Espostoa Lanata Old man cactus live plant

Espostoa Lanata

Scientific Name

Espostoa lanata (Kunth) Britton & Rose

Common Names

Peruvian Old Man Cactus, Peruvian Snowball Cactus, Peruvian Old Man, Cotton Ball Cactus, New Old-man Cactus, Snowball Cactus, Snowball Old Man

Synonyms

Cactus lanatus (basionym), Cephalocereus dautwitzii, Cereus dautwitzii, Cereus lanatus, Cereus sericatus, Cleistocactus lanatus, Espostoa dautwitzii, Espostoa sericata, Oreocereus lanatus, Pilocereus dautwitzii, Pilocereus lanatus

Scientific Classification

Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Trichocereeae
Genus: Espostoa

Description

Espostoa lanata is a columnar, densely hairy cactus, covered by a warm woolly coat and well adapted to high altitudes. It looks like Cephalocereus senilis. The main difference is the presence of sharp spines on E. lanata. It is wide spread in its habitat and quite variable in size and spines, and for this reason it has received several names. It is up to 8 inches in diameter and up to 23 feet (7 m) tall. (up to 10 feet/3 m when cultivated). There are 18 to 25 ribs. The ribs and the sharp are mainly hidden by tissue woolly. It branches only after several years. It flowers at night from a lateral cephalium after several years. It has nocturnal flowers, up to 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter, white to purple in late spring to early summer.