What is the monkey tail cactus like and what care does it require?

Monkey tail cactus with flowers

There are many succulents that are epiphytes or pendants, but like the Monkey Tail cactus there are none. This plant produces such big and beautiful flowers that it is impossible to forget about it once you've seen it.

And that's not to mention that it can be kept in a pot throughout its life, which, speaking of this precious plant, means that you can have it both indoors and outdoors.

Characteristics of the monkey tail cactus

Potted Monkey Tail Cacctus

Our protagonist, whose scientific name is Cleistocactus colademononis, is a cactus native to Bolivia. The stems are cylindrical up to 2,5 meters long by 3-5cm thick.. These have between 14 to 20 ribs from whose areolas arise "hairs" and white spines that do not cause any damage.

The flowers are solitary, bright red, and have a diameter of up to 7 centimeters. They sprout in spring-summer, from the areolas. Once they are pollinated, the fruit begins to mature, which will have a spherical shape, will be red in color and will measure 8 to 12mm in diameter. Inside you will find the seeds, very small, 1,1 to 1,4 millimeters long.

How do you take care of yourself?

Monkey tail cactus in bloom

The monkey tail cactus is a plant that, although it is not common, we might think that it is very delicate, in reality it does not require special care. In fact, whether you have experience taking care of green or not, with this species it will be very difficult for you to have problems, since you only have to take into account the following:

Cacti can have several pests
Related article:
How to care for a cactus

Location

To be able to grow and develop properly it needs to be in an area where there is a lot of light -natural-. If it is outside, it can be in semi-shade or direct sun, in a pot or in the rockery; and if it is indoors it has to be placed in a very bright room. The ideal would be to put it near the window, and turn the pot from time to time so that the same amount of light reaches all sides of the cactus.

Substratum

We can use any as long as it has very good drainage. The roots of cacti do not withstand waterlogging, to the point that they rot easily if the soil in which they grow is almost always moist, or if it is very compact. Therefore, it is highly recommended to mix black peat with perlite in equal parts, or use only pumice or similar substrates (akadama, River sand).

Irrigation

Small cacti need to be watered more often than large ones
Related article:
How to water a cactus

Irrigation is the most delicate. Always check the humidity of the substrate before watering. For that, we can do the following:

  • Use a moisture meter: when introduced, it will tell us how wet the earth is. To make it more reliable, it is convenient to insert it in different areas (closer to the edge, to the sides of the plant, more towards the center of the pot, ...).
  • Introduce a thin wooden stick, like the ones used in Japanese restaurants: if when you extract it, it comes out with adhering soil, it will mean that it is wet and that, therefore, it is better not to water.
  • Weigh the pot before and after watering: wet soil weighs more than dry soil, so we can get an idea of ​​when we can water it if we weigh it or take it before and after watering.

Thus, in general, it will be necessary to water every 3-4 days in summer, and every 15 days the rest of the year. During the winter, once a month will suffice.

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Chemical fertilizer for plants

In spring and summer it is very convenient to pay it, either using fertilizers for cacti that we can find in nurseries and garden stores, or with Nitrofoska or Osmocote. In the case of opting for the first one, we must follow the indications specified on the container label; If we prefer the others, we will pour a small spoonful every 15 days on the surface of the substrate and water.

If we live in an area where the climate is mild and the temperatures remain high (above 15ºC) during autumn, we can also pay it during this season.

Transplant

Planting cacti is not very easy
Related article:
How to plant cacti?

In spring, once purchased and every two years. The plants that are sold in the nurseries are usually in pots that are beginning to get small, which prevents them from continuing their development. Bearing this in mind, whenever it is spring, our monkey tail cactus must be transplanted by transferring it to a somewhat larger pot.

Multiplication

Fruits of Cleistocactus colademononis

We can obtain new specimens if we sow its seeds or multiply it by cuttings in spring and / or summer. Let's see how to proceed in each case:

Seeds

To obtain a high germination rate do the following:

  1. The first thing is to get the seeds. We can find them in online stores, or even in our own plant (in the image above you can see what the fruits and their seeds are like).
  2. Once we have them, we will place them on the surface of the peat mixed with river sand in equal parts that we will have used to fill a tray with holes or a flowerpot.
  3. Later, we will cover them with a very thin layer of substrate, enough so that they cannot be blown away by the wind.
  4. Finally, we will water with a sprayer and place the seedbed in semi-shade.

They will germinate in 14-20 days at a temperature of 20-25ºC.

Cuttings

Rootless cacti are delicate
Related article:
How to plant a rootless cactus

The cutting method is the most effective to obtain new specimens. Do the following:

  1. We will select a stem that is not flowering, and we will cut it with pruning shears previously disinfected with pharmacy alcohol.
  2. Afterwards, we will let the wound dry for at least a week, in a place protected from the sun but where there is plenty of light.
  3. After that time, we will proceed to impregnate its base with powdered rooting hormones.
  4. Then, we will plant it in a pot with a sandy substrate (pumice, river sand, or similar).
  5. And finally, we will water.

It will take root very soon, in about a month.

Rusticity

It supports well the weak and specific frosts of up to -3ºC, but you need protection against hail.

Monkey Tail Cactus Problems

Monkey tail cactus in bloom

It is a very resistant plant, which is not usually affected by pests or diseases. However, you can have a number of problems, which are:

  • Stem rot: occurs due to excess watering. If when touching it we feel it soft, it will be better to cut to the health with a hand saw, or even with a serrated knife, previously disinfected with pharmacy alcohol and put healing paste to prevent fungi from infecting the entire plant.
    In addition, it will be necessary to remove the cactus from the pot and wrap its roots with kitchen paper to dry. We will leave it like that for 2-3 days, and we will plant it in a pot that has a substrate that has good drainage.
  • The plant turns reddish: it can happen either because of cold, or because a greenhouse plant has been exposed to direct sun as soon as you buy it. If it is for the former, it will be better to put it inside the house until the temperatures rise; and if it is due to the sun, it must be placed in semi-shade and gradually and progressively exposed to the sun, starting in spring.
  • Sea Conches: be very careful with these mollusks. They eat it all. If we see that from one day to the next brown spots have appeared on the cactus and also when we look closely we observe that the affected stem does not look completely cylindrical, we can be sure that the snails have been doing their thing. Fortunately, we can prevent the problem from getting worse with these Remedies.

Where to buy?

We can get it in nurseries specialized in cactus and succulent plants, and also in online stores. Its price is about 6 euros, a stem of about 10cm planted in a pot of 8,5cm in diameter.

Have you heard of this cactus?


7 comments, leave yours

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  1.   MIRIAM said

    Hello, I would like to know what plant is this but I don't know how to send the photo
    Could you tell me how to do it
    Thank you

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Miriam.
      You can send it to our Facebook.
      A greeting.

  2.   Silvia said

    very interesting the explanation of the care of the monkey tail cactus

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      I'm glad you liked it, Silvia.

  3.   James said

    I think it is a good page because it spreads the topic of ornamental plants. JVC

  4.   Adriana said

    Hello, my plant is loaded with flowers, but they do not open, why could this happen?

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Adriana.

      It may be that it lacks light, or that it is not the cactus that you think it is (there is a species that does not open its flowers).

      Try taking it to a brighter area to see if it works better. It can also come in handy to fertilize it with a liquid cactus fertilizer, following the instructions on the container.

      Greetings.