Xerophyte

Leaves

Thin subulate, caducous (but lasting from spring to autumn if the plant is kept regularly watered)

Description

Austrocylindropuntia vestitaSN|4151]]SN|4067]] is usually a slender columnar white and very furry cactus from high altitude. The standard plants form branch both basally and near the top of the stems.Derivation of specific name. The species name "vestita" refers to the plants' vestments, its clothing of white hairs that turns into dens colonies what appears to be patches of snow remembering the high mountain peaks that surround - on all sides - the habitat of this plant.

Similar Species

A. vestita is closely related to Austrocylindropuntia shaferiSN|4067]]SN|4151]] but more cespitose, shorter and smaller, and with sterile fruit. Moreover the stems of A. vestita are completely covered with hairs with spines less than 15 mm long, while the stems of A. shaferi have some hairs only on the juvenile growth and spines 10-50 mm long.

Flowers

A. vestita is not a reliable bloomer. When flowering finally occurs, the flowers will be a beautiful deep red or violet up to 2-2,5cm . The hairiness of the pericarpel is mostly as dense as that of the stems, merely the spination remains less. The flowers are developed always at the top of the stems.

Spines

Few thin, up to 1 cm long and white. The plant has also abundant long, fine and rubbery hairs which completely cover the branches.

Stem

Cylindrical 2-3 cm in diameter covered densely with long white hairs. The stems can eventually grow to almost 60 cm tall.