Consulta Plantas

Care of the cacti Carnegiea gigantea or Saguaro

The genus Carnegiea, family Cactaceae, includes a single species of columnar cactus native to Sonora (Mexico), Arizona, and California.

Common names: Saguaro, Monument of the desert, Sage of the Desert, Giant Cactus. This species is native to Sonora (Mexico), Arizona and California (USA).

They are large branched cacti that reach 15 meters (49.21 feet) in height. The thick stem, (up to 75 cm/2.46 feet in diameter), has 12-30 sharp ribs bordered by areoles with brownish wool and long spines (7 cm/2.75") of light color with a dark tip.

These very slow growing cacti are used in sunny areas of the garden (for example in the Mediterranean climate) or indoors (in a well-lit location) if the climate is colder.

Carnegiea gigantea needs full sun exposure; they resist frosts down to -9 ºC (15.8 ºF) if the ambient humidity is low. Young specimens prefer light shade and a temperature above 10 ºC (50 ºF).

The soil can be a mixture of 50% leaf mulch and 50% coarse sand or a commercial cactus substrate. The transplant is done in spring.

Water very moderately throughout the year, increasing watering slightly in summer. It is a very resistant plant to drought.

Fertilize in spring with low nitrogen mineral fertilizer for cacti.

They can be attacked by mealybugs, which can be removed with a cotton swab with methyl alcohol or insecticides.

They propagate by seeds; In order for them to germinate, they must have been fertilized by pollen from another plant, since it's a self-sterile cactus.

Images of the cacti Carnegiea gigantea or Saguaro