Below is detailed description of species Austrocylindropuntia vestita
Family: Cactaceae
Scientific
Name: Austrocylindropuntia
vestita (Salm-Dyck)
Backeberg 1939
Common name(s): include: "Cotton
Coral Cactus", "Cotton Pole", "Old Man Opuntia"
Origin: Bolivia
Conservastion Status: CITES Appendix II Listed Plant
Etymology: The species name "vestita"
refers to the plants' vestments, its clothing of white hairs that turns
into dens colonies what appears to be patches of snow remembering the high mountain
peaks that surround - on all sides - the habitat of this plant
Recommended Temperature Zone: USDA:
10-11
Description: Austrocylindropuntia
vestita It forms slim columns densely cloaked with thin long white hairs. Every
one has it, grows and flowers well. It is usually a slender columnar white and very furry cactus from high altitude.
The standard plants form
branch both basally and near the top of the stems.
A. vestita f. cristata has
unsegmented, undulating pads covered with fine white hair. The tube-like grows
at the top of the cactus are modified leaves, which remain a good part of the
year.
Growth Habits: shrubby
cacti Not segmented stems, up to 20 inches
long, 1.2 inches in diameter (3 cm),
persistent leaves, up to 1.2 inches
long (3 cm), hairy
areoles, with Numerous fine spines
Stem: Cylindrical 2-3 cm in diameter covered densely with long white hairs.
The stems can eventually grow to almost 60 cm tall
Spines: Few thin, up to 1 cm long and white. The plant has also abundant long,
fine and rubbery hairs which completely cover the branches.
Flowers: A. vestita is
not a reliable bloomer. When flowering finally occurs, the flowers will be a
beautiful deep red or violet up to 2-2,5 cm . The hairiness of the pericarpel
is mostly as dense as that of the stems, merely the spination remains less. The
flowers are developed always at the top of the stems.
Sun Exposure:
Full sun
Cultivation: This particular species needs regular watering when soil is dry during the growing
seasonis but it is prone to root
rot, so prudent watering is necessary. Keep
dry in winter. It comes from high altitude and do not like hot, stuffy summers, it is best to
put them in airy places with ample airflow. It requires a very drained
and mineral
potting mix and a full sun or slightly
shady
exposure. Protect from severe frost.
Min Temperature: 50
° F (10 ° C)
Frost Tolerance: Light frost only
Propagation Methods: Seeds are
seldom available and extremely difficult to germinate. Best
reproduced by cutting that produce roots easily. The crested variety,
which is more delicate, multiplies more easily using grafting.
Other The genus Austrocylindropuntia comprises eleven species
and was created by Curt Backeberg in 1938 for the cylindrical Opuntias of
South-America. The cylindrical Opuntias of North-America was instead placed in
the genus Cylindropuntia.
Austrocylindropuntia can easily be distinguished from Cylindropuntia:
Cylindropuntia spines have papery sheaths, Austrocylindropuntia spines
lack them. Austrocylindropuntia have cylindrical stems that grow
indeterminately, not like many other Opuntias with stems that grow in a single
season. Fresh stems have noticeable leaves that soon fall off.
Austrocylindropuntias form low cushions or bushes up to 3 of 5 m. The seeds are
different too.
