TRICHOCEREUS PASCANA

ORIGIN AND CHARACTERISTICS

Trichocereus Pasacana is a perennial cactus belonging to the Cactaceae family, although it is also known by the common names of “Achuma” or “Puqui”. This plant is endemic to Argentina and southern Bolivia.

It is columnar in shape and can reach up to 10 meters in height, during its adulthood it usually branches. The areolas can be found on the ribs, very close to each other, carrying with them large amounts of thorns, the length of this can be up to 14 cm, brown in color during youth and when it reaches maturity the thorns they are yellowish in color.

This cactus in turn produces flowers during its flowering of a white color covered with black fluff, the size of these flowers is around 10 cm.

DECORATION OF ... EXTERIOR OR INTERIOR?

We can incorporate it in both environments, it withstands full sun well so it is perfect for hot areas since it does not require much maintenance, if we prefer to have it indoors we will only have to make sure that the pot is adequate and that it drains the water correctly and place it in a sunny area, although it is also very resistant to cold. It is also advisable to change the pot in spring every 2 years.

CARE FOR CACTUS AND SUCCULENTS

They are showy plants, very pretty and that practically do not need much maintenance.

- They prefer places with direct light or that have good lighting, preferably next to a window, on a balcony, a terrace or in your Garden.

- They can withstand low temperatures, around 0ºC.

- It is essential that they have good drainage, both in the soil and in a pot.

- The ideal substrate for cacti has to be combined with sand and gravel, so that they have good drainage, humidity and excess water are not good.

- Irrigation does not have to be excessive. From spring to autumn, which would be its growth period, water every 15 days, abundant watering and wait until the soil is very dry again. In winter do not water or give one watering per month.

- Fertilizer. During the growing season (spring - autumn) you can fertilize them with worm humus. Eggshells are a good homemade fertilizer, they contain (Calcium, Iron, Potassium, magnesium and Phosphorus) these nutrients are very important and favor their growth, you must crush and mix them with the substrate, administer them a couple of times a year.

- Treatment against fungi due to excess humidity, disinfect the area with a copper-based fungicide.

- If you want to transplant them from the pot or the ground, the best time would be from spring.

And don't forget that to work with cacti you have to wear good gloves.