay and loam to allow the drainage and prevent the root rot, the plant is prone to it indeed. Remember to use a perforating pot to drain excess water. Watering can be done regularly in Spring and Summer: during the vegetative period you can water the plant (every 7 days), checking that the soil is completely dry before watering again; in winter you should stop the watering to allow the plant to enter dormancy. If you want a faster and lush growth you can fertilize the plant once a month during the growing season with the specific fertilizers for cacti; stop fertilizing throughout the winter. If the pot starts to be too small for the plant you can repot the plant in a pot 2 cm wider. Repotting should be done early in the growing season with fresh new potting soil. Be careful to red spiders and mealy bugs.

Propagation:

Propagation can be done by cutting or by seed. By cutting you can make the cut during the spring and then let the cutting dry; after a few days the cut surface will dry and a callus will form, then place the cutting in a mixture of sand, soil and pumice. To increase the success of propagation you can make two or more cuttings at the same time. For cuttings it is recommended temperatures around 20 °C. By seed it is very simple to propagate the plant, it is enough to sow the seed in a sandy loam soil and keep it with a high level of humidity and at temperature of 14 C°.

Curiosity:

The name comes from the greek kleistòs, that means close, and it refers to this cactus flower corolla, which does not open completely.

Official Web Site:
www.giromagi.com

Italian Blog:
www.giromagicactus.com

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