Small intetesting cactus - but how big do these get?

[Holmes]

We live in Arizona and recently bought a mixed bag of cacti for our yard, these are attractive be we do not know their name or how fast, large they grow. That specimen is 20" tall and the pot is 10" diameter FYI. It would be great if anyone here can shed light on this:

[jerrytheplater]

I can't help you with the ID, but your post makes me think of a lot of questions.

Sounds like you are trying to landscape a home you may have just bought. Correct? Or no. Very exciting time for sure!

Sounds like you have not kept cacti and succulents as houseplants or even as landscape plants before. Correct? Or no. What is your gardening background-Total novice? Been growing for 10 years? Been growing for decades and propagate my own plants? The answer helps in giving advice.

Wondering if you've ever grown plants in AZ or other desert areas before? I haven't and would have to do a lot of research since all of my outdoor growing has been in New Jersey.

Did you talk to the people at the place where you bought your plants? A really great place will know the area climate and seasons and will sell you plants that will grow for you in your conditions. They are not out just to make a buck and sell you anything, even if not suitable for your area.

Buying plants that are native to your area is always the easiest. They are adapted to your conditions. Non natives can be suitable. Some can be really hard. Even when kept in pots indoors.

[DarkSideCactus]

Cereus repandus monstrose or Cereus peruvianus monstrose, just a big one. The non monstrose form is a columnar cactus that can get pretty large over time but the growth on this will be more compact and slower. It should still reach quite a large form though... eventually. Just google the name and you'll be able to see huge specimens (Cereus peruvianus).

Hope that helps!

[greenknight]

I agree on the ID. There are many different monstrose strains of this species, there's a lot of variation. Some remain quite compact, they produce tons of offsets and grow into a blob, others can get really big - and there's everything in between. This looks to be an in between one, so it's hard to predict just how big it will get. Give it plenty of space and see what happens!

I doubt it's going to be really huge, maybe 6 or 7 feet tall - but I could be wrong.

[anttisepp]

Usual monstrose Cereus peruvianus, more close to juvenile form. If gradually grow and cut bigger upper stems you can get adult monstrose plant able to flower.

[Holmes]

Thanks folks, I can now see that the brownish look will fade as it grows and it will become greener, I can also see that mature specimens look familiar, I've seen them around many times and the two I bought are just very young.

[Holmes]

I can't help you with the ID, but your post makes me think of a lot of questions.

Sounds like you are trying to landscape a home you may have just bought. Correct? Or no. Very exciting time for sure!

Sounds like you have not kept cacti and succulents as houseplants or even as landscape plants before. Correct? Or no. What is your gardening background-Total novice? Been growing for 10 years? Been growing for decades and propagate my own plants? The answer helps in giving advice.

Wondering if you've ever grown plants in AZ or other desert areas before? I haven't and would have to do a lot of research since all of my outdoor growing has been in New Jersey.

Did you talk to the people at the place where you bought your plants? A really great place will know the area climate and seasons and will sell you plants that will grow for you in your conditions. They are not out just to make a buck and sell you anything, even if not suitable for your area.

Buying plants that are native to your area is always the easiest. They are adapted to your conditions. Non natives can be suitable. Some can be really hard. Even when kept in pots indoors.

Hello Jerry.

We have a southwest home, stucco single story near the superstition mountains and cactus are everywhere. We've been here ten years but not put a lot of effort into the outdoors much, my wife is now enthusiastic and so we're putting all sorts in front and back.

We have several huge saguaros here (predating our purchase) and a few other large cactus but there's a lot of empty space around the place and we're filling this now with various cacti.

Some people out here have irrigation systems and all sorts of plants but I don't want that, these dessert plants very rarely need watering and survive the extreme heat year in year out. Last year we saw temps over 110F for like seven weeks in a row, a bit unusual to have quite that much but it is always hot and basically doesn't rain a drop from March-July sometimes longer.

many of the local landscapers we talk to say that most cactus propagate very easily, just slice off a limb, dig a hole, stick it in, water slightly for a week then leave it alone.

I'll post a picture of our front once we get the planting over today...

[Tom in Tucson]

Unless you're very skeptical of rising earth temperatures, I think that above normal summer heat will soon become typical for at least the next 20 years. Having said that, I suggest you plan for it by establishing trees and shrubs in your yard before planting any smaller cacti. I'm already reaping the benefits from doing this. It is now safer to plant a greater variety of succulent plants than had I not done this first. Ideally you can avoid irrigation systems this way, and you'll only need to water newly established plants by hand until their root systems develop.