Pilosocereus fulvilanatus
| Light | Bright light to full sun; acclimatise gradually to avoid scorch |
|---|---|
| Water | Moderate in the warm growing season; keep dry and cool in winter |
| Soil | Fast-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; frost-tender, USDA zones 10–11 |
| Propagation | Seed; stem cuttings |
| Toxicity | Not known to be toxic to cats or dogs; the spines are a mechanical hazard |
Pilosocereus fulvilanatus is a columnar Brazilian cactus prized for its striking blue, waxy stems and for the tawny to golden wool that gathers in its flowering zone. Like others in the genus Pilosocereus, it develops woolly, hairy areoles as it matures, and it is the density and warm colour of this flowering wool — rather than white — that sets the species apart.
Description
Pilosocereus fulvilanatus grows as an erect, sparingly branched column, its ribbed stems coated in a heavy blue-grey waxy bloom that gives the plant its characteristic frosty appearance. The ribs are well defined and carry evenly spaced areoles bearing stiff spines that range from pale yellow to brownish.
As a stem reaches flowering size it forms a cephalium — a specialised lateral zone of dense wool and bristles from which the flowers emerge. In this species the flowering wool is a warm tawny to golden tone, a feature reflected in the epithet fulvilanatus ("tawny-woolled"). The nocturnal flowers are tubular to funnel-shaped and pale — white to greenish or faintly pink — opening at night and pollinated by bats, as is typical for the genus; they are followed by fleshy fruit.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to eastern Brazil, where it grows in the seasonally dry interior on rocky outcrops and among the scrub of the campo rupestre and caatinga. Plants root in shallow, gritty pockets over rock, enduring intense sun, a long dry season and brief summer rains. This background of sharp drainage and strong light is the key to understanding its needs in cultivation.
Cultivation
Pilosocereus fulvilanatus is a rewarding column for the collector who can give it warmth and sun. Grow it in a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix and site it in the brightest position available; strong light preserves the intense blue waxy bloom, whereas shade tends toward a duller green. Increase exposure gradually in spring, as the waxy stems can scorch if moved abruptly into fierce sun.
Water moderately once the mix has dried through the warm growing season, then keep the plant dry and cool over winter to prevent rot. It resents cold, wet conditions and is intolerant of frost, so growers in temperate climates keep it under cover or indoors through the cold months. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Propagation is by seed or by stem cuttings. Seed germinates readily on a warm, humid, mineral surface and is the usual way to raise numbers of plants. Cuttings are taken from a healthy stem, allowed to callus for several days in a dry, shaded spot, and then set on a barely moist mineral mix to root. Cutting-grown plants branch from the wound and can flower sooner than seedlings.
Common problems
- Rot — the commonest cause of loss, almost always from overwatering, a slow-draining mix or cold wet winters; the stem softens and discolours from the base.
- Loss of bloom — the blue waxy coating can rub off or fade in low light; handle stems as little as possible and grow hard in bright conditions.
- Scorch — pale or brown scarring where a shaded plant is moved too quickly into intense sun; acclimatise gradually.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff in the areoles and cephalium) and red spider mites (fine webbing, bronzed skin) are the usual culprits; see Pests and diseases.
See also
- Pilosocereus — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting · Propagation — seed · Propagation — cuttings · Pests and diseases