Coleocephalocereus goebelianus

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)

The Coleocephalocereus goebelianus is an impressive cactus species found in the wild in south-central Bahia and northern Minas Gerais in eastern Brazil. Here, this cactus grows in the caatinga, a vegetation type with pronounced dry periods, on rocky soil at altitudes of 300 to 1000 meters above sea level. The species was originally locally abundant but is now scarce because its habitat has been severely degraded.

The Coleocephalocereus goebelianus is a large-growing cactus that is quite distinct from all other species within the genus. Most Coleocephalocereus are short columnar with often prostrate stems branching from the base, but Coleocephalocereus goebelianus normally forms a solitary, unbranched column that can grow up to 6 meters tall. Due to this height, the cephalium can extend above the trees. The plant is easily distinguishable from all other cacti in this region.

The remarkable feature of this cactus is its prominent cephalium. The flowering areoles are woolly and spiny and coalesce into a distinctive head. Coleocephalocereus goebelianus has a continuous, lateral cephalium, and in old specimens, this lateral mass of wool and bristles can be as wide as the stem and grow several meters long. The spines are stout and hook-like in seedlings.

Coleocephalocereus goebelianus blooms at night with bell-shaped white flowers that spread widely and grow up to 5.5 cm long. The flowers are adapted for pollination by bats. This nocturnal flowering pattern makes the plant even more fascinating for enthusiasts.

A: Coleocephalocereus B: NL-765431734 C: D: EN