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Lophocereus schottii is one of the most showy succulent
plants, an eye stopper. These cacti are natives of
southern Arizona and Mexico. These slow-growing cacti are
suitable for growing as landscape plants, in greenhouses,
outdoor containers, and in a window garden. Maybe with a
lot of luck, you'll even be able to grow a Lophocereus
schottii monstrosus, a monstruous seedling.
This is a very distinctive species and easy to recognise,
the tall stems being covered in sharp needle like grey
spines towards their uppermost parts. The tall stems
branch from the base and eventually form clumps 6’
to 21’ tall and are 4½” to 5” in diameter.
The stems as they mature become more spiny above than
below. Occasionally the ends of stems will spiral a
little or dramatically in a right or left hand manner.
Such top cuttings are much prized by Californian
enthusiasts, fetching high prices.
Flowers are produced mostly from the upper stems. The
species is nocturnal flowering. On mature plants the
flowers are greenish white on the underside and pinkish
white inside and emit an unpleasant odour. The fruits are
as red as ripe strawberries and are seldom seen, as they
are quickly taken by hungry desert birds.The fruits reach
1 ½ inch in diameter and are spineless and fleshy when
mature.
Hardiness zones 9-10, (-5°C/25°F, 1°C/35°F). This
species presents no problems in cultivation and will do
well in a sunny spot in a cactus house in a gritty soil
mix and let the soil dry out between waterings. They will
tolerate severe drought if they have a large colony of
stems.
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