Xerophyte

Description

Trichocereus hybrids are very easy to grow and cold tolerant,as low as -5/-12°C (or less depending on clone). They need a fertile, well drained soil mix. Water the plants well and allow them to dry before watering again. This cultivars seem to do better with a little more water than most cacti. In fact, their cultivation requirements are really more like 'normal' plants than most other cacti. During the growing season fertilize them monthly with a balanced fertilizer

Sun Exposure

Outside filtered sun, but during hot summers the cactus are subject to sun burning (Especially variegated specimens), so grow them in half-shade. Inside they need bright light, and some direct sun. During winter months, put them in a cool luminous place and encourage them to enter winter dormancy by withholding water and fertiliser over the winter, as they will etiolate, or become thin, due to lower levels of light. They are susceptible to fungal diseases if overwatered, but are not nearly as sensitive as many other cacti, especially in warm weather. They tend characteristically towards black rotted spots unless watering is moderate and only in hot weather. If kept damp through cold periods, they will invariably suffer.This plants produces large amounts of growth each year if kept well fed and watered throughout the warmest months, particularly if they have been acclimatised to accept full sun.

Propagation

By cutting, but unpredictably with a relative frequency some variegated seedlings appear among the plants of hybrid origin, it seems that the hybridization between species and cultivars encourages the production of variegated specimens.