Cactus Espostoa Guentheri

Espostoa guentheri is one of the most impressive columnar-shaped cacti found. Natives from South America, more specifically Bolivia, and better known as woolly cactus, can naturally grow a few meters. Because of its great ornamental value, it can now be found all over the world, first for the beauty and then for the interest it has among collectors.

If I could highlight a couple of things that really are the reason for their value, they are: first, the bright yellow color of the spines and also the beautiful flowers born on the entire side of the cactus. When they are small it is not uncommon to see them alone, but as the years go by, they can be seen at the foot of them, as a colony of little plants is formed that can either be left to make beautiful, or can be used and removed to reproduce them. It can be ten different specimens if planted directly on the ground.

As for illumination, it goes a little against others, this requires direct sunlight, so it is quite appropriate to have it in a test placed on a balcony or in outdoor gardens. And if we put it indoors, it’s very important that it’s in a window where it gets direct light, if it can’t be counterproductive for the plant.

To irrigate it, it is a bit like all the others, in cold seasons, to decrease it to remove it completely, and in spring, when temperatures reach five or six positive degrees of minimum, it can be introduced moderately until summer, where the water supply will be maximal always controlling the substrate to be dry before re-watering. An easy and quick way of knowing how moist the substrate is, introduce the finger or a piece of branch, and if it is clean, it is a sign that it must irrigate. If, on the other hand, it comes out with remains of substrate, it has to wait because there is still some moisture and it could be harmful.

It’s important not to irrigate in winter because it’s a pretty delicate kind of cactus, and I recommend not exposing it to temperatures below three degrees positive for too long. If this happens, if temperatures are below zero degrees, there may be a risk of death.