Silver Torch Cactus

Cleistocactus strausii, commonly known as the silver torch or wooly torch, is a perennial cactus of the family Cactaceae. It is native to high mountain regions of Bolivia and Argentina, above 3,000 m (9,843 ft).

The torch cactus is the one that comes to mind when you think of a desert cactus. Learn how to grow and care for the torch cactus in this article.

Cleistocactus strausii is a perennial cactus with slender, erect, grey-green columns up to 10 feet (3 m) tall and only about 2.5 inches (6 cm) in diameter. The columns are formed from around 25 ribs and are densely covered with areoles, supporting four yellow-brown spines up to 2

This big beautiful silver torch cactus has erect, whitish columns and blooms off and on over a large part of the year. It is a mountain dwelling species found in the rocky, well-drained foothills of southern Bolivia and northern Argentina. Because it exists at relatively high elevations it’s somewhat frost hardy.

This striking cactus develops slender columns up to eight to ten feet tall. It is a vigorous grower that has interesting, silvery blue spines on hairy, bluish-gray columns. The silver torch begins to flower when the columns reach about eighteen inches tall. The decorative flowers are deep red or burgundy and protrude from the sides of the columnar stems and along the tips. Use it in combination with other columnar cacti and succulents in exotic cactus gardens. Plant the silver torch in foundations, raised planters, containers, courtyards, or narrow, confined spaces. It looks interesting when mixed with other columnar cacti along a tall wall with its striking silvery blue color. This cactus is native to high, mountainous regions in Bolivia and Argentina.

An erect, branching cactus with thick spines and an attractive, grayish-green color, silver torch cactus (Cleistocactus strausii) is an easygoing plant that requires little attention once its basic ...

The silver torch cactus (Cleistocactus strausii), also called a wooly torch cactus, is a columnar cactus that reaches up to 10 feet tall. The name silver or wooly torch comes from the wooly white ...

Distribution and habitat: Cleistocactus strausii is a perennial cactus native to high mountain regions of Bolivia and Argentina, above 3,000 m (9,843 feet). It is a slender, erect, grey-green columns which can reach a height of 3m (10 feet), but are only about 6cm (2.5inch) across. This cactus prefers free draining soils, strong sunlight, but not high temperatures — in fact it can withstand hard frosts down to -10°C. In its natural habitat it receives plenty of water during the summer, but almost none over the winter period.