Pilosocereus leucocephalus

Water:

April-September: 1 x every 2 weeks*

October-March: 1x per month *

*This is only for a sunny location

Light: sunny

Nutrition: 1x per month (May-September)

Pilosocereus leucocephalus is a beautiful cactus species native to Mexico, where it occurs in the states of Tamaulipas, Chiapas, Hidalgo, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, and Veracruz. The cactus also grows in Guatemala and Honduras.
There, it grows in tropical deciduous forests, xerophytic scrublands, and submontane forests.

Pilosocereus leucocephalus is a columnar cactus that grows into a tree 2 to 6 meters tall. This is its height in the wild. On our windowsill, it will take many decades to reach this size. As the cactus ages, it may branch from the base, forming short side arms. Its stems are dark green at first, later developing a beautiful, intense blue color. New spines are initially brown or yellow and turn gray with age.

What makes this cactus special is its pseudocephalium, the area where the flowers grow. This area has much denser, silky white hairs, 4 to 10 cm long, which define the plant’s appearance.

Pilosocereus leucocephalus blooms in summer, often during a warm, sunny spell. The flowers are tubular to bell-shaped and 6 to 8 cm long. They are white to light pink on the inside and reddish green on the outside. At the base of each flower is a large drop of nectar. In the wild, this attracts bats, which pollinate the flowers.

A: Pilosocereus B: NL-765431734 C: D: NL