September 2012 - Genus of the Month - Cleistocactus

[Bill]

http://www.bcss.org.uk/pom092012.php

[Peter Cupial-Jones]

Kick off with a few of mine some very much alive and some now in the Great Compost Heap in the Sky :

Cleistocactus candellila

1018d_c_candellila (1)533400.JPG (51.29 KiB) Viewed 4905 times

Cleistocactus ferrarii

1374D_c_ferrarii (1)533400.JPG (48.1 KiB) Viewed 4905 times

Cleistocactus wendlandiorum

1858d_c_wendlandiorum (2)533400.JPG (42.04 KiB) Viewed 4905 times

and I make no apologies for posting pics of my treasured colademono again.......

Cleistocactus colademononis

1719d_c_colademononis (55)267400.JPG (40.09 KiB) Viewed 4905 times

Cleistocactus colademononis

1719d_c_colademononis (57)267400.JPG (50.11 KiB) Viewed 4905 times

[Tony R]

and I make no apologies for posting pics of my treasured colademono again.......

I'm glad Peter has shown us his mature colademono again, for that is what features in my short "Plant of the Month" article:
http://www.bcss.org.uk/pom092012.php
The two and a half year old seedlings in this article have now matured into four year old plants, and have started developing longer hairs/bristles and have flowered for the first time this summer. Here is one of them today, now in a 3 inch pot:

[Peter Cupial-Jones]

And a good POM article it is too Tony!

[Liz M]

I have a Cleistocactus, any hints for growing it well or getting it to flower?

[capsid]

Bought this earlier this year. It's put on some good growth since then. Left pic is taken on 21st July, right pic on 3rd September.

When will it flower?

[Tony R]

I have a Cleistocactus, any hints for growing it well or getting it to flower?

Lots of water in spring and autumn, not so much in summer; plenty of light; John Innes:grit 3:1; pot it on more often than you would a globular cactus; and talk to it!

When will it flower?

I have one C. candelilla that has flowered when less than 12 inches tall; others have been 3 feet or more tall when first flowering.

[Liz M]

Well, I have given it plenty of water and as good a light as is possible. It has grown a lot since I got it last year, so I will have to repot it soon. I have not been talking to it, so maybe it has been sulking. I'll try harder from now on. Thanks for the advice, Tony.

[RAYWOODBRIDGE]

set1 026.JPG (105.96 KiB) Viewed 4722 times

Hi Liz

Yes Tony is right, talk to the plants.
I always say good morning to Bernard,( top 1ft shown in pic ) who is a 6ft C. strausii, and has given me on average 40 to 45 flowers every week this summer. ( Why is he called Bernard ) After Bernard Lewis his former owner who passed away last year.

Tony good article for P.O.M. I must sow some of those colademononis this February.

Nice plant Peter, I do think Cleistocactus are are good genus to grow and give the collection shape and colour and grow quite quickly as a bonus.

Ray.

[MikeT]

Bought this earlier this year. It's put on some good growth since then.

The new growth looks narrower than the previous growth, which suggests that it's a bit etiolated and not getting quite enough light. Where is it growing? is it indoors?