Oreocereus celsianus or Old Man of the Andes

Care of the cactus Oreocereus celsianus or Old Man of the Andes

The genus Oreocereus, family Cactaceae, comprises 11 species of cactus native to the Andes (South America). Some species are: Oreocereus celsianus, Oreocereus trollii, Oreocereus leucotrichus, Oreocereus doelzianus.

Common names: Old Man of the Andes, Old man of the mountain. Scientific synonyms: Pilocereus celsianus, Cereus celsianus, Oreocereus fossulatus. This species is native to Peru, Argentina and Bolivia.

They are columnar cactus, branched from the base, reaching 1 meter (3.28 feet) in height. They are dark green or greyish in color but covered in silky white hairs that hide the body and spines. These spines appear in the woolly areolas and are of 2 types: 9 radial spines 2 cm (0.78") in length of yellowish brown color and 1-4 thicker central spines of 8 cm (3.14") in length. The flowers are dark red and appear on the top of the cactus. They bloom in late spring.

These slow-growing, easy-to-grow plants are used in pots when young; when they are adults they are used in rockeries, in cactus and succulent gardens and as isolated specimens.

The Oreocereus celsianus prefers full sun exposure and a hot, dry climate. They resist occasional frosts.

The soil can be a mixture of equal parts coarse sand and leaf mulch.

Water regularly in summer (once a week) waiting for the substrate to be dry. The rest of the year reduce watering and stop watering from mid-fall to early spring.

Fertilize once a month with a mineral cactus fertilizer in spring and in the first half of summer.

They do not need pruning.

The main enemy of these plants is the excess of irrigation or humidity.

They are propagated from seeds sown in slightly damp sandy substrate or by cuttings in summer.