Xerophyte

Habit

It is a candelabriform or arborescent columnar succulent, much branched from below, often with a well developed woody trunk. It has many ribs which are set with large, white, woolly tufts accented by long central spines.

Central Spines

1-2 stout, erect 5-20 cm long.

Description

The popular Eulychnia saint-pieana is a morphological form of Eulychnia brevifloraSN|7535]]SN|7528]], very priced for its especially hairy areoles, but both plants with scarcely woolly areoles and plants with very woolly areole (with all intermediate forms) are found throughout the distribution range of the species and it is difficult to classify Eulychnia saint-pieanaSN|7528]]SN|7535]] as a separate variety. It is one of the showiest Eulychnia species sought-after by cacti impassioned.

Flowers

Bell shaped, white to pale rose up to 2 cm long, segment mostly white with a darker midstripe. They develop from very woolly buds filled with dense brown to white wool and bristles near the top of the plant. Areoles of floral tube and pericarpel without stiff bristles. Tube densely scaly, and shorter than the pericarpel.

Blooming Season

Summer, the flowers stay open day and night.

Spines

10-30, often poorly differentiated as central and radials, brown turning dull grey to chalky-white as they ages.

Ribs

10-17 straight, somewhat tuberculate, sometime furrowed between areoles.

Stem

Nearly erect, 3-7 m tall, 8-11 cm in diameter, greyish-green to dark green.

Radial Spines

0,5-2 cm long, diverging.

Fruits

Globose to pear shaped, up to 5-8 in diameter, fleshy, acid, especially hairy when young. The fruit is edible, but not very tasty.

Areoles

Close set, whit heavy wool and hairs.