Xerophyte

Seeds

Black, 1.1-1.4 mm long and slightly curved. They germinate easily.

Description

Cleistocactus winteriSN|3784]]SN|3784]] subs. colademononis, sometimes listed under its old name of Hildewintera colademononisSN|9579]]SN|9579]], is a fantastic plant with very long white and soft, hairlike spines. The common name “monkey's tail” refers to the appearance of the hairy stems. It is free flowering and the outsize bright red blooms are particularly decorative.

Habitat

Cleistocactus winteriSN|3784]]SN|3784]] subs. colademononis is a vigorous, epilithic (growing on rocks) cactus, branching at the base. At first upright, then pendent and is up to 2.5 meters long

Flowers

Bright red, 7-8 cm long, zygomorphic, almost horizontal from the the areola.

Spines

(0 to) 4-8 more or less pointing downward, bristle-like yellowish and 20-50 hair-like, white, 4-8 (up to 12) cm long spines . The hair-like spines grow gradually.

Ribs

14-20 low.

Stem

Cylindrical, light green 2-7 cm across, completely concealed by the spines.

Fruits

More or less spherical, reddish 8-12 mm in diameter, drying and splitting open lengthwise at maturity.

Areoles

3-6 mm apart.