The first of many

[Mike]

Looks like I'm in for a good number of flowers this year on my Cleistocactus strausii.
The flowers are certainly odd, but are great to see. I wonder what pollinates these, birds perhaps?

Mike

[Ali Baba]

They certainly look like typical bird pollinated flowers, probably hummingbirds

[Ali Baba]

They certainly look like typical bird pollinated flowers, probably hummingbirds. I have to repot mine tomorrow which I am not looking forward to as it is a metre tall and much spinier than it looks!

[Mike]

Good luck with the repotting! Mine is now closer to 2 metres and has always had two main stems.
I prepared the bigger pot, with a recess in the new compost exactly matching the old pot, then having let the old compost dry out completely so it would lift easily from old pot, with thick gloves and a strong sense of purpose it was lift, shift and drop.
Mike

[Cidermanrolls]

Great display coming. My plant has been cut down to ground level several times in its 40+ years in my care. It’s currently no more than 2” tall, but I expect 2’ and flowers within 4 years

[Ali Baba]

Repotted it yesterday without any damage to myself or the plant thank goodness. Rather than gloves I wrap the stem in the thick brown paper that occasionally comes as packing in Amazon parcels. Provided it is scrunched up it is remarkably spine proof enabling me to lift the plant barehanded in to the new pot. Hopefully it won’t outgrow the new pot for a couple of years at least

[Tina]

Looking great.
Do you think the sunny time last year has resulted in the mass of flowers this year ?.

[Mike]

You may be right, Tina, which would bode well for other plants...